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Mineral Resources > Online Spatial Data > Geology > by state > New Mexico Geology

Geologic units in San Miguel county, New Mexico

[Additional scientific data in this geographic area]

Graneros Shale and Greenhorn Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Graneros Shale and Greenhorn Formation; limited to northeastern area; lower Turonian and Cenomanian

Lithology: shale; limestone

San Andres Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

San Andres Formation; limestone and dolomite with minor shale; Guadalupian in south, in part Leonardian to north

Lithology: carbonate; fine-grained mixed clastic; evaporite

basaltic and andesitic volcanics interbedded with sedimentary units (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Basaltic and andesitic volcanics interbedded with Pleistocene and Pliocene sedimentary units

Lithology: basalt; andesite; sedimentary rock

piedmont alluvial deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Piedmont alluvial deposits: upper and middle Quaternary; includes deposits of higher gradient tributaries bordering major stream valleys, alluvial veneers of the piedmont slope, and alluvial fans

Lithology: alluvium

plutonic rocks, middle and lower Proterozoic (Proterozoic | Paleoproterozoic Mesoproterozoic) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Middle and Lower Proterozoic plutonic rocks, undivided

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

Entrada Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Entrada Sandstone, Middle Jurassic; Callovian

Lithology: sandstone

Morrison Formation and upper San Rafael Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Morrison Formation and upper San Rafael Group

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; sedimentary rock; limestone

Ogallala Formation (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Ogallala Formation, alluvial and eolian deposits, and petrocalcic soils of the southern High Plains; Lower Pliocene to middle Miocene (locally includes unit Qoa)

Lithology: alluvium; eolian; carbonate

Sandia Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Sandia Formation; predominately clastic unit (commonly arkosic) with minor black shales, and limestone in lower part; locally includes Osha Canyon Formation in Nacimiento Mountains

Lithology: sandstone; shale; limestone; conglomerate

undivided, Upper Cretaceous (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Upper Cretaceous, undivided. Includes Virden Formation in northern Hidalgo County, Ringbone Formation in Hidalgo and Luna and Grant Counties, and locally Beartooth and Sarten, Mancos in Silver City area; Cenomanian - Maastrichtian for most part, although Beartooth is pre-Cenomanian

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; volcanic rock (aphanitic); limestone

Mississippian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Mississippian) at surface, covers 0.7 % of this area

Mississippian rocks, undivided; Arroyo Penasco Group in Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Sierra Nacimiento, San Pedro Mountain, and Sandia Mountains; Lake Valley Limestone in south-central New Mexico

Lithology: limestone; medium-grained mixed clastic

Permain and Pennsylvanian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian Permian) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Permian and Pennsylvanian rocks, undivided; includes Horquilla Limestone, Earp Formation, Epitaph and Scherrer Formations, and Concha Limestone

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; carbonate

Bull Canyon Formation of Chinle Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers 0.9 % of this area

Bull Canyon Formation; Norian

Lithology: mudstone; sandstone; conglomerate

Dakota Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 17 % of this area

Dakota Group of east-central and northeast New Mexico; in ascending order, Mesa Rica Sandstone, Pajarito Shale, and Romeroville Sandstone; includes the underlying Tucumcari Shale in Tucumcari area and Glencairn Formation in Union County. Encompasses both Upper and Lower Cretaceous rocks

Lithology: sandstone; medium-grained mixed clastic

Glorieta Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 6 % of this area

Glorieta Sandstone; texturally and mineralogically mature, high-silica quartz sandstone

Lithology: sandstone

mafic metamorphic rocks, lower Proterozoic (Proterozoic | Paleoproterozoic) at surface, covers 0.8 % of this area

Lower Proterozoic metamorphic rocks, dominantly mafic (1720-1760 Ma)

Lithology: mafic metavolcanic rock

Chinle Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Chinle Group; Upper Triassic; includes Moenkopi Formation (Middle Triassic) at base in many areas; in eastern part of state the following five formations are mapped:

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; fine-grained mixed clastic; limestone; chert; evaporite

Permian Rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Permian rocks, undivided

Lithology: sedimentary rock

Pennsylvanian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Pennsylvanian rocks, undivided; in Sangre de Cristo Mountains may include Sandia Formation, Madera Limestone, La Pasada, Alamitos, and Flechado Formations; elsewhere may include Bar-B, Nakaye, Red House, Oswaldo, and Syrena Formations

Lithology: sedimentary rock; medium-grained mixed clastic; carbonate

upper Chinle Group (Garita Creek, Trujillo, Bull Canyon, and Redonda Formations) (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers 21 % of this area

Upper Chinle Group, Garita Creek through Redonda Formations, undivided

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; fine-grained mixed clastic; limestone

Yesa Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Yeso Formation; sandstones, siltstones, anhydrite, gypsum, halite, and dolomite; Leonardian

Lithology: sandstone; limestone; mudstone; evaporite

Greenhorn Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Greenhorn Formation; limited to northeastern area. The Upper member (Bridge Creek Limestone) can be traced into western area where it is commonly shown as a bed-rank unit in Mancos Shale on detailed maps

Lithology: shale; limestone

Santa Rosa Formation of Chinle Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers 12 % of this area

Santa Rosa Formation; Carnian; includes Moenkopi Formation (Middle Triassic) at base in most areas

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; conglomerate

Graneros Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Graneros Shale; limited to northeastern area; Cenomanian

Lithology: shale; fine-grained mixed clastic

plutonic rocks, Lower Proterozoic (Proterozoic | Paleoproterozoic) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

Lower Proterozoic plutonic rocks (older than 1600 Ma)

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

Carlile Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Carlile Shale; limited to northeastern area; Turonian-Coniacian

Lithology: shale; fine-grained mixed clastic; mixed clastic/carbonate

Madera Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Madera Formation (Limestone, or Group); in Manzano Mountains includes Los Moyos Limestone and Wild Cow Formation; in Lucero Mesa includes Gray Mesa, Atrasdo, and Red Tanks Members; in Sacramento Mountains includes Beeman and Holder Formations; may include strata lumped as Magdalena Group in a few areas

Lithology: limestone; fine-grained mixed clastic

metamorphic rocks (Proterozoic | Paleoproterozoic) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Lower Proterozoic metamorphic rocks, dominantly felsic volcanic, volcaniclastic and plutonic rocks (1650-1700+ Ma); includes Vadito Group; locally includes high-grade felsic gneisses of unknown age

Lithology: felsic metavolcanic rock; plutonic rock (phaneritic); felsic gneiss

sedimentary units, Palogene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Paleogene sedimentary units; includes Baca, Galisteo, El Rito, Blanco Basin, Love Ranch, Lobo, Sanders Canyon, Skunk Ranch, Timberlake, and Cub Mountain Formations

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; tuff; limestone; sand; clay or mud

San Rafael Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

San Rafael Group; consists of Entrada Sandstone, Todilto and Summerville Formations, Bluff Sandstone, and locally Zuni Sandstone (or only Acoma Tongue of Zuni)

Lithology: medium-grained mixed clastic; fine-grained mixed clastic; evaporite; limestone

middle and upper Jurassic rocks, unidivided (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Jurassic rocks, Middle and Upper, undivided

Lithology: clastic; sedimentary rock

Morrison Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Jurassic) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Morrison Formation; Upper Jurassic nonmarine rocks present only in northern one-third of state

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; limestone

basalt and andesite flows, Neogene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Basalt and andesite flows; Neogene. Includes flows interbedded with Santa Fe and Gila Groups

Lithology: basalt; andesite

alluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Alluvium; upper and middle Quaternary

Lithology: alluvium

Artesia Group (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Artesia Group; shelf facies forming broad south-southeast trending outcrop from Glorieta to Artesia area; includes Grayburg, Queen, Seven Rivers, Yates, and Tansill Formations; Guadalupian. May locally include Moenkopi Formation (Triassic) at top

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; dolostone (dolomite); evaporite

Redonda Formation of Chinle Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Redonda Formation

Lithology: sandstone; mudstone; limestone