USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

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

Geologic units in Socorro county, New Mexico

[Additional scientific data in this geographic area]

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

Abo Formation; red beds, arkosic at base, finer and more mature above; Wolfcampian; may include limestone beds of Pennsylvanian age (Virgilian) in Zuni Mountains. In Robledo Mountains the Abo may be considered a member of the Hueco Formation

Lithology: sandstone; shale; conglomerate; limestone

Mesaverde Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

Mesaverde Group includes the Gallup Sandstone, Crevasse Canyon Formation, Point Lookout Sandstone, Menefee Formation, and Cliff House Sandstone

Lithology: sandstone; fine-grained mixed clastic; conglomerate; coal

lacustrine and playa-lake deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Lacustrine and playa-lake deposits; includes associated alluvial and eolian deposits of major lake basins; upper Quaternary

Lithology: lake or marine deposit (non-glacial); alluvium; eolian

Gallup Sandstone and underlying D-Cross Tongue of Mancos Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

Gallup Sandstone and underlying D-Cross Tongue of the Mancos Shale; Turonian

Lithology: sandstone; shale

Chinle Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic) at surface, covers 2 % 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

silicic pyroclastic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Lower Oligocene silicic pyroclastic rocks (ash-flow tuffs); includes Hell's Mesa, Kneeling Nun, lower part of Bell Top Formation, Caballo Blanco, Datil Well, Leyba Well, Rock House Canyon, Blue Canyon, Sugarlump and Tadpole Ridge Tuffs, the tuffs of the Organ cauldron, Treasure Mountain Tuff (now known as Chiquito Peak Tuff), Bluff Creek Tuff, Oak Creek Tuff, tuff of Steins Mountain, tuff of Black Bill Canyon, tuff of Farr Ranch, Woodhaul Canyon, Gillespie and Box Canyon Tuffs, Cooney Tuff, and other volcanic and interbedded fluvial and pumiceous units; (31-36.5 Ma)

Lithology: pyroclastic; tuff; felsic volcanic rock; volcanic rock (aphanitic); mixed clastic/volcanic

eolian deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

Eolian deposits

Lithology: eolian

rhyolitic pyroclastic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 9 % of this area

Upper Oligocene rhyolitic pyroclastic rocks (ash-flow tuffs); includes Davis Canyon Tuff, South Crosby Peak Formation, La Jencia, Vick's Peak, Lemitar, South Canyon, Bloodgood Canyon, Shelley Peak Tuffs, tuff of Horseshoe Canyon, Park Tuff, Rhyolite Canyon Tuff, Apache Springs Tuff, Diamond Creek, Jordan Canyon, Garcia Camp Tuffs, the Turkey Springs Tuff, the tuff of Little Mineral Creek, the Amalia Tuff, and others. Some contain volcaniclastic and reworked volcaniclastic rocks, and eolian sandstone; (24-29 Ma)

Lithology: tuff; pyroclastic; rhyolite; andesite; mixed clastic/volcanic; eolian

San Andres Limestone and Glorieta Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

San Andres Limestone and Glorieta Sandstone; Guadalupian and Leonardian

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; carbonate; evaporite

Glorieta Sandstone (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.6 % of this area

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

Lithology: sandstone

older alluvial deposits of upland plains and piedmont areas (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Older alluvial deposits of upland plains and piedmont areas, and calcic soils and eolian cover sediments of High Plains region; includes scattered lacustrine, playa, and alluvial deposits of the Tahoka, Double Tanks, Tule, Blanco, Blackwater Draw, and Gatuna Formations, the latter of which may be Pliocene at base; outcrops, however, are basically of Quaternary deposits; upper Quaternary to uppermost Pliocene(?)

Lithology: alluvium

plutonic rocks, Lower Proterozoic (Proterozoic | Paleoproterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Lower Proterozoic plutonic rocks (older than 1600 Ma)

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

andesite and basaltic andesite flows and associated volcaniclastic units (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

Lower Tertiary, (Lower Oligocene and Eocene) andesite and basaltic andesite flows, and associated volcaniclastic units. Includes Rubio Peak Formation, and andesite of Dry Leggett Canyon

Lithology: andesite; basalt; intermediate volcanic rock; mafic volcanic rock; mixed clastic/volcanic

Pennsylvanian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian) at surface, covers 2 % 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

Permian Rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Permian rocks, undivided

Lithology: sedimentary rock

Yesa Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 5 % of this area

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

Lithology: sandstone; limestone; mudstone; evaporite

volcanic and some volcaniclastic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.7 % of this area

Volcanic and some volcaniclastic rocks, undifferentiated; lower Miocene and Upper Oligocene (younger than 29 Ma)

Lithology: volcanic rock (aphanitic); mixed clastic/volcanic

Madera Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian) at surface, covers 0.8 % 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

Santa Fe Group (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Santa Fe Group, undivided. Basin fill of Rio Grande rift region; middle Pleistocene to uppermost Oligocene

Lithology: clastic; carbonate; lava flow; andesite

volcanic rocks, middle Tertiary (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.1 % of this area

Middle Tertiary volcanic rocks, undifferentiated

Lithology: volcanic rock (aphanitic)

sedimentary units, Palogene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.7 % 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

metamorphic rocks (Proterozoic | Paleoproterozoic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

plutonic rocks, middle Proterozoic (Proterozoic | Mesoproterozoic) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Middle Proterozoic plutonic rocks (younger than 1600 Ma)

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

alluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 17 % of this area

Alluvium; upper and middle Quaternary

Lithology: alluvium

andesites and basaltic andesites (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.7 % of this area

Upper Oligocene andesites and basaltic andesites (26-29 Ma); includes La Jara Peak Basaltic Andesite, Uvas Basalt, the basaltic andesite of Poverty Creek, and Squirrel Springs Andesite, the Razorback, Bear Springs Canyon, Salt Creek, Gila Flat, and Middle Mountain Formations, and the Alum Mountain Group; locally includes more silicic flows

Lithology: andesite; basalt; intermediate volcanic rock; mafic volcanic rock; felsic volcanic rock; rhyolite

quartz monzonites, intermediate intrusives, and other intermediate felsic dikes and plugs (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Quartz monzonites (Eocene) in the Silver City and Los Pinos Range, intermediate intrusives of the Cooke's Range (Oligocene), and other intermediate to felsic dikes and plugs of Oligocene and Eocene age

Lithology: quartz monzonite; granitoid

Artesia Group (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.1 % 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

Yeso, Glorieta, and San Andres Formations, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Yeso, Glorieta and San Andres Formations, undivided

Lithology: sandstone; carbonate; fine-grained mixed clastic; evaporite

basalt and andesite flows and vent deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Basalt and andesite flows and locally vent deposits

Lithology: andesite; basalt

Lower and Middle Santa Fe Group (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Lower and Middle Santa Fe Group. Includes Hayner Ranch, Rincon Valley, Popotosa, Cochiti, Tesuque, Chamita, Abiquiu, and other Formations; Miocene and uppermost Oligocene

Lithology: coarse-grained mixed clastic; unconsolidated deposit; tuff; chert

basalt and andesite flows, Neogene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.5 % of this area

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

Lithology: basalt; andesite

Bursum Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 0.5 % of this area

Bursum Formation; shale, arkose, and limestone; earliest Permian

Lithology: shale; sandstone; conglomerate; limestone

silicic to intermediate volcanic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.8 % of this area

Silicic to intermediate volcanic rocks; mainly quartz latite and rhyolite Neogene; may locally include flows interbedded with Santa Fe Group

Lithology: felsic volcanic rock; intermediate volcanic rock

basalt and andesite flows, Miocene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Basalt and andesite flows; Miocene

Lithology: basalt; andesite

Rio Salado Tongue of Mancos Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Rio Salado Tongue of the Mancos Shale. Overlies Twowells Tongue of Dakota Sandstone; mapped only where Tres Hermanos Formation or the Atarque Sandstone is present; mapped as Kdr in parts of Socorro County; Turonian

Lithology: shale; limestone

Tres Hermanos Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Tres Hermanos Formation; formerly designated as Lower Gallup Sandstone in the Zuni Basin; Turonian

Lithology: sandstone

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

McRae Formation; Engle basin - Cutter sag area; Maastrichtian

Lithology: shale; sandstone; siltstone; conglomerate

landslide deposits and colluvium (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Landslide deposits and colluvium

Lithology: landslide; colluvium

piedmont alluvial deposits (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Quaternary) at surface, covers 18 % 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

Ordovician and Cambrian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Cambrian Ordovician) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Ordovician and Cambrian rocks, undivided; includes Bliss Sandstone, El Paso Formation, and Montoya Formation (or Group)

Lithology: sedimentary rock

silicic to intermediate intrusive rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Miocene to Oligocene silicic to intermediate intrusive rocks; dikes, stocks, plugs, and diatremes

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

San Andres Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian) at surface, covers 6 % 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

Missippian through Cambrian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Cambrian Ordovician(?) Silurian(?) Devonian(?) Carboniferous Mississippian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Mississippian through Cambrian rocks, undivided; includes Lake Valley Limestone; Mississippian; Devonian rocks, undivided; El Paso Formation and Montoya Group (or Formation); Ordovician; and Bliss Sandstone; Cambrian and Ordovician

Lithology: carbonate; clastic

intrusive rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Tertiary intrusive rocks; undifferentiated

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

mafic intrusive rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Upper and Middle Tertiary mafic intrusive rocks

Lithology: plutonic rock (phaneritic)

travertine (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary) at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area

Travertine

Lithology: limestone

Dakota Sandstone and Rio Salado Tongue of the Mancos Shale (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.4 % of this area

Dakota Sandstone and Rio Salado Tongue of the Mancos Shale. In northwest Socorro County locally includes overlying Tres Hermanos Formation

Lithology: sandstone; shale; conglomerate; limestone; medium-grained mixed clastic

volcanic rocks, lower Oligocene and Eocene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.9 % of this area

Lower Oligocene and Eocene volcanic rocks, undifferentiated; dominantly intermediate composition, with interbedded volcaniclastic rocks; (31-44 Ma)

Lithology: volcanic rock (aphanitic); intermediate volcanic rock; mixed clastic/volcanic

silicic flows and massess and associated pyroclastic rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area

Upper Oligocene silicic (or felsic) flows and masses and associated pyroclastic rocks; includes Taylor Creek, Fanney, and Rocky Canyon Rhyolites

Lithology: felsic volcanic rock; pyroclastic; rhyolite

intertongued Dakota-Mancos sequence (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.5 % of this area

Intertongued Dakota-Mancos sequence of west-central New Mexico; includes the Whitewater Arroyo Tongue of Mancos Shale and the Twowells Tongue of the Dakota

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

basalt and andesite flows, Pliocene (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Basalt and andesite flows; Pliocene

Lithology: basalt; andesite

Mississippian rocks, undivided (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Mississippian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

Sandia Formation (Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Pennsylvanian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

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

Cretaceous rocks, undivided

Lithology: clastic; volcanic rock (aphanitic); carbonate

Crevasse Canyon Formation (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers 0.9 % of this area

Crevasse Canyon Formation; coal-bearing units are Dilco and Gibson Coal Members; other members are Bartlett Barren, Dalton Sandstone, and Borrego Pass Sandstone (or Lentil)

Lithology: fine-grained mixed clastic; coal

Dakota Group (Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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

sedimentary and vocaniclastic sedimentary rocks (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary) at surface, covers 1 % of this area

Mostly Oligocene and upper Eocene sedimentary and volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks with local andesitic to intermediate volcanics; includes Espinaso, Spears, Bell Top, and Palm Park Formations

Lithology: clastic; mixed clastic/volcanic; volcanic rock (aphanitic); unconsolidated deposit

Upper Santa Fe Group (Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary Quaternary) at surface, covers 10 % of this area

Upper Santa Fe Group. Includes Camp Rice, Fort Hancock, Palomas, Sierra Ladrones, Ancha, Puye, and Alamosa Formations; middle Pleistocene to uppermost Miocene

Lithology: clastic; unconsolidated deposit; mixed clastic/volcanic

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

Upper Tertiary sedimentary units; includes Bidahochi Formation, the Picuris Formation, and Las Feveras Formation, and locally fanglomerates; Pliocene to upper Miocene

Lithology: clastic; mixed clastic/volcanic; volcanic rock (aphanitic); unconsolidated deposit