New Mexico Tech
Coordinating
State-Funded Fossil Fuel Research
inuolving
Oil
Gas
CWl
Enhanced Oil Recovery
New Mexico Energy Institute
at
New Mexico Institute of
Mining & Technology
Socorro, New Mexico 87801
(505)835-5545
e
0
0
0
FOSSL
I
FUEL
RESEARCH
FINAL REPORT
COAL, URANIUM, OIL & GAS POTENTIAL
OF THE RILEY-PUERTECITO AREA, SOCORRO COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
Charles E. Chapin, Principal Investigator
Glenn R. Osbum, Co-Investigator
Stephen C. Hook, Co-Investigator
Gary L. Massingill, Co-lnvestigator
Stephen J. Frost, Co-Investigator
COAL,
URANIUM,
RILEY-PUERTECITO
New
OIL
AND
AREA,
GAS
SOCORRO
POTENTIAL
OF THE
COUNTY,
Principal Investigator:
Charles E. Chapin, Ph.D.
of Mines and Mineral
Mexico Bureau
NEW
MEXICO
Resources
Technical Report
by
New
Charles E. Chapin, Ph.D.
Glenn R. Osburn
Stephen C. Hook, Ph.D.
Gary L. Massingill
Stephen J. Frost
Mexico Bureau
of Mines and Mineral
Resources
March 1979
This project was conducted under the auspices
of the NEW MEXICO ENERGY INSTITUTE
of New
Mexico Instituteof Mining and Technology.
The research project was supported
by the New
as
Mexico Energy and Minerals Department
Project No.ERB 77-3302 and by the New Mexico
Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources.,
ABSTRACT
.:
The Riley-Puertecito area is located on the southeastern
. :
margin
of
the
Colorado
beltof gently
northwest-trending
Cenozoic
Coal
rocks
beds
.
Plateau
cut
occur
by
near
is
dipping
numerous
the
,..
and
underlain
a west-by
Cretaceous
kaulks
and
igneous intrusions.
. . ,.
ana
top Mesaverde Forof the
.. .
base
and
.(.
,
..
..
mation of Uppel cretaceous age. C o i l s in the lower Mesaverde
..
were
deposited
on
a coastal
or
. .
:,
.
I ,
.
delta
plain a mixed
in
brackish
, . .. . ., , . . . :,
. . ,.
and fresh water environment. Analyses
of three samples from
'_
~
...
beds
13
inches
to 5 feet
thick
yielded
vaiues
(as received)
,
..
of"5137 to 9083 BTU/lb, 13.2 to 39.0% ash, and 0.5 to 0.9%
I
.
..
.
,
,
sulfur; They range in thickness from one
$0 five feet, but
I
,
'
may aggregateas much as .8 feet of coal
.
.
.
coal seams. Coal:
. .. .
in
areas
...
of
stacked
i
in the upper Mesaverde were'deposited in
iiesh-water 'swanips further inland. Analyseso f ~ O i rsamples
.
from
beds11 inches
"
to3.2 feet thick yielded values (as
received) of 6083 to 11,555 BTU/lb, 6 . 4 to 40.3% ash, and
0.3 to 0.5% sulfur. Upper Mesaverde coals occuras isolated,
lenticular beds that change thickness rapidly. Inferred
resources
were
not
calculated
of lack of subsurface
because
of
data and str'uctural complexities. Indicated resources
lower Mesaverde coals southwest of
*
t o n ~of bituminous and subbituminous
Riley
are
coal
which
about
1,000,000
could
mined with a maximum stxipping ratioof 1O:l. The best use
of the
coal
would
probably a be
cement
plant
that
could
utilize the abundant Limestone, travertine, and shale
found in this area.
ii
be
Small, scattered occurrences of uranium
are present
in terrestrial sandstonesof the Baca FormatiohoE Eocene
age.
A
fluvial sandstone facies,0 to 176 feet thick,
crops out over a distance
of about fivemiles along the
northeastern edge of the Bear Mountains, southwesto f
Riley.
The sandstone i s bleached, contains abundant
carbonaceous material, and could
contain commexcial
uranium deposits where downfaulting
has protected it
from leaching.
The oil and gas potential of Cretaceous rocks in the
Riley-Puextecito area is negligible because
of shallow
depth of burial, low degree of thermal.ma&ration, and
probable flushing by groundwater.
However, structural
information developea during
this study maybe helpful
in evaluating deeper formations.
..
TABLE OF CONTENTS
.............
Abstract. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..........
Acknowledgement
and
Disclaimer
.
.
.. .
.
Page
i
ii
iv
V
vi
.
,
SECTION
...................
I1 Geologic Setting
.................
I11 Coal Potential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stratigraphy, Distribution, Thickness . . . . . . .
MiningHistory
..................
Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ResourcePotential
................
ResourceUtilization
.................
IV Uranium Potential . . . . . . . . . . . ; . . . . . ; . .
.V Oil and Gas Potential
. . . . . . . . . . . .i . . . . .
1
Introduction
1
5
9
9
12
15
18
19
21
29
..
Plates
(availableas open-file
of Mines and Mineral
maps from
Resources)
the
New
Mexico
Bureau
1. Geologic mapof the Riley area (1:24,000), G.L. Massingill,
1979.
2.
Geologic mapof the Corkscrew Canyon-Abbe SpELng area
41:24,000); D.L. Mayerson, 1979.
3 . . ''Geologic map of the Puertecito-La Cruz Peak area (1:24,00
,
R.A. Jackson, 1979.
4. Pebble compositions and transport directions in the
Popotosa Formation, Abbe Springs area (plotted
on 1:24,000
geologic map), G.R. Osburn, 1979.
iv
FIGURES
Figures
2-1
-
Page
Generalized GeOlOgiC Map of the Ril0y-PWrteCitO
Ana......................
2-2
-
Igneous Intrusions in the Riley-Puertecito
Area
3-1
3-2
-
-
7
.......................
a
Composite Stratigraphic Column of the RileyPuertecito M e a
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Favorable Areas for Coal and Uranium Explora-
TABLES
Tabla
3-1.
Page
malysae. o f ooala from the.lower Mesaverde
. . . . . . '. .
- Analysslpl coala €rom the upper Meaavsrde
Foamation, 'Rllsy-Pusr4xmito area . . . . . . . .
- 1
Poxmatian, Riley-Puerteclto area
3-2
16
of
17
....
. . . .
V
I.
The
INTRODUCTION
purposeof this
report
is
to
present
a concise
summary of the coal, uranium, and oil and gas potential of
the
Riley-Puertecito
stratigraphic
area
framework
along
with
the
geologic
maps
and
essential to mineral exploration.
..
are available in the theses and
+
Details of the
.
geology
1:24,000 geologic
maps
all of which
available
as open-file
New
are
Mexico
The
north
Bureau
of
completed
Mines
Magdalena
in
and
part.of
the
reports
from
Mineral
is located
area
Riley-Puertecito
of
as
northwestern
project,
the
Resources.
about20 miles
Socorro
County,
New
Mexico. The area lies along the southeastern margin of
the
Colorado
sedimentary
tary
Plateau
rocks
rocks,
all
of Cretaceous
consists
and
overlain
dipping
by
Cenozoic
gently
and
Eocene
volcanic
southwestward
and
away
sedimenfrom
Colorado Plateau. Attention has been focused
on the area
in
recent
Cretaceous
of the
because
years
rocks,
uranium
occurrenceof coal
prospects
in
beds
Eocene
in
rocks,
a
and
geologic setting favorable€or hydrocarbon exploration.
In May 1976, the
New
begana detailed
Resources
Puertecito
area
in
Mexico
Bureau
of Mines
geologic
study
anticipation
of probable
of
and
the
Mineral
Ril'ey-
exploration
for energy fuels. The project began as an extension of
geologic
mapping
conducted
in
the
Socorro-Magdalena
area
since 1970 by the senior author and several graduate
students. Detailed mapping and subdivision of the Cretaceous
'the
rocks
was
made
possible
by
paleontological
and
stratigraphic
studies begun in 1976 by S.C.
Hook and conducted in collaboration with W.A. Cobban of the U.S. Geological Survey. Since
:
1977
, the
September.
project
;
from the,NewMexico
Energy
Institute
has
Energy
at
been
5 0 % funded
Resources
New
Mexico
by
Board
a,'grant
through
Institute
of Mining
the
and
Technology. The project has been
a team effort with overall
direction
S.C.
by
Hook in
the
the
supported
by
author
and
areas
of paleontology
our
stratigraphy.
senior
the
with
and
major
assistance
Cretaceous
thesis and dissertation projects were
grant
provided ofmost
the
and
data
on
which this,report is based. These projects axe:I) RileyPuertecito area,Ph.D. dissertation, G.L. Massingili,
El Paso; 2) Puertecito-La Crnz Peak
Uiriversity of Texas at
area,
M.S. thesis,, R.A. Jackson, New Mexico Tech;
3 ) Corkscrew
Canyon-Abbe Springs area,
M.S. thesis, D.L. Mayerson, New
Mexico,Tech; and 4) Palynology and thermal maturation of
Ph.D.
organjrc matter in Cretaceous and Eocene rocks,
dissertation, M.S. Chaiffetz,
Universityof Texas
atEl:
Paso. Pebble compositions and transport directions in
.
.
the
Miocene
Osburn
of
Resources.
were.
White,
Popotosa
the
.
New
Chemical
determined
€or
Formation
were
Bureau
of Mines
Mexico
compositions
and
determined
and
by
G.R.
Mineral
Sra7/SrB6'
ratios
of the intrusive rocks by D.L.
some
whilea post-doctoral
fellow
with
the
New
Mexico
Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources. K-Ar dating of
.. .
.
igneous rocks was performed by Geochron Laboratories and
and A.L. Odom
of
Florida
State
2
University.
by
Three
additional
currently
underway
thesis
and
the
west
of the
to
dissertation
projects
are
Riley-Puertecito
area. The,se are: 1) D-Cross Mountain 7-1/2 minute
quadrangle, Ph.D. dissertation, B.R. Robinson, University
2) Gallinas Peak area,
M.S. thesis,
of Texas at El Paso;
3) a sedimentologic study
T.M. Laroche, New Mexico Tech; and
of the Baca Formation in the Jaralosa Creek area, M.S.
thesis, S.M. Cather, University of Texas at Austin. The
details of these
reports
but
studies
they
perspective
they
will
be
published
are
acknowledged
have
contributed
here
to
in
for
the
subsequent
the
regiona.1
Riley-Puertecito
project. In addition, G.L. Massingill is completing a
geologic
map
of
the
while a post-doctoral
Mines
and
Mineral
Several
Mexico
Puertecito
fellow
at
7-1/2
minute
New Mexico
the
quadrangle
Bureauof
Resources.
projects
of
the
Bureauof Mines
and
Coal
Mineral
Research
Resources
Group
have
of
the
also
helped in the preparationof this report. These include
historical
data
and S . J . Frost,
U.S.
Geological
and
an
on
coal
chemical
Survey
exploratory
mining
compiled
analyses
of
under
a grant
hole
by
H.B.
Nichelson
coa1:performed
by
toF.E. Xottlowski,
drilled
as part of the Datil: Mountain
Project o f D.E. Tabet and S.J. Frost. Several members of
the
U.S.
Geological
Survey
have
also
contributed.to
the
project. We especially acknowledge the assistance given
by W.A.
. . Hook
Cobbanto S C
stratigraphy
of
the
Cretaceous
on
the
units,
3
paieontology
the
and
cooperation
of
New
C.H. Maxwell and S.L.
units to
Moore on the'correlationof stratigraphic
thenorth; the assistance of M.N. Machette on
Quaternary stratigraphy, and the funas contributed by
the Branch .of Central Environmental Geology to subsiiize
mapping for the Socorro 2-degree sheet.
,. .
0
11. GEOLOGIC SETTING
The
Riley-Puertecito
eastern
margin
of the
Rio
of
the
Grande
area
is
Colorado
rift,
and
located
Plateau,
the
along
the
the
south-
western
northeastern
edge
marginrof
the Datil-Mogollon volcanic field (Fig. 2-1). Neogene
up1i.ft
of
the
Colorado
15
degrees
strata 10 to
subsequent
has
erosion
by
Plateau
to
tilted
the
the
Rio
Miocene
and
south
and
southwest;
Salado
and
its
outcrop
belt
exposeda west-northwest-trending
tributaries
of
Triassic, Upper Cretaceous, and Cenozoic strata. The
.Upper
and
Cretaceous
the
Eocene
Mesaverde
Baca
Formation
Formation
older
contains
contains
'
coal
beds
uraniferous
sand-
stones. Four holes have recently been drilled for oil and
gas exploration.
Surface
structures
in
the
Riley-Puertecito
area
are
of four types: 1) broad, gentle, north- to northwest-trending
anticlines
and
synclines
that
developed
during
Laramide
compression; 2) north- to north-northwest-trending normal
faults of small
early
stages
injected
by
displacement
of
opening
magmas
to
that
of
form
developed
the
an
Rio
during
Grande
extensive
rift
swarm
the
and
of
were
mafic
dikes (Fig. 2-2);3 ) north-trending normal faults
of.major
displacement
tilted
that
faultblock
bound
the
Mulligan
uplifts
of the
Gallinas
Gulch
and
graben
and
Bear
Mountains; and 4 ) northeast-trending faults and flexures
that
formed
at
various
times
5
by
reactivation
of
the
the
Tijeras lineament, a major northeast-trending basement
fault zone of Precambrian ancestry.
!..
.
.
6
'\
/
I
1
COAL POTENTIAL
1x1.
Stratigraphy, Distribution, Thickness
Coal
occurs
in
both
the
iower
and
upper
portions
of
the Mesaverde Formation
of Upper Cretaceous age (Fig.
3-1).
The lower coal-bearing interval begins about
60 feet
the base of the
formation
and
contains
above
numerous
thin
coal seams ina 200-foot sequenceof shales containing
thin interbeds of sandstone and siltstone. This lower
coal-bearing interval is believed to be stratigraphically
equivalent
to
the
Dilco
Coal
Member
of the
Crevasse
Canyon
Formation (Molenaar, 1974); the sandstone underlying the
coal-bearing
interval
is
marine
and
correlative
with
the
Gallup Sandstone (Molenaar, 1974). By agreement with
United
States
Geological
in ,the,area,the
in
future
Coal
100
term
reports
beds
in
Survey
Mesaverde
personnel
Formation
and.Crevasse
the
upper
and
will
other
be
workers
abandoned
Canyon
Formation
adopted.
Mesaverde
Formation
occur
to300 feet below the top of the unit. They tend to
be isolated, lenticular coal seams that change thickness
abruptly. Changes in depositional environment account
for
differences
in
composition
and
continuity
of
coals
in the upper and lower Mesaverde Formation. Coals in the
basal
interval
brackish
are
water
marine
to
contain
baltisphaerid
environments,
and
transitional
marine
9
algae
the
typical
of
enclosing
and
contain
shales
at
least
five
dinoflagellate
or
planktonic
algal
morphologic
types (M.S. Chaiffetz, 1978, written commun.). These
coals
apparently
formed
near
mangrove
or
Cyprus
swamps.
on a coastal or delta plain. In contrast, coals in the
upper
Mesaverde
contain
abundant
angiosperm
pollen
and
lack
marine or brackish water palynological indicators (M.S.
Chaiffetz, 1978, written commun.). These coals apparently
formed in isolated swamps.on the upper coastal plain. They
are often associated with fluvial sandstones (Massingill,
1979).
Coal
beds
in
the
lower
from a few inchesto 5 feet.
Mesaverde
range
in
thickness
At some localities,a series
of thin coal seams occurring through
a stratigraphic interval
o f 20 to 40 feet will aggregate5 to
8 feet of coal.
For
example, a hole
mile
of
drilled
about
one
southwest
Riley
(SE-1/4, SW-1/4, Sec. 26, T.2N., R.4W.) by the New Mexico
Bureau
of
Mines
and
Mineral
Resources
intersected
five
2.5 to
feet, with
coal seams ranging in thickness from 1.0
an
aggregate
thickness
of 8.0 feet ina stratigraphic interval
of 28 feet. Such multiple, thin seams may merge laterally
of commercial thickness. Coal
into one or more coal beds
beds
in
the
upper
Mesaverde
have
known
thicknesses
that
range froma few inches to5 feet. These beds tend to be
less
continuous
laterally
than
the
coals
in
the
lower
Mesaverde and change thickness abruptly. They also tend
to
occur'
as
single
beds
in a stratigraphic sequence.
rather
than
multiple
seams
stacked
Coals
west
of
in
the
Riley,
lower
south
of
coal
by
appears
to
allowing
are
Puertecito,
most
and
abundant
in
the
south-
Corkscrew
The northeast-trending Tijeras
Canyon area (Fig. 3 - 2 ) .
lineament
Mesaverde
have
influenced
different
rates
the
of
distribution
of
subsidence
and
sedimen-
tation on opposite sidesof the lineament. Coal beds are
abundant
Riley
on
area,
the
southeast
where
the
side
marine
of
the
and
lineament
brackish
in
water
the
sediments
of the lower Mesaverde 'are relatively thick. This favorable
stratigraphic interval thins to the northwest across the
lineament,and coal outcrops disappear. However, coal is
again
At
present
in
least8 coal
this
beds
interval
a Eew
in
the
miles
lower
'to
Mesaverde
the
southwest.
Formation
are
.'
1979).
exposed in the Corkscrew Canyon area (Mayerson,
near the southwest corner of the map area 3-2).
(Fig. They
range
in
thickness
from
1 to 2 feet
.' The
abuqdance'of
'these
coals may also be due to a favorable r a t e of subsidence on the
southeast side of the lineament.
Mining
History
,Coal
was
mined
Forfnation aboutone mile
and 21, T.2N.,
R.4W.
at
various
southwest
of
times
Riley
from
in
the
lower
sections
26
No records of these operations have
been fouad. Several small 'excavations and two adits exist.
Most
of
the
production.
apparently
?2
came
from
an
adit
in
Mesav
L
Puertecito
Figure 3-2
FAVORABLE AREAS FORCOALANDURANIUMEXPLORATlON
R I L E Y -P U E R T E C I T OA R E A
LEGEND
Scale
B
N
Coal outcmp
outcrop of lower Mesoverde
b
D
Fm. intervol.pmbobly eprivolent
to Dilco Cool Member of
CrevossBConmn Fm.
outcrop of cool-bearing
~ntewolof upper Mesoverde
/
Fm.
Outcrop of middle member
of Boco Fm.
Outcrop of umniferous
channel of Boco Fm.
undifferentiated
Oppmximotelimits of
Tijems lmeoment
I C
Cool mine
Cool prospect
R41
IW
xu
&onium mine or pmspect
‘x
Copper prospect
+
Oil or gos test
/
/
J
Pinch-out line
Helk Meso foult
s e c t i o n 26 t h a t was d r i v e n on a c o a l bed 4 f e e t 8 i n c h e s
was probably a few hundredtons.
t h i c k .T o t a lp r o d u c t i o n
was p r o b a b l y u s e d i n
Most of the coal produced
smelters
and homes i n t h e Magdalena a r e a a n d ' b y r e s i d e n t s o f t h e
R i l e y area.
mined from t h e u p p e r Mesaverde at t h e
Coal has been
E l Cerro mine southwest
betweenCorkscrew
E l Cerro mine
of Riley and a t t h e Hot'Spot mine
Canyon and Abbe Springs(Fig.3-2).
The
is l o c a t e d i n Caiion d e l Tanque Hondo about
3 miles southwest of R i l e y (SE-1/4,
Sec. 3 3 , T.2N.,
R.4W.).
T h i s p r o p e r t y is a l s o known a s t h e Sanchez-Romero p r o s p e c t .
The following
data
hwe
been
abstracted
-
Coal History of
from
- Mexico by Nichelson and Frost (in prep.).
New
I
Mr. Gxegorio
Romero and o t h e r s f i l e d a c o a l claim i n 1917 on t h e E-1/2,
E-1,!2,
Sec. 3 3 , T. 2N., R.4W.
about 300 feet long from
rooms.
anddroveaninclinedadit
which t h e y o p e n e d t h r e e s h o r t
were d r i v e n a l o n g the
S e v e r a lo t h e rs h o r to p e n i n g s
o u t c r o p t o test t h ec o a l
bed.
I n 1 9 3 7 ,a n o t h e ri n c l i n e
was d r i v e n . a b o u t 100 f e e t and a 30-foot entry opened
right.
Here, t h e c o a l
to t h e
bed was 2 1 i n c h e s t o 27 i n c h e st h i c k
w i t h a s h a l e . r o o fa n df l o o r .
As the minedeveloped,
a
,
roll was h i t , a c r o s s which t h e coal was o n l y 1 8 i n c h e s
t h i c k andwater
was encountered.
Cerro CoalMining
The Treasurex o'f t h e E l
Company was M r . R.H.
r e s i d e n t of Socorro.
He diedin
company was renamed t h e RileyCoal
S t a p l e t o n , a prominent
1939, a f t e r which t h e
Company.Work
had
ceased a t t h e . m i n e by October 1 9 4 0 b e c a u s e o f t h e t h i n
14
c o a l andlong,roughroad
t o market.
canceLledJuly 1 7 , 1953 r e t r o a c t i v e t o
The property produced
Romero l e a s e .
R.5W.)
The lease was
November 1 5 , 1 9 4 3 .
788 t o n s of coal under
The Hot Spotmine
t h e Sanchez-
Sec. 18, T . l N . ,
(NW-1/4,
strata
produced 85 t o n s of c o a l fromupperMesaverde
between 1 9 2 7 a n d1 9 3 1( N i c h e l s o na n & . F r o s t ,i np r e p . ) .
was i s s u e d t o F.L.
miningpermit
Dugger on J u l y 1 5 ,
A
1927.
Mr. Dugger drove a 90-foot a d i t on a 46-inch c o a l bed
b e f o r e h i t t i n g a r o l l across which t h e c o a l t h i n n e d
1 2 inches.
The permit expired June30,1931.
a d i t s axe p r e s e n t o n t h e
a v a i l a b l e €or t h e s e .
to
Three o t h e r
same c o a l seam b u t no r e c o r d s a r e
Mr. Dugger r e p o r t e d t h a t oneofthese
i n c l i n e s w a s d r i v e n 115 f e e t w i t h o u t h i t t i n g t h e c o a l
The t h i c k e s t c o a l bedobservedhere
Mayersonc1979).
bed.
i s 5 f e e t t h i c k (D.L.
The c o a 2 s . g r a d el a t e r a l l y
i n t o s i l t y shale
and sandstone.
Composition
Analysesof
7 coal samples from the Riley-Puertecito
a r e a are l i s t e d i n T a b l e s
lignite to high-volatile
classes (ASTM, 1 9 6 7 ) .
Mesaverderangefrom
3-1and3-2.
The c o a l sr a n g e
from
C bituminousandsub-bituminous
The three samplesfrom
B
t h e lower,
5137 t o 9083 BTU/lb as r e c e i v e d .
The Q s h c o n t e n t r a n g e s f r o m 1 3 . 2 . t o 3 9 . 0 % ; s u l f u r c o n t e n t
i s low andranges
from 0.5 t o 0.9% ( a s ' r e c e i v e d ) .
foursamplesfrom
the upper Mesaverde (Table 3-2) range from
6,083 t o 11,555 B T U / l b , a s r e c e i v e d .
15
The
Ash c o n t e n t so ft h e
Table 3-1
Analyses of coals from the lower Mesaverde Formation, Riley-Puertecito area,
Socorro County, New.Mexico. All analyses by United States Geological Survey,
Branch of Coal Resources, Denver, Colorado.
USGS Sample
Dl99359
ID
Lab No.
Location
D192387-89
D192390,
H84794
SE,26,2N,4W
SE,27,2NI4W
1 mi SW. of Riley
Thickness/sample type
Collected
by
SS.
Height above Gallup
Air dry loss
Moisture
Volatile
matter
Fixed carbon
Ash
Hydrogen
4.3
3.7
Carbon
Nitrogen
Sulfur
Oxygen (Ind)
Sulfur-sulfate
0.31
-pyrite
-organic
Ash-Initial Deform.
-softening T.
-fluid
T.
2800F
Heating Value BTU/lb
1 mi S. of Riley
3 channel samples
1'8", 1'2", 1'1"
G.L. Massingill
40'47'
17'
-6.0
Rec 'd -M -M&A
11.9
28.432.257.8
20.7
23.5
42.2
39.0
44.3
3.9
3.2
4.7
4.3
2.4
3.4
5 ft/channel
G.L.
Massingill
-0.2
Rec'd
-M
"&A
8.9
41.3
35.3
32.2
45.7
50.2
58.7
14.5
13.2
4.3
66.2
56.036.9
61.5
32.5 71.9
1.1 1.5
1.2
0.80.71.4
0-9 1.0
1.2
24.4 18.1 21.1
0.40
0.34
0.08
0.09
0.11
0.540.600.70
2455F
2370F
2410F
2560F
2470F
9083997511667
-
-
-
-
-
.
91
0.6
0.6
1.1
23.8 15.0 26.9
0.02 0.02 0.04
0.20
0.220.40
0.34
0.38
0.69
2755F
2800F
X82071
SEI26,2N,4W
1 mi S. of Rifey
2 channel samples
1'5", 2'6"
G.L. Massingill
12',
11.2
Rec'd -M "&A
19.0
30.938.146.2
35.944.453.8
14.2 17.5
-
-
46.156.868.9
1.0
1.2
1.5
0.5 0.70.6
25.0
33.620.6
0.02 0.02 0..03
0.180.22
0.27
0.270.330.40
26551"
51375831
16
'
1046771798858
10740
Table 3-2 Analyses of coals from the upper Mesaverde Formation, Riley-Puertecito area,
Socorro County, New Mexico. All analyses by United States Geological Survey,
Branch of CoalResources, Denver,Colorado.
USGS Dl92395
Sample ID
Dl79837
Dl92394
D192392-93
K82074
X82073
Lab No.
K82072
Location
NW3,1N,4W
SE,33,2N,4W
SE33,2N,4W
2.5 mi SW. of 2.5 mi SW. of
3 mi SW. of
Riley
Riley
Thickness/sample
2 channel samples channel sample channel sample
1x1~
1r211,
1'4"
11"
type
Collected by
G.L. .Massingill G.L. Massingill
G.L. Massingill
Distance below
top of Mesaverde
-200 ft
-250 ft
-100 ft
2.2
Air dry loss
3.2.
6.6
Rec 'd -M
"&A
Rec 'd -M
-M&A Rec 'd
-M
"&ARec
7
.
6
13.6
Moisture
9.1
Volatile matter
35.3 38.9 45.3 25.9 28.0 49.7 35.1 40.7 45.9
Fixed carbon
42.7 46.9 54.7 26.2 28.4 50.3 41.5 48.0 54.1
Ash
40.3 43.6
12.9 14.2
9.8 11.3
Hydrogen
4.1
4.7
4.7
5.4
3.7
3.1
4.8
3.8
4.3
Carbon
56.9 62.6 73.0 36.9 39.9 70.7 54.7 63.3 71.4
Nitrogen
1.1 1.2
1.4
0.8
0.8
1.5
1.1
1.5
1.3
Sulfur
0.5
0.8
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.5
0.3
0.4
0.4
Oxygen (Indf
24.0 17.4 20.3 17.9 12.1 21.5 29.2 19.8 22.4
SuTfur-sulfate
0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
-pyritic
0.24 0.27 0.31 0.17 0.19 0.33 0.19 0.22 0.24
-organic
0.11 0.12 0.14 0.23 0.25 0.45 0.11 0.13 0.15
Ash-Initial Deform.
2105F
2800F
2210F
-softening T.
2205F
2310F
2800F.
-fluid T.
2305
2405F
2405F
2800F
Heating value BTU/lb 9315 10253 11951 6083 6580 11672 8876 10276 11591
Riley
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
'
L
a
0
0
0
0
a
-
0
0
K67549
NW,18,1NI5W
Hot SpotMine - 9
channel sample
3
t
" -2 f
- ._
D.E. Tabet
~
?
1.6
'd -M
6.6
32.8 35.1
54.2 58.1
6.4
6.8
4.5
5.0
67.2 71.9
1.3
1.4
0.5
0.6
19.6 '14.7
-
"&A
-
37.6
62.4
-
'4.9
77.2
1.5
0.6
15.8
0.1
0.1
0.1
0
0
0
0.4
0.4
218 5F
2290F
0.4
1155.5 12374 13279
0
0
0
upper Mesaverde samples ranged from 6.440.3%
to (as
received) with 3 out of the
4 samples being lower in ash
than the samples from the lower Mesaverde. The sulfur
contents of samples
from
upper
Mesaverde
coals
ranged
from 0.3 to 0.5% (as received)
; this is approximately
one-half
These
the
sulfur
differences
environments
of
content
of lower
in
Mesaverde
composition
deposition
for
reflect
lower
coals.
the
and
different
upper
Mesaverde
coals as discussed earlier in this section. The coals
of the lower Mesaverde,deposited under mixed brackish,
and
fresh-water
conditions,
tend
to
be
higher.in
ash
and sulfur and lower in BTU values than the fresh-water
. ..... .
coals of the upper
Resource
Mesaverde.
Potential
. .
The tonnage of coal
area
is
subsurf
difficult
ace
nature"of
data,
the
._
to
estimate
the
coal
available
poor
beds,
in
the
because
surface
and
the
Riley-Puertecito
of
the
exposures,
structural
scarcity.of
the
lenticular
complexity
of
the area. Dataare too sparse in the western half of the
area to attempt
a resource calculation. Inferred' resources
were
not
subsurface
.
calculated
data
'Indicated
and
for
any
areas
structuxal
resource
inile
southwest
of
complexities'.
computations
of'sections 26 and 27, T.2N., R.4W.
Riley,
using,
because
a lackof of
were'niade
, located
the
system
about
for
one
described
'in U.S.
Geological Survey Bulletin 1450-B. (1976).
In this area,
18
parts
two
coal
beds,
which
out
continuously
for
are
three
to
about.4000
four
feet
feet,and
at
coal beds are present
(G.L. Massinqill, 1979).
Mexico
Bureau
of
Mines
and
Mineral
thick,
least
crop
two
other
The New
Resources
recently
drilled a hole in SE-1/4,SW-1/4, Sec. 26, T.2N., R.4W.
to aid in resource estimation. This.'hole intersected five
2.5 to
feet, with
coal seams ranging in thickness from 1.0
an'aggreqate thickness of
8.0 feet ina stratigraphic
interval of 28 feet. The beds dip southeastward at about
15 degrees. The indic,ated resource is about 1,000,000
tons
of
coal
that
could
be
mineda maximum
using
field
is
30 miles by poorly
about
.
stripping
ratio of 1O:l.
Resource Utilization
The
Riley
maintained
coal
dirt
roads
from
the
railroad
siding
at
Bernardo,
on the Santa Fe Railroad Albuquerque-El Paso line. The
lack
ofa bridge
pose a problem
over
to
the
trucks,
Rio
Salado
especially
at
Riley
during
would
the
summer
20 miles
thunderstorm season. The Riley area is about
by
dirt
roads
by
highway
from
from
Maqdalena
Maqdalena
to
and
the
an
additional
26 miles
Santa
Fe
Railroad
siding
at Sgcorro. The old Santa Fe line from Socorro to Magdalena
was
abandoned
several
years
ago.
The combination of transportation problems,
a relatively
small
of
the
resource
San
potential
Juan
and
compared
Raton
to
basins,
19
the
the
large
coal
relatively
low
fields
heating
values,
and
conclusion
the
that
moderately
high
ash
the
coal
could
Riley
content
best
leads
be
to
the
utilized
at
the site. Abundant limestone, travertine, and shale
deposits in the
area
and
the Rio Salado
suggests
Riley-Bernard0
road
the
availability
of water along
that
a cement
plant
might abe
feasible
way
along
to
the
utilize
the coal. The labor force could be drawn
from Belen,
Magdalena,
and
.the
A l a m o lndian
Reservation,
a11
of which
have chronic unemployment problems. The very sparsely
populated
nature
o'f
the
Riley
mental problems.
20
area
would
minimize
environ-
URANIUM POTENTIAL
IV.
Known
are
3-1).
uranium
restricted
occurrences
to
the
Baca
in
the
Riley-Puertecito
Formation
of
Eocene
age
area
(Fig.
The Baca is
a terrestrial sedimentary unit that
consists
mainlyof reddish
siltstones,and^
mudstones,
fine-grained. sandstones but also contains light-gray to
pale-yellow, coarser sandstones. The lighter colored
sandstones
are
often
material, and appear
channel-shaped,
to
have
been
contain
bleached
carbonaceous
by
the
passage
of ground waters. These characteristics are typical of
sandstones
containing
uranium
deposits
elsewhere
in
New
Mexico and the Intermountain West. In this section, we
will
not
delve
history of the
out
where
guidelines
The
deeply
Baca
Baca
the
Formation,
favorable
for
into
long
but
lithologies
and
will
exist
controversial
attempt
and
to
give
point
some
general
exploration.
Formation
unconformably
overlies
the
Upper
Cretaceous Mesaverde Formation (Fig.
3-1) and contains
much material reworked from Cretaceous units. The RileyPuertecito
area
is
located
within
the
central
portion
of
the Eocene basin in which the Baca accumulated. Consequently,
the
with
Baca
in
this
area a has
gradational,
volcaniclastic
sedimentary
rocks
conformable
of
the
contact
overlying
Spears Formation of earliest Oligocene (37
agem.y., Burke
and others, 1963).
Tres
Montosas
To the south, in the Magdalena and
areas,
the
Spears
21
rests
upon
the
Abo
Formation
of
Permian
the
age,and
entire
Mesozoic
Somewhere~between
Tres
Montosas
and
units
along
The
to the
Fo'rmation
is
section
and ofmost
the
Permian
Riley-Puertecito
the
Permian
north
Baca
outcrop
Baca
the
area,
of
the
the
through
flank
of
Formation
belt
that
Joyita
regional
is
extends
Hills
and
and
the
southward
dip
must
age
Laramide
exposed
from
Carthage
section.
area
Eocene
the
missing,
as is
be
Magdalena
along
near
must
an
reverse
truncated
uplift.
east-trending
Springerville,
areas,
a few
Magdalena-
miles
Arizona
east
of the Rio Grande. This outcrop belt is partly due to
southward
Neogene
tiltingof Oligocene and older rocks during
upliftof the
Formation
the
is
north
Colorado
exposed
and
the
between
overlying
Plateau,
so that
the
an
eroded
upwarped,
blanket
of
Baca
younger
edge
to
volcanic
and volcaniclastic rocks to the south. Little is known
of
the
original
extent
and
configuration
of the
Eocene
basin in which the Baca accumulated. Regional studies
of the Baca Formation by Snyder
(1971) and Johnson (1978)
have
addressed
gathering
data
this
on
problem
clast
by
measuring
compositions,
sections
transport
and
by
directions,
sedimentary structures, and the sequence and geometry of
sedimentary units. However, the data
areso spar,se and
detailed
mappingso limited
thata reconstruction
of
the
Baca basin (or basins) is not yet possible.
Little
is
known
about
the
age
range
of
the
Baca
Formation. The top of the Baca in the Riley-Puertecito
area
isof latest
-
Eocene earliest
22
Oligocene
age
because
of
the
gradational
Formation
whose
contact
age
has
with
been
the
well
overlying
established
dating (37-33 m.y., Chapin and others,1978).
mammal
tooth
from
the
Baca
Spears
Formation
by
radiometric
A fossil
in
the
Carthage
area
suggests a middle Eocene age (Gardner,
1910); a partial
section of a jawbone
with4 teeth
from
the
the Riley-Puertecito area suggests
a late
(Snyder, 1970):
between
the
Baca
west
of
Eoceneage,
However, the duration
of the hiatus
close
of
Mesaverde
deposition
in
Late
Cretaceous
(Conia.cian) time and the beginning of Baca deposition is
unknown. In the Red Basin area, north of riatil,
a sequence
of channel sandstones and interbedded carbonaceous shales
occurs
beneath
typical
reddish
Baca
beds
and
above
the
Point Lookout(?) Sandstone of Cretaceous age (Anonymous,
Shale beds in this transitional sequence are mostly
1959).
gray
with
only
a few
red
lenses;
the
sandstones
are
gray
to tan and differ from the underlying Point Lookout(?) in
being lenticular, relatively friable sands with
a coarser
grain size anda higher percentage of angular fragments
and heavy minerals (Anonymous,1959).
sequence
is
This transitional
100 feet thick and. apparently fills
a
about
north-northwest-trending
paleochannel
cut
into
the
lying Point Lookout(?) Sandstone (Anonymous,1959).
age
of
these
important
transitional
because
uranium
deposition
whether
there
of
might
their
and
be
the
beds
is
unknown,
favorable
question
similar
23
under-
The
but
they
characteristics
they
raise
transitional
beds
as
are
for
to
elsewhere
along the outcrop belt. Uranium deposits were discovered
in
the
transitional
sequence
of
the
Red
Basin
area
in
the
early 1950's (Griggs,1954; Bachman, Baltz, and Griggs,
1957; Anonymous, 1959). Unconfirmed reports suggest that
Gulf
Mineral
Resources
has
extended
these
discoveries
in
recent years. No outcrops of beds transitional between
Cretaceous
and
Eocene
rocks
were
found
during
mapping
of
the Riley-Puerkecito area. However, Tonking (1957,p. 25)
states
feet
that,
of
"In
Baca
several
beds
outcrops
are
similar
the
basal
few
lithologically
tens
to
of
Mesaverde
strata." Ln logging drill holes, the Baca-Mesaverde
contact
may
be
difficult
to
pick
in
some
localities.
Along the eastern and northern edges of the Bear
.
Mountains,
the
Baca
members (Fig. 3-1).
lower
red
unit,
Formation
can
be
divided
into
three
Potter (1970) called these the
middle
sandstone
unit,
and
upper
red
unit.
Massingill (1979) also divided the Baca into three members
in
this
gray
area,
but
sandstone,
and
used
red
the
informal
mudstone
terms
for
the
conglomeratic,
lower,
middle,
and upper members, respectively. Both schemes emphasize
that
the
middle
member a is
light-colored
sandstone
unit
that is different from typical Baca lithologies. Outcrops
3-2. West of the
of the middle member are shown on Figure
Bear'
Mountains,
subdivision of the
the
Baca
middle
is
member
not
is
missing
a three-fold
and
possible.
Massingill (1979) measureda complete reference section
f o r the
Baca
at
the
north ofend
the
24
Bear.
Mountains
in
I
I
:
W-1/2, Sec. 29, T.2N., R.4W.
Here, the lower conglomeratic
!
: member is 319 feet thick and consists of reddish-brown
mudstone with numerous lenticular, 10to 30-foot beds
of coarse,
grayish, arkosic sandstone and conglomerate.
. .
The
middle
gray
sandstone
member
176is
feet
thick
and
consists of light-greenish-gray to yellowish-gray, friable,
clayey, sandstones and siltstones. The upper red mudstone
member
is244 feet
thick
and
consists
mainly
of
grayish-red
to reddish-brown silty mudstone. The total thickness of
the Bacaat the reference section is 753 feet (Massingill,
1979).
T,he
which
The
middle
are
unit
member
favorable
crops
of
to
out
the
the
Baca
has
occurrence
over
a distance
of
at.
.several
of
characteristi
uranium
least
deposits.
five
miles
and is thick enough (176 feet)
to contain orebodieso f
commercial size. It may extend to the southeast beneath
the
piedmont
gravels
that
mask
bedrock
along
the
east
side
.I
of
the
Bear
Mountains
and
it
may
extend
to
the
southwest
. .
beneath the Bear Mountains. The geometry
of the middle
member
is
poorly
known.
Itmaybe a north-northwest-trending
-3
channel-shaped
fluvial
deposit a
ofmajor
streamor a wedge-
shaped body related toa fluvial fan. Detailed sedimentological
studies are presently underway
(S.M. Cather, in prep.) to
determine
of
the
transport
directions
and
the
environment
deposition.
Lithologically,
the
similar to terrestrial
middle
sandstones
25
member
of
elsewhere
the
that
Baca
is
contain
'uranium mineralization. The sands are bleached and contain
abundant
carbonized
wood
fragments
that
could
provide
a
reducing environment for precipitation
of uranium. The
sands
are
clayey
but
are
friable
and
moderately
permeable
to the passage of ground water. The existence aofthick
section
of
silicic
ash-flow
tuffs
overlying
the
Baca
Formation (Fig. 3-1) could provide an ample source of
uranium. Studies of the uranium content of these tuffs
and
the
systems
mobility
affecting
Uranium
middle
of
uranium
the
occurrences
members
of
the
tuffs
in
ground-water
are
currently
were
Baca
discovered
Formation
and
in
in
hydrothermal
progress.
the
lower
and
southwest
of Riley
in the early 1950's (Collins, 1954; Collins and Smith,
1956; Potter, 1970). Several bulldozer cuts were made
in
gray
sandstones
of the
middle
Baca
along
the
15,
R.4W.).
south of Baca, Canyon (N-1/2., Sec. T.lN.,
anomalous
minerals
radioactivity
occur
in
and
of yellow
traces
limonitic
halos
escarpment
Here,
uranium
around
pieces
of'carbonizea
logs (Potter, 1970). Similar carbonized logs surrounded
by
limonitic
halos
are
conspicuous
in
the
middle
member
near Fall Spring (SE-1/4, Sec.
5 , T.lN., R.4W.I and appear
to have been prospected in
a minor way. One drill site
was
observed
.'
along
a road
bulldozed
up
the
side
of the
escar*pment southof Fall Spring. These minor occurrences
of
uranium
in
highlyoxidized
and
leached
outcrops
of the
middle member of the Baca are encouraging. The key to
exploration of this
unit
is
to find
26
areas
where
the
middle
member
has
been
downfaulted
and
protected
from
leaching. One such area exists northwest
of Fall Spring
on
'
the
downthrown,
(Fig. 3-2).
west
side
of
the
Hells
Mesa
fault
Displacement on the Hells Mesa fault is
'about 800 feet
at
Fall
Spring
and
decreases
to the
north
(Massingill, 1979). The middle member can be inferred to
be
present
1100
feet
in
the
over
subsurface
pattersoni
0 to
depths
from
drilling
of about 2 square
area
an
29, 30, 31 and'32, T.2N., R.4W.,
T.lN., R.4W.
at
miles
in
sections
and sections 5 and 6 ,
The selenium indicator plant Astragalus
grows
on
outcrops
of
the
middle
member
where
it comes to the surface in sections
29 and 30, T.2N.,R.4W.
(Massingill, 1979). Here, the Baca dips about
7 degrees
to
the
southeast.
Potter (1970) reportsa minor uranium occurrence in
the lower memberof the Baca in Baca Canyon. The reported
location isNW-1/4, Sec. 15, T.lN., R.4W.,
probably
section
10,
because
the
but this is
lower
Baca
is
not
exposed
in section.15. According to Potter, the radioactivity is
associated
<:wo small
with
piecesof carbonaceous
material
at the base of
a 5-foot .lenticular sandstone bed. The
sandstone
red
is
mudstone
pale
red
to
is
bleached gray
light
gray.
and
fora distance
1970).
below the sandstone (Potter,
the
underlying
ofi.5 feet
Such minor occurrences
of.uranium in the lower Baca probably have little
or no
commercial
potential
because
of the
host sandstone lenses.
27
small
volume
of the
,
Uranium
occurrences
were
also
discovered
in
the
early
1950's at several localities along Jaralosa Canyon, between
Corkscrew Canyon and Abbe Spring. Summaries of uranium
investigations in this area have been published
by.Griggs
(1954), Bachman, Baltz, and Griggs (1957), and Anonymous
The prospects are smal1,open cuts in thin, light-
(1959).
gray,
lenticular
sandstones
containing
carbonaceous
material.
Chemical analyses of samples from these prospects range
U308 and from 0.1 to 9.21% V205 (Anonymous,
fromQ.036 to 3;27%
1959). Mineralized zones range from one to
two feet in
thickness. The richest of these samples (3.27% U308,
9.21% V205) came from the
Kook prospect (Fig. 3-2) in
the 5-1/2, Sec. 13, T.lN.,R.6W.
considerable
drilling
and
This prospect has had
surface
trenching
over
the
years
but has produced little ore.
In recent years, it was the
site
of
an
ill-fated
leaching
experiment
and
is
again
inactive. These thin, lenticular sandstones have little
commercial potential, even though selected samples may
yield high assay values. The main value of these scattered,
minor
occurrences
is
the
indication
that
the
area
a
as
whole has uranium potential. The key is to find favorable
host rocksof sizeable thickness and lateral extent. The
middle
member
of
the
offas such a target
for
Baca
Formation
southwest
of uranium
discovery
of.commercia1 size.
28
of
deposits
Riley
OIL AND GAS POTENTIAL
V.
The
combination
degree
of
ground
water
gas
thermal
of
shallow
maturation,
depth
and
of
probable
indicates
a very low potential
production
from
Cretaceous
burial,
flushing
by
oil
or
for
rocks.in
low
the
Riley-Puertecito
area. However, the Cretaceous rocks may have potential
to
the
northeast
downfaulted
and
southwest
grabens
of the
beneath
where
Rio
they
Grande
have
and
been
San
Augustin rifts. The low degree of thermal maturation of
organic
area,
dike
matter
in
and
several
in
Cretaceous
spite
of the
sill
major
rocks
of
existenceof the
swarm
in
cauldron
New
most
Mexico
structures
the
in
Riley-Puertecito
spectacular
and
the
existence
the
Magdalena
of
area
(Chapin and others,
1978); indicates that thermal effects
from a major volcanic
production
beneath
fielddo not
its
outflow
preclude
oil
and
gas
apron,and
may
enhance
it.
M.S. Chaiffetz (in prep.) collected125 samples from
Cretaceous
units,
Formation,
and
and
pollen
and
Dakota
processed
for
Sandstone
through
them
identification
for
determination
of
Mesaverde
thermal
of
spores
maturation.
Vitrinite reflectance values for shales and coals, not
near ,igneous intrusions, average about
0.5%.
the.peak oil
generation
stage
and
well
This is below
below
the
peak
dry gas generation. Within1 to 2 feet of a dike, vitrinite
reflectance
values
1.3 to 1.4&, which
approach
is
slightly
above the peak of dry gas generation. Within
1 to 6 inches
29
of
of a dike
margin,
vitrinite
reflectance
values
for
organic
matter in shales are as high2.5%
as and in coalsa s high
as 4.5%.
These values are near, or above, the dry gas
preservation limit. In other words, thermal effects from
2-2) in the Riley-Puertecito
the numerous mafic dikes (Fig.
area
are
restricted
to
the
,vicinity
of dike
immediate
margins. The bulk of the Cretaceous rocks have been
very
little
There
affected
may
be
by
intrusion
of' mafic dikes and sills.
some
oil
and
gas
potential
in
Paleozoic
rocks beneath the Riley-Puertecito area, bu-t: these rocks
do not
crop
out
within
the
area
mapped
and
we
have
nothing
new to report on them. However, the structural framework
outlined
during
this
project
should
be
helpful
in
evaluating
the potential of these deeper formations. For example,
differential
influenced
vertical
movements
sedimentation
rates
across
during
the
ehe
Tijeras
lineament
Cretaceous
and
may have during the Paleozoic
as well. The Twowells
Sandstone
and
the
pinches
Gallego
out
to
the
Sandstone
southeast
thins
across
markedly
in
the
the
lineament,
same
location.
During deposition of basal Mesaverde strata, subsidence
on
the
southeast'side
at a more
favorable
of
rate
the
for
lineament
coal
apparently
accumulation
than
occurred
on
the gorthwest side. If such differential movements
. .
occ,urred
caused
during
facies
Paleozoic
changes
and
sedimentation, may
theyhave
thickness
to entrapment of hydrocarbons.
30
variations
conducive
REFERENCES
1.
Anonymous, 1959, Uranium deposits in the Datil
Mountains-Bear Mountains region, New Mexico:
New Mexico Geological Society, Guidebook 10th
field conference,p. 135-143.
2.
American Society for Testing and Materials, 1967,
Standard specifications for. classification of
D 388-66) in
coals by rank (ASTM Designation
Gaseous fuels; coal and coke, Philadelphia:
1967 Bookof ASTM Standards, Pt. 19,
p. 73-78.
3.
Burke, W.H;, Kenny, G.S., Otto, J.E., and Walker,
R.D., 1963, Potassium-Argon dates, Socorro and
Sierra Counties, New Mexico: New Mexico Geological
Society, Guidebook 14th field conference,
p. 224.
4.
Bachman, G . O : , Baltz, E.H., and Griggs, R.L., 1957,
Reconnalssance of geology and uranium occurrences
of the upper Alamosa Creek valley, Catron County,
New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey TEI Report
521.
5.
Cather, S.M., in preparation, Sedimentologic study of
the Baca Formation, Jaralosa Creek area, Socorro
County, New Mexico: University of Texas, Austin,
unpub. K.S. thesis.
6.
Chaiffetz, M.S., in preparation, Palynostratigraphic
and thermal maturation studies from west-central
and southwestern New Mexico and far-west Texas:
University of Texas, El Paso, unpub. Ph.D.
Dissertation.
7.
Chapin, C.E., Chamberlin, R.M., Osburn, G.R., Sanford,
A.R., and White, D.W.I 1978, Exploration Framework
of the Socorro geothermal area, New MexicoI in
Chapin, C.E., and Elston, W.E., eds., Field guide
to selected cauldrons and.mining districts of the
Datil-Mogollon volcanic field, New Mexico: New
Mexico Geological Society, Spec. Pub. No.
7,
p. 115-130.
"
a.
.Collins, G.E.,195'4, Preliminary reconnaissance report
DEB-RFU3-1413: U.S. Atomic Energy Corn.
9.
Collins, G.E., and Smith, B.C., 1956, Airborne radiometric
survey in the Lemitar-Ladron area, New Mexico:
United States Atomic Energy Commission RME-1073
(Rev.) 10 p.
31
1
10.
Gardner, J.H., 1910, The Carthage coal field, New
Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Bull. 381-C,
p. 452-460.
11.
Griggs, R.L., 1954,A Reconnaissance for uranium in
New Mexico, 1953: U.S. Geological Survey, Circ.
354, 9 p.
12.
Hook, S.C., and Cobban, W.A., 1979, Prinocyclus
novimexicanus (Marcou) .Common Upper Cretaceous
guide fossils in New Nexico: New Mexico Bureau
of Mines and Mineral Resources, Ann. Rept. 1977
to 1978.
13.
Jackson, R.A., in preparation, The geology of the
Puertecito-La C r u z Peak area, Socorro County,
New Mexico: New Mexico Institute of Mining and
Technology, unpub. M.S..thesis.
--
14. Johnson, B.D., 1978, Genetic stratigraphy and provenance
of the Baca Formation, New Mexico and the Eagar
Formation, Arizona: University of Texas, Austin,
unpub. M.S. Thesis, 150p.
15.
Machette, M.N., 1978, Geologic map of the San Acacia
quadrangle, Socorro County, New Mexico: U . S .
Geological Survey, Map GQ-1415.
16.
Massingill, G.L., 1979, Geology of the Riley-Puertecito
area, southeastern margin of the Colorado plateau,
Socorro County, New Mexico: University
of Texas,
El Paso, unpub. Ph.D. Dissertation, 272 p.
17.
Corkscrew
Mayerson, D.L., 1979, Geology of
New Mexico:
Canyon-Abbe Spring area, Socorro County,
New Mexico Institute
of Mining and.Technology,
unpub. M.S. Thesis.
18.
Molenaar, C.M., 1974, Correlation of the Gallup Sandstone
and associated formations, Upper Cretaceous,
eastern San Juan and Acoma basins, New Mexico:
New Mexico ,Geological Society, Guidebook
25th.
field conference, p. 251-258.
19. ,liichelson, H.B., and Frost,S . J., in prepar.ation,
Coal history of New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau
of Mines and Mineral Resources, Mem.
20.
Osburn, G.R., in preparation, Pebble compositions and
,
transport directions in the Popotosa Formation,
Abbe Spring area, Socorro County, New Mexico:
New Mexico Bureauof Mines and Mineral Resources,
Open File Report.
32
21.
Potter, S.C., 1970, Geology of Baca Canyon, Socorro
County, New Mexico:University of Arizona,
unpub. M.S. Thesis, 54 p.
22.
Snyder, D.O., 1971, Stratigraphic analysis of the
Baca Formation, west-central New Mexico:
Ph.D.
University of New Mexico, unpub,
Dissertation, 158 p.
23.
Tonking, W.H., 1957, Geology of Puertecito Quadrangle,
Socorro County, New Mexico: New MexicoBureau
of Mines and Mineral Resources
Bull. 41, 67 p.
24.
United States Geological Survey,1976, Coal resources
U . S . Bureau o f
classification system of the
Mines and U.S. Geological Survey: U . S . Geological
Survey Bull. 1450-B, 7 p.
33