GEOLOGY AND COAL RESOURCES OF CERRO PRIETO
AND
THE DYKE QUADRANGLES
BY
Frank C a m p b e l l
New Mexico
B
u
r
e
a
u
of Mines and Mineral R e s o u r c e s
.~,
.
%
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.
...
-_
Introduction
1
Location
1
S u r f a c eo w n e r s h i p
1
Topography
5
p r e v i o u s Work
6
Scope of P r e s e n t S t u d y
1
a
11. S t r u c t u r e
111. .Igneous rocks
9
B a s a l t flow
9
Cerro p r i e t o
10
Dike
10
IV.
G e n e r aS
l tratigraphy
11
’
Tertiary Stratigraphy
11
“Fence L a k e g r a v e l ”
11
C r e t a c e o u ss t r a t i g r a p h y
v.
13
18
Coal geology
p r o x i m a t e ,U l t i m a t e ,a n d
BTU A n a l y s e s
20
4
25
Chemistry Coal
-
Coal Reserves
29
VI. S u b s u r f a c eG e o l o g y
38
VII. C o n c l u s i o n s
40
References
42
Appendix I
I
D r i l l Hole Summary S h e e t s
Appendix I1
Analyses of Coals
Appendix 111
:.
Measured S e c t i o n
-
UpperMoreno
H i l l .
TABLEOF
FIGURE
."
"
1 GENERALIZED GEOLOGIC MAP.OFSALT
LAKE
COAL
FIELD
2
SURFACE OWNERSHIP CERRO P R I E T O QUADRANGLE
3
FIGURE 3
SURFACE OWNERSHIP
QUADRANGLE
DYKE
THE
4
FIGURE 4
GENERALIZED
STRATIGRAPHIC
'FIGURE 2
CERRO PRIETO
COLUMN FOR
12
AND THE DYKE QUADRANGLES
FIGURE 5
MINERAL OWNERSHIP CERRO P R I E T O QUADRANGLE
33
FIGURE 6
MINERAL 0I E R
dS H I P THE DYKE QUADRANGLE
34
FIGURE
7 LOCATION OF DRILL HOLESTHE
FIGURE 8
-
FIGURES
DYKE
QUADRANGLE
LOCATION OF DRILL HOLESCERRO
PRIETO QUADRANGLE
35
36
TABLE OF TABLES
SURFACEOWNERSHIPOF
TABLE 2
COMPARISONOFSALT
LAKE COALS TO
MESAVERDE
AND BLACK MESA COALS ON ASRECEIVEDBASIS
22
TABLE 3
COMPARISONOFSALT
LAKE COALSTO
MESAVERDE
AND BLACK MESA COALS ON DRY ASH FREEBASIS
23
TABLE 4
COMPARISONOF
AVERAGE CHEMICALANALYSESOF
SALTLAKE,
MESAVERDE AND BLACKMESA
COALS
26
TABLE 5
MINERAL OWNERSHIP OF STUDY AREA B A S E L O N
TOWNSHIP AND
RANGE
30
TABLE 6
COAL RESERVES OF STUDY A m A .
32
TABLE 7
LOCATION
DRILL
OF
-
STUDY AREA
5
TABLE 1
HOLES I N STUDY AREA
37
R
..
"
INTRODUCTION
..
The Cerro
P r i e t o The
and
Dyke
L a k e coal f i e l d .
l o c a t e do nt h ee a s t e r ne d g eo ft h eS a l t
quadrangle i s t h e n o r t h e r n
1 6 and
of Townships 3, 4 ,
The S a l t
1 7 W.
to
from highway 1 1 7 west
with
west.
the concave side facing
..
N,
the
( f i g . 1). The f i e l d i s roughlyU-shaped,
t h eA r i z o n ab o r d e r
The o n l yp a v e d
roads i nt h e
32, which meet a t
t h e town
Fence
provide
unpaved
roads
5, and 6
L a k e coal f i e l ds t r a d d l e s
c a t r o n - C i b o l ac o u n t yl i n e s ,a n de x t e n d s
-
TheDyke
most of t h e s e two a d j a c e n t q u a d r a n g l e s .
The area c o v e r e di n c l u d e sp o r t i o n s
and
Ranges
are
7.5 minu
q tuea d r a n g l e s
area a r e s t a t e highways 117
(fig.
Lake
access t o
good
1). The
remaining
e i t h eq ru a d r a n g l T
e .h e
n e a r e s lt a r g et o w n s
a r e G a l l u p , 7 0 m i t o t h en o r t h
t o t hs eo u at hn d
St.
Johns
r a i l r o a d s present i n t h e coal
p u t i n on t h e A r i z o n a s i d e
50
and
miles
to the
Quemado, 4 0
west.
are
No
f i e l d , however a r a i l r o a d is
mi
being
of t h e border..
SURFACE OWNERSHIP
area i s p r i v a t e
The s u r f a c eo w n e r s h i pi nt h es t u d y
s t a t e (27.4%)
-
,
a nfde d e r . a l
(3.8%)
.
d i s t r i b u t i o n of s u r f a coew n e r s h iopn
q u a d r a n g l e rs e s p e c t f u l l y .
thestudy
Figures 2
T h e Dyke
and 3
(68.8%),
show
a nCde r r o
the
Prieto
Table 1 c o n t a i n s u r f a c eo w n e r s h i p
of
area a c c o r d i n g t o township.
The Cerro Prieto q u a d r a n g l e h a s
54.1% of t h es u r f a c e
o n l y two r e s i d e n c e s ;
i s owned by n i n er a n c h e r sT
. he
however,
state
1
.
owns
8
OF
GENERALIZED
GEOLOGIC
MAP
SALT
LAKE
COAL
FIELD
FIG. I
.
2
-
Quaternary ~
l
l, ~
~
i
E Z Z Quaternary Basalt
.(McCartys
flow)
Quaternary-Tertiary Volcanics
Tertiary Sedigents
QZZJ Fence Lake Gravel
Cretaceous
l
l
l
I
I
lJurassic San Rafael
Triassic
Pennsylvanian Son Andreas
.O Study Area .
\\\ Dike
~
0
1 7 W , 16W
15
I
14
13
18
24
.jg
I
I
17
*O
SURFACEOWNERSHIP
THE DYKEQUADRANGLE
FEDERAL
STATE
0 PRIVATE
t!
-t
I
-
I
d
Q)
"(0-
t
t
dI
!
N
I
zz
a
-I
w
W
'
38.8%
otfhseu r f a caentdhFe e d e r aglo v e r n m e n t
45.9% of t h eI a n d
owns 7.1%.
the state
owned
by
The
is
a n df e d e r a lg o v e r n m e n t s
l e a s e d t o r a n c h e r sf o rg r a z i n g .
-.
The
Dyke
q u a d r a n ghnlaeirsnees i d e n c e s ,
s e c t i o n s , mostly i n
parcels.
owns
0.4%
several
of t h eq u a d r a n g l e ,a r e
portion
t h en o r t h e r n
b e i nsgu b d i v i d eidn t4o0 - a c r e .
83.6% s t a t e of N e w
but
P r i v a t ien d i v i d u a l s
own
Mexico owns 1 6 . 0 %a n dt h ef e d e r a gl o v e r n m e n t
of t h es u r f a c e .
All s t a t e a n df e d e r a l a n d h o l d i n g so n
The Dyke q u a d r a n g l e are l e a s e d for g r a z i n g .
TABLE 1
SURFACE
OWNERSHIP
( i n percent)
-
Township
State
14.3
Feder a1
T.
3 N. R.
1 6 W.
85.7
T.
3 N. R.
1 52.6
7 W.
47.4
0.0
T.
4 N. R.
1 659.5
W.
40.5
0.0
T.
4 N. R. 144.0
7 W.
33.6
22.4
140.4
6 W.
59.6
0.0
T. 5 N. R.
-
Private
0.0
T.
5 N.
R. 120.2
7 W.
78.0
1.7
T.
6 N. R. 1 10.3
6 W.
89.7
0.0
T. 6 N. R.
1 7 W.
.
90.5
9.5
0.0
TOPOGRAPHY
The s u r f a c e
of The
Dyke
and
Cerro P r i e t o
quadrangles
are
r a t h e r f l a t w i t h a maximum e l e v a t i o n of t h e s t u d y area being 7,484
'5
f t , a n dt h e
...
ft:
f t , g i v i n g a t o t a lr e l i e f
minimum b e i n g 6,540
The Cerrd. P r i e t o
944
of
quadrangle is dominantly
c o n t a i n iss o l a t e d
or F r e n c h e s
mesas and v a l l e y s T
. h eN a t i o n s
Draw i s t h el a r g e s t
"
d r a i n a g e of t h e a r e a and flows t o t h e west, d i s e c t i n g t h e s o u t h e r n
p a r t of t h e
is also
q u a d r a n g l eT. haer e a
Cerro P r i e t o
a
d i v i d iendnf o r t h ear n
s od u t h ehr n
a l vbe ys
steep
to
c o n t i n u o u es s c a r p m e ntth aet x t e n d fsr o m
theastern
b o r d e r s of
the Salt
Lake field.
and
western
A v o l c a n i nc e c ck a l l e d
P r i e t o , from w h i c ht h eq u a d r a n g l eg e t s
-
roughly
Cerro
i t s name, i n t h e c e n t e r
of
t h e Cerro Prieto q u a d r a n g l e .
The v e g e t a t i o n
of t h e
t y p e .sP. r e s e novtna l l e y
g r a s s l a n d sw i t h
two q u a d r a n g l e s
two
and
McCarty's
on
floors
f e w trees.
i s of
ecologic
are
flow
mesa tops i s a p i n i o n - j u n i p e rt y p e
On
forest.
-
PREVIOUS WORK
M.K.
separate
S h a l e r( 1 9 0 7 )
coal
Durango-Gallup
a
f i ei nl d
coal
measured i n t h e . S a l t
field.
r e c o n n a i s s asnt cued y
Small
coal-bearing
f t t h i c k , and assigned
presence
of
them t o a n e a r l y
a basalt
the
sections
were
on
coals t o be l e s s t h a n 4
Mesaverde
age.
and
an
also
He
undifferentiated
p.i
Tertiary
Herrick
flow
a
of
s e v e r a l of which are located
Lake field,
t h e Cerro P r i e t o q u a d r a n g l e .S h a l e rn o t e d
n o t e d the
Lake f i e l d as
f i r s t d e s i g n a t e dt h eS a l t
area
( 1 9 0t r0a) v e r st ehdi s
as
part
of
a
r e c o n n a i s s a n c e of Socorro and Cibola ( t h e n Valencia) c o u n t i e s .
He
6
a
.-
noted the presence.of a dike in the Datil area, trending to the
northwest,'and an extensive basalt flow.
..
designated as Fox Hills
Coals were reported and
Formation,but no thicknesses were given.
-.
Pike
(1947)
the
major
published
a
paper
discussing
transgressions and regressionsoftheCretaceous
Mexico.
~
sea
in
New
His workextendeddowntotheAtarqueLakeareanorth
the Salt Lake field.
of
In this paper he recognized the Atarque
sandstone as member of the Mesaverde.
Molenaar (1973) revised some of the stratigraphy of Pike, by
-
droppingHorseheadTongue
of
theMesaverdeanddesignatingthe
Atarque Member as the basal member of the Gallup Sandstone.
also tentatively extended
the, Torrivio Member
of
He
the Gallup
Sandstone into the Fence Lake area.
"
SCOPE OF PRESENT
This report
is
part of
a cooperative program with the
GeologicalSurvey,Division
20-UG-BI-0-0000.
STUDY
of
The study is
CoalResources,undergrant
to provide information concerning
Cretaceous stratigraphy and the quality and quantity
present in the northern portion of the Salt
well as 1:50,000-scale map
of
U.S.
the eight
of
coal
Lake Coal Field,
as
7.5 minute quadrangles
covering the northern 'portion
of the field.
This report is based
on the data gathered from mapping two
7.5 minute quadrangles, Cerro Prieto andThe Dyke, at a scale of
,
1:24,000.
Mapping at this scale provides information concerning
both coal geology and general stratigraph.ic information. Minable
coals will
be determined from outcrops drilling. Coals were
7
.
'
...
t o d e t e r m i n eb o t ht h e i rq u a n t i t y
measuredandsampled
GeophysicaX
and q u a l i t y .
laoplgrsosovi indfeo r m a tci o n c e r ntihneg
s u b s u r f a c eg e o l o g y .
"
STRUCTURE
The t w o ' . q u a d r a n g l e s c o n s t i t u t i n g t h e s t u d y
simple s t r u c t u r a l l y .
There a r e no major f a u l t s c r o s s i n g e i t h e r
some m i n o rf a u l t i n g
t h eq u a d r a n g l e sh, o w e v e r
r e g i o nn o r t h w e s t
-
of t h e S a l t
Lake f i e l d t h e r e
of t h e
t h e r e is n oi n d i c a t i o n
McCarty's
weaknesswouldprovide
-
dike.
to
i s a majornorthwest
of
for t h ei n t r u s i o n
a goodmechanism
a
a zone
of
the
of
of d i s p l a c e m e natl o ntgh e
is
The o n l y areas i n which. D a t i l G r o u ps e d i m e n t sa p p e a r
t h e east of t h e d i k e , which i n d i c a t e s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y
S u b s u r f a c ed a t a
the
may h a v ec r e a t e d
t h es o u t h e a s t .S u c h
i s nsou r f a ceev i d e n c e
dike.
There
'
flow ( f i g . 1). S o u t ho ft h i sn e c k
of f a u l t i n g . T h i s f a u l t
zone of weaknesswhichextends
of
i s p r e s e n t I. nt h e
t o t hneo r t h e rend g e
t r e n d i nfga u l T
t . h ifsa u letx t e n d s
westernneck
area a r e r e l a t i v e l y
i s r e q u i r e di no r d e r
to
of f a u l t i n g .
t o d e t e r m i n ew h e t h e r
or
not
d i s p l a c e m e nht aos c c u r r e ad l o n tgh de i k eO. t h em
r i n ofra u l t i n g
o c c u r sa l o n g
t h e w e s t e r nb o r d e r
thesoutheastquarter
Dips i n t h e s t u d y
of t h e Cerro P r i e t o q u a d r a n g l e .
area are r e l a t i v e l y s h a l l o w , g e n e r a l l y
t h a n 5 d e g r e e s .T h eg e n e r a ld i r e c t i o n
of d i p o nt h e
quadrangle is t o t h es o u t h e a s t .L o c a l l yt h e r e
f l e x u r e sw h i c h
Prieto.
a r e especially p r e v e l a n t . i n t h e
A prominentanticlinalflexure
q u a d r a n g l ei n
as
of The Dyke q u a d r a n g l e a s well
Prieto
a r e numerousminor
area around
Cerro
occurs on t h e Cerro P r i e t o
t h e n o r t hc e n t r a lp o r t i o n .T h i sf l e x u r eh a s
8
Cerro
less
a
N-S
.
axis, with
the limbs dipping
E-W at
5 degrees.
synclincal
A
flexureextendseast-westinthecentralportion,ofthe
quadrangle.
-.
tend to
In the northern portion of The Dyke quadrangle dips
flatten out
1-2 degrees, generally dipping
to
the
to
northeast.
IGNEOUS ROCK
BASALT
FLOW
The northeastern half ofThe Dyke quadrangle is covered by a
-
, termed the McCarty's
I) , the youngest of the
60-70 ft thick andesine basalt flow (fig. 1 )
Basalt flow, (indicated as QB on
plate
Bandera flows. Laughlin and others (1979) dated this flow in
Township 6 N.
Range 17 W.
using K/Ar methods.
_.
as being 1.41
+/-
0.29 million years,
The surface contains numerous depressions due
to collapse structures within the basalt which collect quaternary
alluvium.
The McCartys flow was not observedto be in contact with the
Fence Lake Gravel. It does overlie an angular unconformity formed
on top of the underlying MorenoHill Formation.
A "window" in the
flow exposes upper Moreno Hill strata covering sec.
and .34.Township6 N. Range 16
33,
28, 29,
W. which marks the former position
of a high knoll formed by the Moreno Hill formation, around which
the basalt
flowed.
these exposures.
No
coal was
observed to be outcropping in
However, a drill hole penetrated several
seams, relatively near the surface.
9
coal
e
CERRO
Cerro Prieto is a
PRIETO
volcanic neck in the center of the Cerro
-.
Prieto quadrangle (labeled
composed of
on
TV
olivine basalt.
Plate I,
see also
fig.l),
CerroPrietowasintrudedafter
deposition of the Cretaceous sediments, and probably was the cause
of the folding, flexuring
arid jointing associafed with these
Cretaceous units. Figure 1 shows several other volcanic necks of
similar appearance and composition in the area (Salt Lake, Veteado
-
Mountain, El Porticito,Red
Hill).
All
necksform
a roughly
northeast-trending line and probably are a result of the same
volcanic event. No radiometric age dates have been obtained from
CerroPrieto,
based
on
composition,petrology,andgeologic
structure, both the dike and Cerro Prieto appear
be related.
to
"
DIKE
The northeast corner of the CerroPrieto quadrangle and the
southeast quarter of
The Dyke quadrangle contains an en echelon
dike (fig. l), of olivine-basalt 'composition. The limbs of
dike systemtrend
60
degrees
to
thenorthwest.This
this
is
a
continuation of the same northwesttrending,dike system that goes
through Pie Town. Each limb is approximately one mile in length,
and approximately 15 feet thick, with left lateral offset.
,
This
dike cuts the Cretaceous units
in the area, but is overlain by the
Tertiary Fence Lake Gravel.Laughlin and others (1979) dated this
system near
Pie
Town
as being
27.67+/-0.59
m.y.,
methods, placing this dike within the Oligocene.
10
using
K/Ar
GENERAL STRATIGRAPHY
F i v e major s t r a t i g r a p h i c u n i t s
a r e e x p o s e di nt h es t u d ya r e a
to
a nt hdersaen g
f reoQmu a t e r n a r y
Q u a t e r n a r y i s r e p r e s e n t e d by
gravel".
a s i n g l eu n i t ,Q u a t e r n a r ya l l u v i u m .
a s i n g l eu n i tt, h e" F e n c eL a k e
i s represented
by
T hT
e ertiary
C r e t a c e oaiungsTe h
.e
i n t h es t u d y
The o n l yC r e t a c e o u su n i ' et x p o s e d
4 is
Moreno H i l l F o r m a t i o nF. i g u r e
column for b o t h t h e
-
area,
the
a g e n e r a l i z e ds t r a t i g r a p h i c
Cerro P r i e t o andTheDykequadrangles.
.
TERTIARY STRATIGRAPHY
"Fence L a k e g r a v e l "
is
The
""Fence
Lake
gravel""
Marr (1956) t o t h e
t o p s i nt h e
a term
i n f o r m a l l ya p p l i e d
coarse b o u l d e r - c o n g l o m e r a t e sc a p p i n gt h e
S a l t Lake f i e l d( l a b e l e d
T f l on Plate I ) .
L a k eg r a v e l "u n c o n f o r m a b l yo v e r l i e st h eM o r e n o
i s p r e s e n ti nt h es o u t h e a s tq u a r t e r
n o r t h e a s tq u a r t e r
of
and
Hawkins
surfaces that
are composed of t h e F e n c e
21, T. 4 N, R.
Peak
mesa
"Fence
The
H i l l Formationand
The Dyke q u a d r a n g l e ,t h e
P r i e t o q u a d r a n g l e ,a n dt h e
of t h e Cerro
F l a t t o p Mesa
sec.
by
(see P l a t e s
I and
top
11).
of
Rubble
L a k e G r a v e l are p r e s e n t i n
17 W and sec. 1, T.
3 N.,
1 6 W, and
R.
form
-.
distinctivenorthwesttrendinglineations.
The"Fence
but
'
Lake g r a v e l "l o c a l l ya t t a i n s
i s commonly a b o u t 6 0 f t .
b o u l d e ur sp,
to
three
W e l l - r o u n d e dv e s i c u l a r
feet
characteristic of t h i sg r a v e l .
a t h i c k n e s s of 100
di ina m e t e r
Also p r e s e n t ,b u t
11
are
ft,
basalt
a ' dominant
smaller i n
size
...
"
.._
..
..UIDDLE VIW
.
W i n e d a l u deposit
FIG.
I2
4
_-
(less than
...
well r o u n d e cdl a s tosrfh y o l i t ec,h e r t ,
1 f t )a r e
some s a n d s t o n e s .
p e t r i f i e d wood', c a l c i t ea n d
clasts
These large
a r e i n a m a t r i x of f i n e g r a i n e d c a l c a r e o u s s a n d .
"
"Fence Lake
gravel"
appear
The c l a s t si nt h e
d e r i v e d from t h r e e sources.
source
likely
have
been
The p e t r i f i e d wood a n ds a n d s t o n ea r e
a result of c h a n n e l i n g i n t o
The
most
to
t h e u n d e r l y i n g Moreno H i l l
Formation.
f ot hb
r ea s a l t bi co u l d e r s
would
be
M c C a r t y 'fsl o wT. hree m a i n i ncgl a s tasrm
e o sl ti k e lfyr o m
the
D a t i ls e d i m e n t s .C l a s t sp r e s e n ti n
-
t h e "Fence L a k eg r a v e l "a r ea l s o
I
p r e s e n tw i t h i nt h eD a t i lG r o u p ,w i t h
is
wood,
which
t h e e x c e p t i o no fp e t r i f i e d
d e r i vfer dotuhm
ned e r l y iCn rge t a c e o u s .
A
prominent outcrop of D a t i l G r o u p v o l c a n i c l a s t i c s
e a s t of
-
"Fence L a k ge r a v e lf"o r m i n g
area, w i t ht h e
the s t u d y
w e s t - t r e n d i n agp r o fnr o m
t hbe a s e
of
c l a s ot r i e n t a t i o n t, h ed i r e c t i o n
of flow
west.
No
thinning
is p r e s e n t t o t h e
a
these sediments.
Based
on
is a p p a r e n t l y . t o
the
of t hteo t at lh i c k n e sotsfhger a v e l s
or
i
r e d u c t i o ni ng r a i ns i z e
g r a v e l is
also f o u n di nt h eD a t i M
l ountainF
s i e l da, l o n gw i t h
clast c o u n t s of b o t ht h e
o u t c r o p s of t h e D a t i l G r o u p .S y s t e m a t i c
"FenceLake
A similar
w a so b s e r v e d . i nt h es t u d ya r e a .
gravel"andthe
r e l a t i o n s h i p of
these
D a t i l Group,anddetailedmapping
two
groups
are
necessary
to
is a c t u a l l y d e r i v e d
whether or n o tt h e" F e n c eL a k eg r a v e l "
of t h e
determine
from
the -
D a t i l Sediments.
CRETACEOUS STRATIGRAPHY
A s i n g l eC r e t a c e o u su n i t
i s t e n t a t i v e l ay s s i g n e d
c o n s i s t i n gm o s t l y
of
is e x p o s e di n
to the
Moreno
the s t u d ya r e a .T h i s
Hill
Formation,
c o n t i n e n t a sl e d i m e n t s I. nt h es t u d ya r e a ,
13
a
unit
I
most notably
i
Formation
~
on
..
is
the
Cerro
Prieto
Quadrangle,
the
Moreno
Hill
readily.
divided
into
three
members,
a
lower
!
_.
sandstone/mudstone sequence, a middle sandstone, and an upper
mudstone/claystone unit, having a total thickness 760
of ft.
These units are labeled Klmh, Kmhs, and Kumh
on Plates I and 11.
The lower unit is 350 ft thick and consists principally of
fluvial channel sandstones with crevasse splay and floodplain
depositsandcoals.Thislowerunitrests
Formation, a marine
beach sand.
on
theAtarque
The Atarque does not have any
crop out'on eitherThe Dyke or Cerro Prieto quadrangles, however,
west of
the Cerro Prieto quadrangle the Atarque
is
found in
outcrop.
Channel deposits
in
this lower unit are
10-20
ft
thick,
trough cross-bedded, with the scale of crossbedding decreasing
upward.
Often present on the tops of these fluvial sandstones are
assymetrical
ripples,
linguoid
and
lunate
ripple
marks.
Lithologicallytheyconsistof
well-sorted and rounded.
95%
quartzgrains
Feldspars, mostly altered to
(2.0-4.00)
kaolinite,
are the secondmost abundant grain, but are never greater 5%
than
of the total.
Mica is a common-trace constituent of most of the
sandstones, and can be as muchas 1% of the total. Mafic and rock
less than 1% of total.
fragments are rare,
Fossil material associated with these channels is
petrified
wood, which can occur within the body of the channels, but are
mostly found at the upper and lower contacts. The wood has all
been transported, since no stumpsor large logs are present.
14
0
Gray to blackmudstonesareprevalent
the lowerMoreno
_.
Hill Formation.
The
color is
due to mudstones rich
in organic
material, both plant fragments and finely disseminated organic
-.
material.
The presence of non-oxidized organics indicates that
the environment
deposition
of
poorly drained swamp.
was anaerobic, and therefore
a
In many instances mudstones can be seen to
and
gradelaterallyintocrevassesplaydeposits,
represent
floodplain deposits.
and lack of all but quartz
The uniform grain size, roundness,
-
indicate that these streams were matureand of low gradient.
The
abundance of channels in this lower unit, combined with crevasse
splay, floodplain deposits
environment of
and
depositionwas
coal swamps, indicate that the
a
low-energymeanderingstream
system.
"
Most of the coal present in the study area is found in this
lower unit.
Two coal zones are present, one directly below the
upper contact of the unit, the second approximately 150 ft
the upper contact.
The
upper coal zone
below
is characterized by
one
seam that has a single thn kaolinite rich parting, approximately
- 2 5 inch thick.
Where this upper coal outcrops, the thickness of'
this parting does not vary significantly.
Where the coal does
not
have a channel sand cutting into the upper portion, this parting'
is roughly 23" inches from the top
of
the coal.
zone is distinguished from the upper by a
The lower coal
coal by two kaolinite
rich partings, which are separated by15" of coal.
This
distance
between them is consistent wherever these partings occur.
The
upper parting is - 2 5
1.0
inch thick, while the lower parting i s
inch thick.
15
The upper coal zone i s p r e s e n t o n l y o n t h e s o u t h w e s t p o r t i o n
of The
lower coal
P r i e t o quadrangle.
The
_.
portion
Dyke q u a d r a n g l ae n d
t h ne o r t h w e s t
e x t e n d i n g from t h e n o r t h e r n p o r t i o n
southward t o
t h ne o r t h e r en d g e
zone is
Cerro
of t h e
much more
extensive
of t h e Cerro P r i e t o q u a d r a n g l e
Mesa
of t h T
e ejana
7.5
minute
quadrangle.
The lower a n du p p e rp o r t i o n s
a
s e p a r a t ebdy
of t h e Moreno H i l l Formation a r e
t h i cfkl u v i as le q u e n c eT.h iusn vi ta r i ei sn
t h i c k n e s s from 4 0 t o 8 0 f t , a v e r a g i n g 6 0 f t .
-
to
t a n of nr e sshu r f a c ebs w
u
, te a t h e r
s a n d s are
c l e a n , coarse
a r e subangular t o
-
i ns i z e
t o 0.5"
subrounded
and
The q u a r t z
from
grains
1.0--.050.
i nd i a m e t e ra n dg e n e r a l l y
or d e c r e a s i n gg r a i n
is n ot r e n di ni n c r e a s i n g
s u b a n g u l a rT. h e r e
size.
to
15% f e l d s p a r .
subrounded,
and
vary
a r e p l a g i o c l a s e ,u p
T h ef e l d s p a r s
a p i n k i s h / o r a n g,eT. h e s e
g r a i n e ds,u b a n g u l a r
commonly composed of 85% q u a r t za n d
are l i g h t -
Thesands
The u n i t i s c o n s i s t s of b o t ht r o u g ha n dp l a n a rc r o s s - b e d s ,
set size
whicd
h e c r e a s ien
Moreno H i l l i s e r o s i o n a l . C h a n n e l s
concretions
'a
are
s i z e (0.25-1.0")
stream ' f l ow
th
n eo r t h w e sI tr.o n
a n df r e q u e n c yu p w a r dT
. h el a r g e cr o n c r e t i o n s
is
T hsiasn d s t o n
s eeq u e n c e
by
to
the
p r e s e ntth r o u g h o utth eu n i tT. h e s ei n c r e a s ei n
smaller
n e a r l y perfect s p h e r e s w
, h e r e a st h e
sandstones
are abundant, o f f s e t l a t e r a l l y ,
Measurements of c u r r e n t d i r e c t i o n o n
a n dc u ti n t oe a c ho t h e r .
c r o s s - b eidnsd i c a t e
lower
u p w a r dT. h ce o n t a cw
t ith
the
readily
o n e s are
distinguished
are.'
irregular.
from
grain
g r as ii nzpei n
, k i s h - o r a ncgoel o r a t i o n ,
s u p p o r t e d fabric, n oc l a y
g r a i n s .T h ep r e s e n c e
or
other
s i l t f r a c t i o n ,a n dl a r g e .f e l d s p a r
of c l a s t s u p p o r t e dg r a i n s ,
16
l a c k of c l a y s a n d
silts, lateral distribution of streams, and the presence of both
trough and planar cross
beds
indicate
that
deposition
was
due
to
braided stream environment.
The upper unit of the Moreno Hill Formation is 358 ft
and dominantly claystones and mudstones, (Appendix
111).
very few channel and crevasse splay deposits are
present.
channel deposits are thin, rarely exceeding
4
thick
Only a
The
ft in thickness.
They
differ from the lower Moreno Hill channels in that they are
much more silty, do
for more
than
not form ledges and do not extend laterally
50-60 yards.
The
claystones and mudstones are
mostly yellow and green in color, with only a few being organic
and black incolor.
Scattered carbonaceous shalesare present, as
well as'a few thincoals. Coalified logs were found,. in several
locationsandusuallyassociatedwithorganicmudstones.An
erosional surface with mudstone in contact with mudstone
is
the top of thisunit.
near
Large fragments (1-2") of fusain marks this
surface and appears to be the remnant of an ancient forest fire,
of
followed by flooding and transportation
material.
theburnedplant
No charred logs or stumps were found.
to be deposited during a drier
The upper Moreno Hill appears
time than the lower Moreno Hill.
greater silt fraction,as well
The
fewer channels, with a
.
as the green and yellow mudstones
indicate a drier climate.No organics were found with these green
andyellowmudstones,.
indicatedbyapau.city
few
Onlya
of
swampswerepresent,
organic-richblackmudstonesand
carbonaceous shales.
17
as
The top of this unit is
,
'-
-.
in erosional contact with the Fence
Lake Gravel on the Cerro Prieto quadrangle. The upper Moreno Hill
Formation is present
on The
Dyke
quadrangle in
the northeast
"
quarter, where a "window" in the basalt flow exposes Cretaceous
sediments.
~
COAL GEOLOGY
The major area of outcropping coal in the study area is
in
.
the northwest corner of the Cerro Prieto quadrangle, (sec. 1,
-
3 , 4 , 9, and 10, T. 4 N.,
N.
R. 17 W.
R.
35, and 36)
17 W., and sec. 3 4 , 35, and 36 T.
and the southwest border of
quadrangle, (sec. 25, 26, and 27, T.
theescarpment.Throughout
2,
5 N.R.
The
5
Dyke
17 W.) mainly along
theremainingarea
'of
thetwo
quadranglesoutcroppingcoalsarethinandsparselypresent.
-
Several exposures of carbonaceous shales and mudstones, but
coals on occur The
Dyke quadrangle,
at
the edge
of
no
McCarty's
basalt flow.
Two of
the thicker coals contain volcanic ash partings,
termed tonsteins (Williamson, 1961).
These partings appear white
on weathered surfaces, making them easily discernable against the
black coal outcrop. They
have a gray coloration, due to a dark
and light bandingon a broken surface. These bands are generally
less than .1 inch in thickness, and are highly interlaced. X-ray
diffractionstudiesshowthatthesetonsteinsarecomposed
primArily of ordered and
disordered kaolinite and quartz.
liquid separations did not show any
18
Heavy
of the heavy minerals that
present
h a v eb e e nf o u n di no t h e tro n s t e i n s
1976).
to
T h. i' lsi m i t m
e di n e rcaol m p o s i t i ocno, m p a r e d
t o n s t e i n s is
-.
i nt h es t a t e( B o h o r ,
tonsteins
p r o b a b ldyut eohFee n cLea k e
two
being
outcrops.
c o l l e c t e d fromhighlyweathered
T h earree
other
on
c ohaol r i z opnrse s ebnats e d
is
i n f o r m a t i o nT
; h eu p p e hr o r i z o n
outcrop
e x p o s e dm a i n l ya l o n gt h ef a c e
of t h e mesa e s c a r p m e n t .T h i sz o n ec o n s i s t so fo n em a j o rc o a lt h a t
of up t o 1 2 f t t h i c k , c o n t a i n i n g a s i n g l e
h a sa no u t c r o pt h i c k n e s s
t o n s t e i n ,w i t hs e v e r a lm i n o r ,t h i n n e rc o a l sa b o v ea n d
zone is
-
r o u g h l y 20
f t
m i d d lsea n d s t o n e .
zone is 7.5
.
main
seam
b o t h aboveandbelow.The
p r e s e n c eo f
Coal
coal i n t h i s
i ns u b s u r f a c eT. h i m
s ain
ft
coals,
t h eu p p e zr o n eh, a st h i n n e r
is roughly
t o t a lt h i c k n e s so ft h i sz o n e
is
This'
zone
in
d i s t i n g u i s h e d from
t w o t o n s t e i n s i n t h em a i n
outcrops,
t huep p ezro nbetyh e
coal.
are
t h o uagbhu n d a n t ,
t o t a l ucs o v etrh e
coals
is
a rbee setx p o s e d
capped by a s a n d s t o n e , e i t h e r c h a n n e l or c r e v a s s es p l a y ,t h e y
Where c o a l s a r e n o t o v e r l a i n
b e s t exposed.
by s a n d s t o n e ,t h e y
u s u a l l yt o p s
of
a
when
are . .
are
is
p o o r leyr o d e u
dn
, tai n
l o t h eo rv e r l y i ncgh a n n se al n d s t o n e
e n c o u n t e r e dl e a v i n g
as
nt roat c e a b l e
c o n t i n u o u so u t c r o p sf o ra n yd i s t a n c e ;s e v e r a lh u n d r e dy a r d s
maximum. .Due
the
i s e x p o s eodn loytnhneo r t h w e s t
T h i s zone
f t i no u t c r o pa n d9 . 5
seam, l i k e t h e
25 f t .
f t below
Cerro P r i e t o Q u a d r a n g l e .T h et h i c k e s t
q u a r t e ro ft h e
This
m i d d lsea n d s t o n e .
is l o c a t e da p p r o x i m a t e l y1 5 0
The lower
horizon
"
below the
below.
a f l a st u r f a c e T
. h e s et o p o g r a p h i cf e a t u r e s ,
s a n d s t o n e s , are u s e f u li nl o c a t i n g
havebeenerodedandcoveredbytalus.
19
coals,
which
S e v e r a lm i n e r a la r ea s s o c i a t e dw i t ho u t c r o p p i n gc o a l s .
.,
c r y s t a l s are
a t t hceo n t a c t
.found
of c o a lnfdi n egrr a i n e d
or c l a y s t o n e ,b u t
a s c a r b o n a c e o u ss h a l e ,m u d s t o n e ,
s e d i m e n t s ,s u c h
Gypsum
-.
n e v ewr i tsha n d s t o n eT. h i c k ecro asle a mhsa vlea r g ecrr y s t a l s
a s s o c i a t e dw i t h
them, t h e l a r g e s t b e i n g
a n da s s o c i a t e dw i t h
a
1 2 f t seam.
u p t o1 5i n c h e si nl e n g t h
S e v e r am
l i n e r a l sa r ep r e s e n t
a l o ncgl e astu r f a c eisonu t c r o p p i ncgo a l sT. h e sm
e i n e r a lasr e
j a r o s i t e , c a l c i t e , andgypsum.
Along t hbeo u n d a r y
-
of
t h e two
o u t c r o p s of k l i n k e r , or b u r n e dc o a lI. ns e v e r allo c a t i o n tsh ea s h
f r o mt h eb u r n e dc o acl a n
be
observed is 1 3 i n c h e s .
t h e mainseam
s e e n t, h e
Most of
inthe
i nt h eu p p e rz o n e .
t h i c k n e s s of
ash
is d u et ob u r n i n g
of
A s e c o n d k l i n k e r l a y e ro c c u r si n
A k l i n k e rd e p o s i t
lower coal zone, j u s t west o ft h eC e r r o
o nt h eF e n c e
4 N.
maximum
t h ek l i n k e r
a 3 f t c o a l above t h i s mainseam.
-
q u a d r a n g l easreex t e n s i v e
was
Prieto
observed
quadrangle,
L a k e SW q u a d r a n g l e .R a n c h e r sr e p o r tt h a ti nT o w n s h i p
Range 1 6 W.
sec. 3 1 a c o a la s s o c i a t e dw i t ha na b a n d o n e dm i n e
i s still b u r n i n g .
from t h i ss e c t i o ni n d i c a t et h a t
Core o b t a i n e d
t h i s would be t h e mainseamof
t h e lower coal zone.
PROXIMATE, ULTIMATE, AND BTU ANALYSES
The proximate,
u l t i m a t e , BTU
a n fdo r m s
of s u l f u ar n a l y s e s
coal
were donebyHazenResearch,Golden,Colorado.Fourteen
samples were
a n a l y s e df opr r o x i m a t eu, l t i m a t ea, n d
Table 2 & 3 comparestheaverage.proximate,
for the Salt
BTU
values.
u l t i m a t e and BTU v a l u e s
L a k e c o a l s t o t h o s e of t h e lower Mesaverdeandnearby
20
e
Black Mesa, Arizona. Only three samples
417-14-1) wer.e taken from cores.
from cuttings.
-.
and
(416-31-1, 417-3-1,
The remaining samples were taken
The three core samples
of
sample
were
analysed
for
forms
as well
as one cutting
sulfur
and
ash
fusion
temperature (Appendix 3).
The ayerage as received BTU value for the coals
the study area is 9920 BTU/lb.
free BTU value is 12869
is within
the range
present: in
The average moist, mineral-matter
BTU/lb.
According to ASTM D388-77,
this
of high volatile bituminous B rank coals.
This moist. mineral-matter free value is slightly higher than the
-
average for lower Mesaverde Group (Gallup and Crevasse Canyon)
coals, and considerably higher than the average for the coals of
Black Mesa, Arizona.
The
ash content
of
the Salt Lake coals
averages 20.7%, this is considerably higher, than coals of either
-
8.2% ash, or
the other lower Mesaverde Group, which average
7.3% ash
content
apparently is not
the
of Black Mesa coals. The high ash content
due to samples being collected from cuttings,
from core samples.
since some of the higher ash contents are
This
high ash content may be due to a high amount of clays and
silt
being washed into thecoal-forming swamps.
The moisture is
Group and Black
low in comparison
Mesa coals.
analyses being done
is a result
on cuttings rather than
provide a greater surface area
moisture is as
This
to both lower Mesaverde
for
of the proximate.
core.
The
cuttings
moisture to be lost.
This
received moisture, rather than capacity moisture
and should not be considered
as an indicator
21
of rank.
Both the
COMPARISON OF SALT LAKE COALS TO MESAVERDE AND BLACK MESA
COALS
.
...
A s Received
_.
Mean
12
V o l a t i l e matter
34
3.6
3
F i x e d carbon
40.1
Ash
Carbon
"
'
A s Received
Mean
S.D.
S.D.
7
No. of samples
Moisture
-
B l a c k Mesa
S a l t Lake
6.3
Mesaverde
AS R e c e i v e d
Mean
S.D.
109
38.5
4.0
36.3
4.3
42.7
2.0
.43.9
6.3
11.6
5.3
0.4
4.7
3.5
4.6
11.5
20.7
9.2
7.3
1.0
56.7
7.0
62.5
3.9
50.1
9.3
4.6
Hydrogen
4.4
.4
5.0
.3
4.9
.5
Nitrogen
1.1
.1
1.1
.1
1.2
.2
11.5
1.1
14.9
7.1
.4
.1
1.0
.9
Oxygen
11.6
5
Sulfur
.9
As received
9920.0
.3
10090.0
BTU
22
11255.0
TABLE 3
B l a c k Mesa
D r y Ash F r e e
Dry Ash F r e e
Mean
NO.
of S a m p l e s
S.D.
94
46.5
2.18
47.3
1.86
45.9
2.07
Fixed Carbon
55.3
1.41
53.5
1.88
5 42..10 6
I
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
1.76
75.9
1.84
77.0
.25
80.1
Rydrogen
5.9
.45
5.5
.10
5.8
.ll
Nitrogen
1.6
.19
1.4
.08
1.6
.23
'15.5
1.72
15.7
.30
11.0
2.81
Carbon
Oxygen
"
Mean
S.D.
7
\
Dry Ash F r e e
v o l a t i l e matter
Ash
1.2
Mean
S.D.
12
Moisture
-
Mesaverde
S a l t Lake
S u l. 1
f u2 r
1.3
.5
1.00
.5
1
o/c
.20
.20
.14
H/C
.08
.07
.07
Moist, Mineral-
12869.0
11847.0
Matter F r e e
BTU
23
12421.0
volatile matter and fixed carbon content
of the coals in the study
area are lower than lower Mesaverde
Group coalsor the Black Mesa
coals.
The total sulfur content of the coals
the lower MesaverdeGroup
(.87%) is lower than
coals,but higher than Black
Mesa coals.
The sulfur of four samples (416-31-1, 417-14-1, 417-3-1, 417-23-1)
was broken down into organic, pyritic and sulfate content.
these four samples, the total sulfur averaged .75%.
sulfur averages 0.51%,
-
coals.
68%
of the total sulfur
Pyriticsulfuraverages
0.20%,
One coal sample, 417-3-1 has0.16%
The
In
organic
content of the
27%ofthetotalsulfur.
of the total sulfur tied upas
sulfate, probably in gypsum.
The as received values for the ultimate analyses of the Salt
Lake coals are lower than the ultimate analyses for either the
"
lowerMesaverde
or BlackMesa
coals.
The
oxygen/carbonand
oxygen/hydrogen ratios (table 3) on a dry ash free basis are very
similar for the Salt Lakeand Black Mesa coals. The oxygen/carbon
ratio for the
Salt Lake and lower Mesaverde coals are somewhat
different, reflecting a higher carbon content for the Salt Lake
coals.
The mean proximate, ultimate and BTU values for the coals
present in the study area
can be compared to lower Mesaverde Group
and Black Mesa coals by
use of the
Student "t" test.
these comparisons the analyses were converted to
basis.
In making
a dry ash free
The moisture and ash contents are highly variable, due
both to sampling techniques and sample location in coal
the swamp.
Coals from these three areas are. similar in rank,
so
23
2u
differences
in the proximate and ultimate analyses would not be what
is
expected from coals of different ranks. The t test shows that the
means of of the proximate and ultimate analyses for the
Salt Lake
coals have a greater similarity to the Black Mesa coals thanto
the lower Mesaverde coals. The only values the had acceptable t
values for
the Salt Lake/Mesaverde comparison were the fixed
carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen. However comparison of the
Salt
Lake/Black Mesa coals resulted in all values except volatile
matterand
-
oxygen beingaccepted
as
beingfromthesame
population.
COAL
CHEMISTRY
Three coal cores were analysed
for concentrations of chemical
elements.
-
All
analysesweredonebyChemicalTestingand
EngineeringinDenver,Colorado.Mercurywasanalysedusing
flamelessatomicabsorption.
Theoxidesweredone
byx-ray
fluoresence, on ashed coal, and figured in percentage. All other
elements were analysedby spark source mass spectrometry, figured
\
in parts per million and on a whole coal basis.
average of these three coals converted
Table 4 is
the
to an ashed coal basis,
compared to the average for lower Mesaverde (Gallup and Crevasse
Canyon) coals and Black Mesa coals.
Since only three coals were
analysed, neither standard deviations or statistical comparisons
.would have any significance.
The standard deviation for lower
Mesaverde coalsis given for rough comparisons.
25
TABLE 4
COMPARISON 0F.CONCENTRATION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS PRESENT IN
SALT LAKE COALS TO MESAVERDE AND BLACKMESA COALS
(on whole coal basis)
Salt Lake
.
-
-
3
NO. of Samples
20.70
Ash
7.89
4.04
s io2
3.40
1.59
A1203
.32
.51
CaO
MgO
.10
.08
.05
.07
Na20
-07
.10
K 20
Fe203
.71
1.34
Ti02
.08
.19
SO3
.20
.51
.83
AS
. 1.20
-50
.53
Be
18.00 13.08
CU
73.33 59.70
F
.08
.09
Hg
Li
2.31
4.33
210.00 87.18
Mn
.58
6.33
Pb
Sb
11.1515.33
se
.85
1.10
Th
8.33
9.67
U
1.73
5.00
zn
43.66 69.67
Mesaverde
25
9.1
8.94
6.46
3.27
1.96
1.02
.79
.20
-24
.09
.08
.ll
.13
1.18
.87
.20
-12
.55
.28
4.88 10.89
2.02
1.62
11.94
7.01
21.31 41.49
-21
.34
5.76
10.50
56.57 175.76
4.94
7.93
2.93
3.81
1.26
2.80
3.79
5.60
2.16
1.14
11.79
9.94
Black Mesa
16
7.63
3.18 1.97
1.16
.63
.48
.98
.05
.17
.06
.11
.06
.05
.10
.46
-07
.03
.86
.10
1.9rl 2.24
.53
.37
5.42 1.76
35.00 14.94
.01
.03
3.41
1.92
9.59
3.65
2.43
1.12
-15
-29
.30
1.59
-18
3.04
-53
.35
15.81
8.45
Those elements marked with an
L occur below the detection
limit of the analytical technique used. These detection limits
are found in those coals analysed by
cases.
x-ray fluoresence, in most
As a result care should be used when drawing conclusions
from Table 4 .
As an example, the phosphorus content of the Fence
Lake coals is considerably lower than either the lower Mesaverde
or the Black Mesa coals, which would indicate that these coals
would have less
-
of
a tendency to foul steam plant machinery.
However,
the
spark
source
mass
spectrometry
.is capable
of
detecting smaller quantities of P205 than
is x-ray fluoresence.
X-ray diffraction data
on
the Salt Lake coals indicate a
mineral matter of kaolinite, quartz and pyrite. Using the forms
of sulfur data, pyritic sulfur averages .2% of the total sulfur
-
This indicates that 1.69% of the
mineral matter is pyrite.
SEM
scans of whole coal indicate that no finely disseminated pyrite is
present.
Work by Gluskoter and others (1975) on Illinois coals,
has demonstrated which elements are tied
up in the organic and
inorganic fractions. Their work indicates that nearly all of the
silica and potassium are associated with the mineral matter.
Since the only potassium bearing mineral found in these coals is
-.
kaolinite, all the potassium can be assumed to be in kaolinite.
BY using
the percentages of potassium and silica present, the
amount of kaolinite and quartz can be obtained. This indicates
that there is
65% kaolinite and 20% quartz.
SEM
scans on
the
residue of macerated and whole coals show that quartz occurs both
as discrete grains and finely disseminated material and that all
the kaolinite is finely disseminated within the coal. The
27
finely
disseminated quarts.is most likely due to the breakdown
of silica
rich minerals (feldspars and micas) that were probably present in
the original coal swamp into kaolinite. These three minerals make
up 94.7% of the ash of the coal.
can be attributed to
material.
The remaining 5.3% of the ash
the ash formed formed by burning the plant
The high ash fusion temperatures of these coals
is due
to the high kaolinite content. The low alkali content of the Salt
Lake coals would also indicate a high ash fusion temperature.
The volatiles presentin the Salt Lake coals are generally in
lower concentrations than the volatilesof
either Black Mesa or
lower Mesaverde coals. The arsenic concentration is considerably
lower than what is presentin the coals of the lower Mesaverde but
is similar to Black Mesa coals. Antimony has
an anomalously high
concentration, compared
to the other two populations. This is
partially due to one sample, 417-14-1, which has a concentration
of 20 ppm.
Ruch (1974) demonstrates that antimonyis concentrated
in the mineral fraction
of
Illinois .coals. Both arsenic and
antimony can substitute for iron,
so
pyrite,would be the most
likely place to find these elements in the Salt Lake coals.
. The
uranium, thorium, and vanadium concentrations are considerably
higher than what is found in either Mesaverde
or Black Mesa coals.
Both the Datil Group and Baca Formation would serve as a source
for these
three
elements.
.
As these two overlying units were
stripped away, the uranium, thorium and vanadium were leached out
and concentrated in the coals.
28
COAL RESERVES
A total of
24 holes were drilled in conjunction with this
study. In addition nine water wellswere logged.
These holes are
numbered according to township, range, section and number of holes
drilled on the section. The numberingis the same for the
water wells except that those wells cased with steel are indicated
Fe and those cased with PVC pipe are
holes, as well
as
so indicated.
These drill
severalwater-wellsthatwereloggedare
summarized in appendix11.
Figures 7 and 8 show the locations of
all drill holes and logged water wells in the study area. 7Table
identifies these locations to quarter/quarter section and well
number.
Minable coals were penetrated in
21 of the
drilled. Whenever possible, drilling was done
24 holes
on private land
with federal minerals. All holes were geophysically logged and
had cuttings collected at five foot intervals.
The coals present in the Salt Lake field are bituminous in
rank and
have a
minimum strippable thickness
of 1.2
ft.
The
on coals of
reserve figuresfor this report, therefore, are based
1.2 ft orgreaterthickness;
according to
categories.
U.S.G.S
Reserve calculations were done
Bull. 1450-B, for measured and indicated
The weight of bituminous coal is estimated be
to 1800
tons/acre-foot, which agrees with the value derived from the
density of the
coalin theSalt
LakeField.
is split into
Mineral ownershipof the coal in the study area
federal, state and private categories. Table5 gives a breakdown
of these categories, in percentages, according to the portions
of
29
ederal
the townships present in the study area.
mineral rights in the study area is
The largest owner
of
the federal government with
40.5%, followed by the state government with 38.4% and only 21.1%
of the minerals are privately owned. These percentages are
equally distributed over the two quadrangles. The
minerals on
The
Dykequadrangleareowned
government, 8.6% by the state and 53.0%
the
Cerro
Prieto
not
38.4% of the
bythefederal
are privately owned.
On
quadrangle
43.3% of the minerals are owned by the
federal government, 35.2% by the state and 22.1%
are
privately
owned.
TABLE
MINERAL
5
OWNERSHIP BASED ON TOWNSHIP AND RANGE
%
Township
%
%
State
Private
T. 6 N. R. 16 W.
34.4
16.4
49.2
T. 6 N. R. 11 W.
38.1
9.1
52.1
T. 5 N. R. 16 W.
12.1
18.5
9.4
17 W.
5.9
17.5
16.6
T. 4 N. R. 16 W.
30.1
65.3
4.6
T. 4 N. R.
17 W.
58.0
41.1
10.3
T. 3 N. R.
16 W.
15.8
24.2
0.0
T. 3 N. R. 17 W.
40.3
51.3
8.4
T. 5 N. R.
The two quadrangles involved in this
.
study contain measured
coal reserves basedon both outcrop and drill data 53.6
of million
tons of coal. Indicated reserves are based
on drill data only
and
consist of 202.9 million tons.
The demonstrated coal reservesfor
the study area are256.4 million tons.
30
The average depth of this
is 116 ft,
coal
Separatingthe
rangingfromsurfaceoutcrop
to
252
coalsintodepthcategoriesshowsthat
ft.
200.3
million tons of demonstrated coal are withinft150
of' the surface
and 49.04
million tons have overburden
of between. 150-250 ft.
Only 6.13 million tons of'coal are greater than 250
ft in depth.
The average seam thickness, for minable coal is, 3.1 ft,
from 1.2 ft to 12 ft.
Table 6a shows the demonstrated tonnages in
the
three
depth
categories
based
on
township
and
range.
Separating the demonstrated reserves based
-
results in 82.5 million
on
stripping ratios
tons being'less than 1O:l; 27.7
tons being between-10 and 20:l:
million tons.
ranging
million
and between 20-3O:lthere are43.1
million tons have a
The remaining 102.6
stripping
ratio of greater than
30:l.
Table 6b gives a breakdown of the measured and indicated
reservesaccording
to
townshipandrange,
as well
as
the
"
demonstrated
categories.
tonnages
under
the
various
mineral
ownership
All but two holes were drilled
on land that had
federalmineralownership.TheFederalgovernmentownsthe
of
largest amountof coal in the area, with a demonstrated reserve
184.68 million tons.
State owned coal reserves amount to
million tons. Privately owned coal amounts to only
9.52
'40.91
million
tons.
-
Several townships (Township
Township 6 N. Range 16 W.)
is due to
a
lack
3
and
6 N.
Range 17 W.
and
show no measured coal reserves, this
of drill
data.
probablyhasnocoalpresent,based
Township
on
31
6 N. Range
17 W.
projections of
the
TABLE 6
a)
DEMONSTRATED RESERVES IN DEPTH CATEGORIES
OF CERRO PRIETO
AND THE DYKE QUADRANGLES
150-250
T. 6 N. R. 17 W.
5.43
T. 6 N.’ R. 16 W.
-
-
.
-63
0.00
.84
0.00
46.81
0.00
T. 5 N. 13.37
R. 16 W.
10.90
3.37
T. 4 N. 14.92
R. 17 W.
66.53
0.00
T. 4 N.
R. 16 W.
7.82
39.11
2.76
T. 3 N. R. 17 W.
3.86
0.00
0.00
T. 3 N. R. 16 W.
3.60
0.00
0.00
b)
176.87
COAL RESERVES OF CERRO PRIETO AND THE DYKE QUADRANGLES
(in millions of short tons)
”
Measured
-
0.00
T. 5 N. 14.99
R. 17 W.
TOTAL
51.94
13
>250
0-150
Indicated
Federal
State
Private
T 6 N. R 17 W.
0.bO
5.43
3.76
1.67
0.00
T 6 N. R 16 W.
2.33
19.28
21.61
0.00
0.00
T 5 N. R 17 W.
17.17
44.64
50.64
8.76
2.81
T 5 N. R 16 W.
6.74
20.89
27.72
.67
0.00
T 4 N. R 17 W.
17.03
64.41
67.43
9.86
3.69
T 4 N. R 16 W.
8.32
42.68
27.51
19.59
3.03
T 3 N. R 17 W.
0.00
3.86
3.39
T 3 N. R 16 W.
2.04
1.56
3.60
32
-48
0.00
0.00
0.00
5N
4N
5
E
I
21
Ei
I
22
I
I
l
3
I
23
4N
3N
1-1
II
STATEOWNERSHIP
MINERAL
CERRO PRIETOQUADRANGLE
LLU
1
a
EDERAL
17 W116W
25
6N
5N
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
MINERAL
STATE OWNERSHIP
THE DYKE QUADRANGLE
34
I
LLul
'
FIG. 6
I
I
FEDERAL
0PRIVATE
W A T I O N OF DRILL HOLES THE D Y K E
.
.
._. FIG. 7
*
I
,
__ -
QUADRANGLE
..-. - .:
. -
35
. . .. . . _
TABLE 7
e
LOCATION OF DRILL HOLES
1.
-
-
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
616-33-1
617-35-~PVC
517-3-lpvc
517-3-lfe
517-1-lfe
517-15-lfe
517-13-1
517-24-1
516-19-1
516-22-~PVC
517-27-2
517-27-3
517-27-1
517-26-1
517-25-3
517-25-1
.
516-30-1
511-34-1
516-31-1
411-3-1
416-3-1
416-7-1
416-10-1
417-14-1
417-13-1
416-7-2
416-18-1
417-23-1
416-22-1
416-27-1
416-31-1
316-6-lfe
311-12-lfe
sw1/4
sw1/4
nw1/4
se1/4
nw1/4
ne1/4
nw1/4
nw1/4
ne1/4
nw1/4
nw1/4
sw1/4
ne1/4
nw1/4
ne1/4
nw1/4
se1/4
sw1/4
nw1/4
nw1/4
sw1/4
se1/4
ne1/4
se1/4
sw1/4
nw1/4
sw1/4
sw1/4
ne1/4
sw1/4
ne1/4
ne1/4
ne1/4
ne1/4
se1/4
nw1/4
nw1/4
se1/4
ne1/4
ne1/4
sw1/4
se1/4
nw1/4
sw1/4
nw1/4
nw1/4
nw1/4
se1/4
sw1/4
sw1/4
sw1/4
nw1/4
nw1/4
ne1/4
se1/4
se1/4
nw1/4
nw1/4
nw1/4
ne1/4
37
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
33 T.
35 T.
3 T.
3 T.
1 T.
1 5 T.
1 3 T.
24 T.
19 T.
22 T.
27 T.
27 T.
27T.
26 T.
25 T.
25 T.
30 T.
34 T.
31 T.
3 T.
3 T.
7 T.
10 T.
1 4 T.
13 T.
7 T.
18 T.
2 3 T.
22 T.
27 T.
31 T.
6 T.
1 2 T.
6
6
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
N.
R.
1 6 W.
R. 17
F. 1 7
R. 17
R. 17
R. 17
R. 1 7
R. 17
R. 1 6
R.
R.
R.
R.
16
17
17
17
R. 17
R. 17
R. 17
R. 1 6
R. 1 7
R. 1 6
R.
17
R. 1 6
R. 1 6
R. 1 6
R. 17
R. 17
R.
R.
16
16
R. 17
R. 1 6
R. 1 6
R. 1 6
R. 1 6
R. 17
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
W.
0
stratigraphypresentinholesdrilled
4).
township (see fig.
have some
coal, based
*
of
this
probably
does
to thesouth
Township 6 N. Range 16 W.
dr illed
on reports of ranchers who have
water wells and the presence
of upper Moreno Hill sediments. The
few geophysical logs available indicate that TownshipsN.,3 Range
16 and17 W both
probably
contain
SUBSURFACE
extensive
coal
reserves.
GEOLOGY
All holes were collared
in the MorenoHill Formation.
The
UPPer, middle and lower coal zones were penetrated in, drilling.
The logs and cuttings indicate that most of the holes were drilled
throughcrevassesplay,fluvialchannels,andsiltstonesand
mudstones(Allen,1975).
In
someholes(517-13-1,517-27-3,
516-31-1 and 417-3-1) marine shales, calcite concretions and thin
"
limestones can be identified (Century, 1979).
sequences are
Above these shale
sandstones that coarsen upward, have flat upper
surfaces and crossbedding, indicative of a beach deposit (ALLEN,
1975).
These units
not outcrop in the study area but are
do
believed to represent the Rio Salado Tongue of the Mancos shale
and the Atarque Formation respectfully.
Three coal zones are present inthe drilling data:
The two
outcropping zones, with their tonsteins are readily identified. A
third deeper zone is
middle sandstone.
present in hole 517-34-1, 270 ft below the
What
is probably the middle coal zone was
penetrated along the eastern edge of the Cerro Prieto quadrangle
at a depth of
252'.
Figure 4 demonstrates the structure along
38
an east-west line through the center of the quadrangle, showing
how the strata dip to the east.
The middle coal zone extends in
of the Cerro Prieto quadrangle.
subsurface to the southern border
The major seam is increasing in thickness to the south.
Water was frequenty encountered
aquifersonlyproduce
2-6
in drilling.
gpm.Based
on
In most cases
informationfrom
established water wells, these rates are fairly consistent.
Two
aquifers seem prominent,
an upper one at about 6600 ft and a lower
aquifer at 6400 ft, both in the lower MorenoHill Formation. The
upper aquifer produces6 gpm, the water is highly corrosive, since
stock tanks and well
pumps corrode within a relatively short
period of time. No data is available on the quality of the upper
aquifer.
The lower aquifer has had some analyses done by the
New
Mexico Bureau of
analyses.
Mines.
Table
8
lists the results
of
these
This well is located in Township5 N., Range 16 W. sec.
."
22, is cased in PVC, with the depth of the water at 840'.
lower aquifer produces at least
20 gpm, ranchers report higher
rates at a slightly greater
depth.
TABLE 0
WATER
Dissolved Salts
C03
HC03
SO4
c1
This
QUALITY
365 ppm
0 PPm
DATA
Umhos
700
PPm
Na
116
PPm
K
244 ppm
20.8
ppm
85 Ppm
Mg
1.14 ppm
4 ppm
Ca
7
39
PPm
e
@
G e o p h y s i c a ll o g si n d i c a t e
anomalouslyhigh
416-31-1 and 417-14-1 havezones
up t o 300 c p s .T h i s
gamma c o u n t s
is r o u g h l y 60 c p s ,m u d s t o n e s
i n mudstones.Background
120 cps.Holes
afew
show
to
Up
o f mudstonewith
i s n o ta p p r o a c h i n gm i n e r a l i z a t i o n ,b u ta p p e a r
t o be c o r r e l a t a b l e .
CONCLUSIONS
The c o a lpsr e s e nitnthset u dayr eaarhei gvho l a t i l e
matter
bituminous C i nr a n k .T h e i ra p p a r e n th i g ha s ha n dv o l a t i l e
c o n t e n ta s
well a s low . f i x e dc a r b o n
c o n t e n t would i n d i c a t e t h e i r
i s f e a s i b l e ,d u e
b e s tu s a g ea ss t e a mc o a l .M i n i n go ft h e s ec o a l s
t ot h e i rs h a l l o wd e p t h ,h o w e v e rt r a n s p o r t a t i o nw o u l d
due t o t h e remoteness of
_.
t hci os a l
would
be
t h ea r e a .
beaproblem,
One p o s s i b l ed e s t i n a t i o nf o r
tgheen e r a t i pn lga nptrse s e n tul ny d e r
c o n s t r u c t i o n a t Showlow and S t .J o h n s ,A r i z o n a .
Basedon
t h ei n f o r m a t i o ng a t h e r e df r o mt h ed r i l l i n gp r o g r a m ,
f u r t h e rd r i l l i n g
is indicated.
The
a r e i nt h eT e j a n a
b e s ta r e a s
Mesa q u a d r a n g l e t o t h es o u t h a, n dt h eT e c h a d oq u a d r a n g l e
east.
Logs
from
to
th
s oe u t h epr no r t i tohnfe
Cerro
the
Prieto
quadrangle show a- 9 -. f t seam t h a t a p p a r e n t l y e x t e n d s s o u t h i n t o t h e
Tejana Mesa q u a d r a n g l e T
. his
t h es u r f a c e ,a n d , c o u l d
seam
be v a l u a b l ea s
i s g e n e r a l l yw i t h i n
a s t r i p p a b l eu n i t .
e a s t of Cerro P r i e t o , i n t h e Techadoquadrangle,
a r etao
show
p r e s e n t on t h e
d e g r e e st o
e x t e n s i v e coal
Cerro P r i e t o
the east.
resources.
q u a d r a n g l ed i p s
Of
The a r e a
is a l s o a
likely
The m i d d lceo az lo n e
down
a ta b o u tf i v e
T h i s coal, i f p r e s e n t a s p r o j e c t e d ,
40
100 f t
wouldbe
deeper t h a n 250 f t , t h e
conditions.
A
t h i r d a r e at h a t
northeast
quarter
s.edimentscrop
b.e minable,
limit for s t r i p p i n g under present economic
of
The
should
Dyke
be considered
quadrangle,
o u t i n McCarty’s Basalt flow.
.since
presence of theflow
i t would
be
deeper
than
where
41
Moreno
the
Hill
T h i s coal would
not
ft,
the
250
would s e r i o u s l yr e s t r i c ts t r i p
coal.
is i n
also
mining
this
REFERENCES
-
Allen, D.R., 1975, Identification of sediments their depositonal
-
environment and degree of compaction
Chilingarian, G.V.and
from well logs:
in;
Wolf, K.H., ed, Compaction of Coarse
grained sediments, p. 349-402.
A.S.T.M.,
1980, classification of coaland coke, D388-77
Carden, J.R., and
Laughlin, A.W.,
1974, Petrochemical Variations
within the McCarty’S Basalt Flow, Valencia- County, New Mexico:
Geol. SOC. Amer. Bull., v. 85, no. 9, p. 1479-1484.
Century Geophysical Corporation, 1979, Mineral Logging Manual,
Technical Report 153.
Gluskoter, H.J., R.R.
and J.K.
Ruch, W.G. Miller, R.A. Cahill, G.B. Dreher,
Kuhn, 1977, Trace Elements in Coal: Occurrence and
Distribution: Illinois State Geological Survey Circular
499, 154p.
.
Herrick, C.L.,
1900, Report
of
a geological reconnaissance
_.
western Socorro and Valencia counties,
New Mexico:
Am.
in
Geol.. v.
25, no. 6, p. 331-346.
Laughlin, A.W., D.G.
Brookings, P.E.
Damon, and M. Shafiqullah,
1979, LateCenozoicvolcanismoftheCentralJemezZone,
Arizona-New Mexico: Isochron/West, no. 25, p. 5-8.
Laughlin, A.W.,
Brookins, D.G.,and
Causey, J.D.,
1972, Late
Cenozoic Basalts from the Bandera Lava Field, Valencia
.County,
New Mexico: Geol. SOC. Amer. Bull., v . 83, no. 5 , p. 1543-1552.
Moore, R.T.,
1977, Chemical
analyses of
coal samples from the
Black Mesa Field, Arizona: Arizona Bur. of Mines, circular 18,
13p.
43
Nichols, R.L.,
1946, McCarty.S
basalt flow, Valencia County, New
Mexico: 6eOI. SOC. Amer. Bull. v. 57, no. 11 p. 1049-1086.
Marr, R.J.,
1956, Geology of Lynch Ranches .Catron and Valencia
Thesis, Universityof Texas, 113p.
Counties, New Mexico:Master's
Ruch, R.R.,
Gluskoter, H.J.,
Distribution
Of
Shimp, N . F . ,
1974, Occurrence and
potentially volatile trace elements in coal: a
final report: Environmental Geology Notes, No.
72, 111.
State
Geol. Surv. 96p.
Siemers, C.T.,
1977, Core
andWire-lineLog,Analysisof
Coal-BearingSequence:Lower
PartoftheUpperCretaceous
Menefee Formation (Mesaverde Group), Northwestern
Proceedings of the'second Symposium
Mountain Coal
Shaler, M.R.,
, Hodgson, H.E.,
'a
on
New
Mexico;
the Geology of Rocky
p. 165-180.
1907, A reconnaissance survey of the western part of
the Durango-Gallup Coal Field
of
Colorado and New Mexico: U.S.
Geol. Surv., bull. 316, p. 376-426.
U.S. Bureau of Mines
andU.S.
Geological Survey,
1976, Coal
resource classification system
of the U.S. Bureau of Mines
and
U.S. Geological Survey: U.S. Geol. Survey, Bull. 1450-B, 7p.
44
e
DRILL
HOLESUMMARY SHEET
Hole no. 316-6-Fe
Township 3N. Range 16 W. sec. 6
Location: 2600’ E. of W. line
Elevation: 6670’
4500’ N.
of S. line Mineral Ownership: Federal
64’
Depth:
Total
Catron
County:
Quadrangle: Cerro
Prieto
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: water well
Data: geophysical logs- gamma(api), density(g/cc)
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
CONFIDENTIAL
Hole no.
317-12-lfe
Township
_.
3 N. Range 17 W.
Sec.12
Location: 1000’ E. of W. lineElevation:6680’
1900’ N. of S. line Mineral Ownership: Federal
Depth:
Total
Catron
County:
101’
Quadrangle:
Tejana
Mesa
Formation:
Moreno
Water: 54’ ?gpm (6606)
-
Data: geophysical logs
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
CONFIDENTIAL
gamma, density, neutron
Hill
Hole no. 416-3-1
Township 4N. Range 16 W. Sec. 3
Location: 1650.’ E. of W. line
Elevation: 6980’
2400’ N. of
S.
line Mineral Ownership: Private
County:
valencia
Depth:’
260’
Total
Quadrangle: Cerro
Prieto
Water: 136’
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
4 gpm (6844’)
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs: gamma(cps)
, density(cps)
,
resistance
Thickness
Elevation
45’
1.2’
6935’
106’
2.4’
6874’
Coal Depth
Hole no. 416-7-1’
Township 4N. Range 16W. Sec.7
Location: 4000’ E. of W. line
Elevation: 6870’
4300’ N. of
”
S.
line
Mineral
Ownership:
Federal
County: valencia
Total Depth: 180’
Quadrangle: Cerro Prieto
Formation: Moreno Hill
Water: no water
-
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs gamma(cps), caliper, density(g/cc)
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
2.4’ 53’
6827’
Hole no. 416-7-2
Township 4 N. Range 16 W. Sec. 7
Location: ‘3800’E. of W. line
Elevation: 6845’
500’ N. of S. line Mineral Ownership: Federal
245’
Depth:
Total
Catron
County:
Quadrangle:. Cerro
Prieto
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: 83’ 6gpm (6762’)
-
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs gamma(api), caliper,
density(g/cc)
, resistivity
Thickness
Elevation
106’
2.8’
6739’
127’
1.2’
6718’
Coal Depth
Hole no. 416-10-1
Township
4 N. Range 16 W. Sec. 10
E. of W. lineElevation:6920’
Location:200’
3800’ N. of S. line Mineral Ownership: Federal
County:
272’
Valencia
Depth:
Total
Quadrangle: Cerro
Prieto
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: 143’ 4 gpm (6777’)
Data:
cuttings;
geophysical
-
logs gamma (cps)
, density(cps)
resistance
Coal
Depth
252’
Thickness
Elevation
2.1
6668’
Hole no. 4P6-18-1
Township 4 N. Range 16 W. Sec. 18
Location: 4000’ E. of W. line
Elevation: 6790’
2400’ N. of S. line Mineral Ownership: Federal
Depth:
Total
Catron
County:
115’
Quadrangle: Cerro
Prieto
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water:
no water
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs - gamma(cps) , density(cps)
,
resistance
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
3.0’
38’
6752’
Hole no. 416-22-1
Township 4 N. Range 16 W. Sec. 22
Location:
Elevation: 6810’
1550’ E. of W. line
4700’ N. of S. line Mineral Ownership: Federal
”
Depth:
Total
Catron
County:
280’
Quadrangle: Cerro
Prieto
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: no water
Data:
cuttings;
geophysical
logs
- gamma
resistance
Coal
Thickness
Elevation
212’
3.0’
6598’
217’
2.2’
6593’
244’
2.0’
6566’
Depth
(cps)
, density(cps) ,
c
, .
Hole no. 416-27-1
Location: 2200’
Township 4N. Range 16 W. sec. 27
E. of W.
line
Elevation:
6810’
3000’ N. of S. line Mineral Ownership: Federal
Depth:
Total
Catron
County:
280’
Quadrangle:
Cerro
Prieto
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: 200’ 6 gpm (6610’)
Data:
cuttings;
logs
- ‘gamma
geophysical
(cps)
, density(cps) ., resistivity
Coal
Depth
Thickness
No coal
Hole no. 416-31-1
Township 4N Range 16 W Sec. 31
Location: 2600’ E. of W. Line
Elevation: 6790’
_.
2600’ N. of S. Line Mineral Ownership: Federal
Catron
County:
.Total
262’
Depth:
Quadrangle: Cerro
Prieto
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: 20 GPM @ 255’, minor seeps starting at 92’ (6535’)
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs- gamma(AP1) , caliper, density, resistiv
core
-
45-70.5’
Coal
Depth
Thickness
.
Elevation
8.5’
48’
6742’
1.2’
67’
6723’
Core Description (cored interval
45-70.5’)
32” Sandstone, It. tan, 2.0-3.00, round, clay matrix (kaolinite),
grains in contact, very friable, some .coal
grains present, 95%
quartz,,grainscoated
w i t h clayandstainedtan,carbonaceous
l a m i n a t i o n si n c r e a s ei nf r e q u e n c y
t 0 ' 1 7 " from'top
where a b r u p t l y
terminate
14" S a n d s t o n e , It. g r a y , less m a t r i xt h a na b o v e ,
c a r b o n a c e o u sl a m i n a t i o n s
2.0-3.00,
common i n upper 6" of i n t e r v a l , n o t
p r e s e n t i n lower 8"
77" C o a l , p y r i t e
and gypsum a l o n g c l e a t s ,
1 0 % v i t r a i n , 10% d u r a i n ,
well a s i r r e g u l a r
80% c l a r a i n ; p y r i t e e x i s t s a s v e i n f i l l i n g a s
two k a o l i n i t i cp a r t i n g s ,u p p e r
masses (<.1") a l o n gc l e a ts u r f a c e s ;
26" from t o p of c o a l ,s e c o n d
41" fromtopofcoal;
a t 56" from t o p
o fc o a l ,c o a lb l o c k y ,w i t hb r o w n i s hh u eo ns u r f a c e ,o nb r o k e n
s u r f a c e is v i t r a i n , a p p r o x i m a t e l y
7"
...
25% of t h i s l o w e ri n t e r v a l
mudstone,darkgray/black,carbonaceous
streaks
58" c l a y s t o n e , I t g r a y / g r e e n ' , h o r i z o n t a l f r a c t u r e s w i t h
surf
C03 a l o n g
ace
4 6 " C l a y s t o n e , black, crumbly, waxy t e x t u r e , 50% r e c o v e r y
soft, greasy lustre
18" claystone,gray/brown,crumbled,
2"
Coal, 70% v i t r a i n , 30% c l a r a i n
4"
C l a y s t o n e ,g r a y / b r o w n ,g r e a s y
5 4 " S a n d s t o n e ,v e r yl i g h tg r a y ,
clay matrix, friable
lustre
3.0-4.00,
round, g r a i n s f l o a t i n
lost.
Hole no. 417-3-1
Township
Location: 1300’ E. of W. Line
Elevation:
6880’
2800’ N.
of S. Line Mineral
4 Range
N
17W Sec. 3
Ownership: Federal
250’
County:
Depth:
Valencia
Total
Quadrangle: Cerro
Prieto
Water: 227’,
4 gpm
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
(6653’)
Data: Cuttings; geophysical logs
-
gamma(API), caliper, density,
resistivity
core (35-45’)
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
CONFIDENTIAL
-
4N Range 17 WSec. 13
Hole no. 417-13-1
Township
Location: 2750‘ E. of W. Line
Elevation: 6875’
4000’ N.
of S. Line Mineral
Ownership: Private
250’
County:
Depth:
Valencia
Total
Quadrangle: Cerro
Prieto
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: no water
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs
-
gamma (cps) density(cps)
resistance
Coal
Thickness
Elevation
76’
2.5’
6799’
168’
4.5’
6709’
Depth
Hole no. 417-14-1
Township 4 N Range 17 W Sec. 14
Location: 1950'
E. of W. Line
Elevation: 6810'
3000'
N. of S. Line
Mineral Ownership: Federal
Catron
County:
Total Depth: 250'
Quadrangle: Cerro
Prieto
Water: 169'
4 gpm
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
(6641)
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs
-
gamma(cps), SP, resistance,
gamma-gamma, core(134-154')
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
-
53'
2.0'
6757'
135'
6.2'
6675'
213'
2.0'
6597'
Core description (core interval; 134-154)
35" mudstone, gray, soapy, elongate claystone clasts, carbonaceous
plant
remains
12" silty mudstone, dark gray, waxy, soft, organic fragments
11" coal, 75% durain, 5% vitrain, 20% clarain, no visible pyrite
4"
organic mudstone, black, thin (.l") coaly bands
50" coal, visible pyrite veins and irregular masses along cleats
(<.l" dia), 80% clarain, 20% durain C03 along cleats
13" coal, pyrite alongcleats, 80% clarain, 10% vitrain, 10% durain
6"
organic mudstone, well indurated, greasy
39" mudstone, dark gray, indurated, carbonaceous
plant remains
47" siltstone, micaceous, gray/green
Hole no. 417-23-1
Township 4 N Range 17 W Sec. 23
Location:‘ 1000’ E. of W. Line
Elevation: 6740’
4150’ N. of S . Line Mineral Ownership: Federal
Depth:
Total
Catron
County:
250’
Quadrangle:
Cerro
Prieto
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: 150’ 6 gpm (6590’)
Data: *cuttings,
geophysical
logs
- gamma
(cps)
, SP, ,resistance,
gamma-gamma, gamma(api), caliper, density(g/cc)
Thickness
Elevation
31’
5.8’
6709’
41’
4.5’
6699’
107’
3.0’
6633’
Coal Depth
Hole no. 516-19-1
Township 5 N Range 16 W Sec. 19
Location: 1300’ E. of W. Line
Elevation: 7300’
500’ N. of S . Line
Mineral Ownership: Federal
County:
valencia
Depth:
Total
250’
Quadrangle: Dyke
The
Formation:
Moreno
Water:
Hill
no water
-
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs gamma(cps)
resistance
Coal
Thickness
Elevation
89’
4.3’
7211’
172’
3.4’
7128’
Depth
, density(cps) ,
Township 5N. Range 16 W. SeC. 22
Hole no. 516-22-lpvc
Location: 3100’ E. of W. line
4300’ N. of
S.
line
Elevation: 7310’
Mineral Ownership: Federal
County: valencia
Total Depth: 254’
Quadrangle: The Dyke
Formation: Moreno Hill
Water: none
Data: Geophysical logs - gamma, density
Coal
Thickness
Elevation
115’
1.5’
7195’
126’
1.2’
7184’
175’
2.8’
7135’
Depth
Hole no. 516-30-1
Township 5N Range 16W Sec. 30
Location: 1950’ E. of W. Line
Elevation: 7300’
1900’ N. of S. Line Mineral Ownership: Federal
”
250’
County:
Depth:
valencia
Total
Quadrangle: Dyke
The
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: no water
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs
resistance
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
121’
2.0’
7179’
181’
6.5’
7119’
268‘
2.4’
7032’
-
gamma(cps)
, density(cps) ,
Hole no. 516-31-1
31
Township 5 N. Range 16 W. sec. 31
Location: 2700< E. of W. line
Elevation:
7020'
1700' N. of S . line Mineral Ownership: Federal
Depth:
Valencia
County:
Total
253'
Quadrangle:
Cerro
Prieto
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: no water
-
Data: cuttings, geophysical logs gamma(api), density(g/cc),
caliper, resistance
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
6916'
1.5'
104'
...................................
Township 5 N. Range 17 W. sec. 1
Hole no. 517-1-Fe
Location: 2000' E. of W. line
Elevation:
Elevation: 7200'
7200'
-
3650' N. of S . line
Mineral
Ownership:
Federal Federal
1ine
Mineral
Ownership:
Total Depth: 294'
Depth:
Valencia
County:
Total Valencia
Formation:
MorenoMoreno Hill
Quadrangle: Dyke
The Dyke
Water: Water well
Data: geophysical logs- gamma
gamma(api
cps),
, density
density(g/cc),
(g/cc)
,
(apiandand
cps)
neutron
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Thickness
Depth Elevation
Elevation
6'
1
3.8'
7139'
247'
1.4'
7053'
Hole no. 517-3-Fe
Township 5N. Range 17W: sec. 3 --
Location: 4000: E. of W. line
Elevation: 7020’
-
4500’ N. of S. line Mineral Ownership: Federal
108’
Depth:
County:
Valencia
Total
Quadrangle:
The
Dyke
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: water well
-
Data: geophysical logs gamma(cps and api), neutron, density(g/cc)
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
2.1’
2.
315’’
6985’
70’
6950’
\
.
Hole no.
517-13-1
Township
5
_.
Location:1200’
N. Range
17
W.
sec.
3
E. of W. lineElevation:7120’
3900’ N e of S. line Mineral Ownership: Federal
County:
516’
Valencia
Depth:
Total
Quadrangle: The
Dyke
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: no water
-
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs gamma(cps and api),
density(g/cc)
, resistivity,
CoalDepthThicknessElevation
no coal
resistance, caliper,
SP, gamma-gamma
Hole no. 517-15-lfe
Township 5 N. Range 17 W
Location: 2100‘ E. of W. Line
Elevation: 7060’
1650’ N. of S . Line
County: Valencia
Quadrangle: The
’. Sec.
15
Mineral Ownership: Federal
Total Depth: 234’
Dyke
Formation: MorenoHill
Water: 232’ 2gpm (6828’)
Data: Geophysical logs- gamma, density, neutron
NO Coal
Hole no. 517-24-1
Township 5 N Range 17 W Sec. 24
Location: 2000’ E. of W. Line
Elevation: 7225’
1500’ N. of S . Line Mineral
”
Ownership: Federal
County: valencia
Total Depth: 250’
Quadrangle: TheDyke
Formation:
Water:
no water
Data:
cuttings;
geophysical
Hill
- gamma (cps), density
logs
resistance
Coal
Moreno
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
31’
3.5’
7194’
9 0’
2.2’
7135’
101’
3.3’
7124’
(cps)
,
*
Hole no. 517-25-3
Township
Location: 3250f E.of W. Line
Elevation: 7340'
2000' N. of S. Line Mineral
County:
valencia
5N Range 17 W Sec. 25
Ownership: Federal
Total Depth: 250'
Quadrangle:
The
Dyke
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: no water
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs- gamma (cps), density(cps)
I
resistance
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
44'
1.4'
7286'
117'
7.5'
7223'
194'
3.8'
7146'
..................................
Hole no.
517-25-1
-
Township
5
Location: 4700' E. of W. LineElevation:
N Range 17 W Sec.
25
7250'
4100' N. of S. Line Mineral Ownership: Federal
County:
valencia
Quadrangle:
The
Total Depth: 250'
Dyke
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: no water
-
Data: cuttings; geophysical logs gamma(cps) I density(cps)
resistance
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
7'0
3.6'
7180'
7'
5
1.2'
7175'
154'
3.1'
7096'
Bole.
no.
517-27-1
Township 5 N Range 17 W Sec.
27
Location: 43OOc E. of W. Line
Elevation: 7150’
N. of S. Line Mineral Ownership: Federal
4900’
250’
County:
Depth:
valencia
Total
Quadrangle: The
Dyke
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: no water
Data: cuttings; geophysicallogs
-
gamma(cps)
, density(cps) ,
resistance
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
I
i
33’
3.5’
7117’
99’
2.2’
7051’
Hole no. 517-27-2
Township 5N. Range 17 W Sec. 27
Location: 600’ E. of W. Line
Elevation: 7150’
2000’ N. of S. Line Mineral Ownership: Federal
”
County: valencia
Total
Depth: 250’
Quadrangle: The Dyke
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
Water: no water
Data:
cuttings: geophysical
logs- gamma (cps) , density (cps),
resistance
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
137’
2.2’
7013’
Hole no. 616-33-1
Township 6N. Range 16W. SeC. 33
Location: 3650: E. of W. line
Elevation: 7220’
3300’ N. of S. line Mineral Ownership: Federal
280’
Depth:
Total
Cibola
County:
Quadrangle: The
Dyke
Formation:
Moreno
Hill
water: seep at 140’
Data: cuttings; Geophysical logs
- Gamma, Denisty
Coal
Depth
Thickness
Elevation
40’
2.5’
7180’
82’
2.4’
7138’
96’
3.8’
7124’
111’
1.6’
7109’
Hole no. 617-35-lpvc
Township 6N. Range 17W. Sec. 35
Location: 200’ E. of W. line
Elevation: 7060’
400’ N. of S. line Mineral Ownership: Federal
Depth:
Total
Catron
County:
Quadrangle: The
Dyke
160’
Formation:
Moreno
Water: none
Data: Geophysical logs- gamma, density
No coal
Hill
PROXIMATE AND ULTIMATE ANALYSES OF COALSOF SALT LAKE FIELD
(on as received basis)
samp1e
F.C.
H 20
44.28
10.86
11.47
61.64
4.39
30.81
31.04
10.24
27.91
46.02
417-13-1
36.15
(168’-172.5’)
417-14-1
36.61
(135’-142.2’)
417-23-1
29.86
(31”36.8’)
516-19-1
36.10
(Eg”93.3’)
516-30-1
35.61
(181”187.5’) .
517-24-1
39.50
(31”34.5’)
517-25-1
36.29
(70’-73.6’)
517-25-3
36.73
(117’-124.5’)
517-34-1
35: 6 5
(170’-175’)
517-34-1 28.57
(190’-195’)
40.15
3.36
20.34
44.90
8.62
31.11
416-31-1
33.39
(48’-56.5’)
417-3-1
V.M.
ash
C
H
N
S
0
1.12
.91
9.61
3.65
.97
.78
10.43
57.89
4.42
1.08
.89
12.02
9.87
63.78
4.78
1.35
.73
10.87
6.67
32.36
46.27
4.41
.93
.58
8.78
44.90
2.72
16.28
61.10
4.62
1.14
1.10
13.04
43.15
2.35
18.89
60.27
4.52
1.24
.75
11.98
47.52
2.38
10.60
66.10
4.95
1.26
1.04
13.67
42.48
1.80
19.43
59.59
4.47
1.00
.81
12.90
40.71
2.45
20.11
57.48
4.53
1.14
1.56
12.73
4245
2.14
19.76
58.98
4.48
1.15
.68
12.81
28.73
1.56
41.14
41.34
3.59
.76
.62
10.99
%TU
AS
Received
VALUES
AND
RANK
Moist,
Mineral-matter
Free
10739
12308
high volatile bituminousC
8228
11891
high volatile bituminousC
417-13-1
10101
13037
high volatile bituminous
B
417-14-1
11303
12696
high volatile bituminousC
417-23-1
8174
12710
high volatile bituminousC
516-19-1
10624
12970
high volatile bituminousC
517-24-1
11574
13128
high volatile bituminousB
516-30-1
10445
13206
high volatile bituminous
B
517-25-1
10339
13173
high volatile bituminousB
517-25-3
10127
13128
high volatile bituminous
B
10223
13206
high volatile bituminousB
7168
13173
high
416-31-1
417-3-1
517-34-1
170-175
517-34-1
190-195
SULFUR
volatile
bituminous
%
ANALYSES
pyritic
organic
sulfate
416-31-1
0.91
0.38
0.53
0.00
417-3-1
0.78
0.05
0.57
0.16
0.19
0.54
0.00
0.18
0.40
0.00
total
sample
417-14-1
417-23-1
0.58
0.73
ASH FUSION TEMPERATURE
SAMPLE NO.
DEFORMATION
SOFTENING
HEMISPHERICAL
FLUID
416-31-1
2300 F
2380
2430
2620 F
>2700 F
>2700 F
417-3-1
417-14-1
417-23-1
2380 F
>2700 F
F
2560 F
>2700 F
F
>2700 F
2610 F
>2700 F
>2700 F
2700 F
>2700 F
MEASURED SECTION
UPPER MORENO HILL
14.0
1.2
S a n d s t o n e ,t a n ,
2.00,
c l a ys u p p o r t e d ,
S a n d s t o n e ,t a n ,f r i a b l e ,
2.00,
well i n d u r a t e d
c l a yr i p - u p
clasts a t
base,troughbedded
.8
Sandstone, w h i t e , dark brown onweatheredsurface,2.50,
c a l c a r e o u sc e m e n t ,m a s s i v e ,c l a ym a t r
22.4
4.2
28.0
4.7
11.8
2.0
ix
Talus
S a n d s t o n e ,t a n ,c r o s s - b e d d e d ,f r i a b l e
, clay matrix
C l a y s t o n e ,g r a y / g r e e n ,n oo r g a n i c s
S a n d s t o n e ,t a n ,4 . 0 - 2 . 0 0 ,s i l ym a t r i x ,t h i nc l a y s t o n el a y e r s
C l a y s t o n e ,g r a y / g r e e n ,n oo r g a n i c s
8" well i n d u r a t e d , some
Mudstone,carbonaceous,upper
coalified plant material
25.5
Claystone,gray/green
13.7
S a n d s t o n e ,t a n ,
cross-bedded,
2.0-1.00,
c l a ym a t r i x ,u p p e r
lower 3 . 0 f t massive well i n d u r a t e d ,l e d g e
. 5 f t g r a yc l a y s t o n es e p a r a t e s
67.3
1.5 f t
upper and lower sands
Claystonesandmudstones,gray/green,noorganics
some c l a y , 4.0-2.00
4.5
S a n d s t o n e ,t a n ,
6.7
c l a y s t o n e ,t a n / g r a y ,n oo r g a n i c s
3.1
Sandstone, s i l t y , 4.0-3.00,nobedding
8.1
C l a y s t o n e ,t a n / g r a y ,n oo r g a n i c s
3.1
S a n d s t o n e ,t a n ,f r i a b l e ,c l a ym a t r i x ,m a s s i v e ,
3.9
Claystone,gray,
p l a n tr e m a i n s
2.00
w i t h carbonaceousmudstone,coalified
former;
1.7
Sandstone, tan,3.0-2.00, poorly indurated, clay matrix
6.0
Mudstone , gray
4.7
Sandstone, light tan,1.5-2.50, trough cross-bedded,
friable,
clay
matrix
1.1
Carbonaceous mudstone, coalified limb
5.6
Mudstone, dark gray
2.6
Sandstone, tan,2.50, friable, trough cross-bedded, silty
.3
Claystone, gray
.6
Coal, 90% durain, 10% vitrain
6.1
Mudstone, gray
1.5
Sandstone, tan, 4.0-1.50, graded downward to mudstone
2.5
Claystone, dark gray
7.3
Sandstone, tan, 2.00,
upper 2 ft Fe-stained, clay cement
trough cross-bedded
2.5
Claystone, dark gray, minor plant impressions (stems)
1.3
Mudstone, fusain fragments near base with subparallel
orientation, clasts of underlying claystone
11.2
2.2
10.2
.a
10.0
Claystone, gray/green, some organics
Siltstone, sandy, green, well indurated, massive
Mudstone, gray, some organis, coalified logs
Sandstone, white, loose, friable,
2.00, massive
Sandstone, tan,2.0-3.00, clay matrix trough cross-bedded, increi
in Fe-staining upward, current direction
N.W.
13.0
2.1
17.2
Claystone, dark gray to gray/green
Sandstone, tan,3.00, clay matrix, massive, poorly indurated
Claystone, gray and gray/green layers, gypsum at upper
contact
b
.8
1.3
.5
1.2
Siltstone, sandy, gray/green well, indurated
Mudstone, green/gray, some organics
Mudstone, brown/gray, coalified plant material
Claystone, gray/green to dark gray
.I
Coal, 70% vitrain, 30% durain
.8
Mudstone, dark brown
1.1
t:
Claystone, gray/brown, coalified plant material
r
$
. '5
4,5
++++
-?+e+
O'II'
+L?"
+*
0,
DYKE
QUADRANGLE
THE
UNITEDSTATES
DEPARTMENT O F THE
INTERIOR
GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY
0
vr'
NEWMEXICO-VALENCIA
CO.
7.5 MINUTESERIES(TOPOGRAPHIC)
@
'6
30'
34"45'
f
'847
1-360 000
:EET
"6
3845
3844
42'30"
3843
T 6 N
T 5 N
-
3842
-
3839
40'
.
.h
-
34"37'30"
30'
34
4
4
+%
Mapped, edited, and published by the Geological Survey
Control by USGS and NOS/NOAA
J
\
\5
++Gp
~
grid 6
10,000-foot and
----
*
1
Topography
by
photogrammetric
methods
from
aerial
photographs
taken
1971.
Field
checked
1972
Projection
H H H
H
c"l
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
I
I
I
I
I
I
0
.5
H
H
H
H
7000 FEET
I
1 KIILOMETRE
0
-- -
0
qo?
....
Unimprovedroad ... .===== ====
U. S. Route
0StateRoute
OF 1929
UTM GRID AND 1972 MAGNETIC NORTH
DECLINATION AT CENTER OF SHEET
QUADRANGLE LOCATION
THISMAPCOMPLIESWITHNATIONALMAPACCURACYSTANDARDS
FOR SALE BY U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DENVER, COLORADO 80225. OR RESTON, VIRGINIA 22092
A FOLDER DESCRIBING TOPOGRAPHIC MAPSANDSYMBOLS
%TO
improved
surface
...
InterstateRoute
10 FEET
NATIONALGEODETICVERTICALDATUM
G c'o
e+ 5.
...
Secondary highway,
hardsurface .........
I
I
CONTOURINTERVAL
or hard
highway,
Primary
Light-duty
road,
surface
hard
1 MILE
I
I
1000
1
coordinate system, west zone (transverse Mercator)
1000-metre Universal Transverse Mercator grid ticks,
zone 12, shown in blue.
1927 North American datum
Fine red dashed lines indicate selected fence lines
0
1000
12%'
0
2
9.
ROAD
CLASSIFICATION
SCALE 1:24 000
1
-
IS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
T H ED Y K E ,
N. MEX.
N3437.5-W10830/7.5
1972
A M S 4253 11 NE-SERIES
V881
O+