NEW MEXICO
GEOLOGICAL
N
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G S
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I-1
Guidebook
OF
SOUTHWESTERN
NEW MEXICO
FOURTH
FIELD
CONFERENCE
October 15-16-17
& 18,1953
SOCIETY
NEW MEXICO GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY * FOURTH FIELD CONFERENCE* SOUTHWESTERN
NEW MEXICO
CONTENTS
Forward
...............................................
Officers
of the New Mexico Geological
Acknowledgments
Conference
Society ......................
.........................................
Committee
Schedule
4
4
......................................
5
...............................................
6
Instructions
.............................................
7
Introduction,
with
8
Road Logs
index
maps .................................
..............................................
Franklin
Mountains and vicinity,
El Paso to Las Cruces
Las Cruces to Silver
11
October 15 ...................
.................................
City,
Silver
October 17 ...............
City to Dos Cabezas, October 18 ......................
Franklin
Mountains Section
By RousseauH. Flower
1]
18
October 16 .......................
Santa Rita and White Signal Districts,
30
64
83
15
...................................
Paleozoic Sedimentary Rocks of Southwestern New Mexico ..............
By Rousseau H. Flower
106
History of Petroleum Exploration in Southwestern NewMexico ............
By William M. Sandeen
112
Basin and Range Structure in Southwestern New Mexico ................
By Eugene Callaghan
116
SomeGeological Features of the Santa Rita Quadrangle ................
By R. M. Hernon, W. R. Jones, and S. L. Moore
117
Geology of the Santa Riita
By G. J. Ballmer
Area ................................
130
The Tyrone District
...............
By F. J. Kleinhampl
. ..........................
131
The White Signal Uranium Deposits
By Elliot Gillerman
................................
133
Fluorite Deposits of the Burro Mountains and Vicinity
By Elliot GilleITnan
Summaryof Smaller Mining Districts
By R. M. Hernon
.................
in the Silver City Region ............
Recent Investigations of Radioactive Occurrencesin Sierra,
Dana Ana, and Hidalgo counties, New Mexico ..................
By F. S. Boyd and H. D. Wolfe
Lower Cretaceous Stratigraphy
By Robert A. Zeller
of Southwestern New Mexico .............
2
J JJ ~J
4
J I
137
138
141
142
NEW MEXICO GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY * FOURTH FIELD CONFERENCE* SOUTHWESTERN
NEW MEXICO
Volcanic Rocks of Southwestern New Mexico .......................
By Eugene Ca|laghon
Tertiary-Quaternary Sedimentsof the Rio GrandeValley in
Southern New Mexico ..................................
By Frank E. Kottlowski
143
144
Measured sections near Dos Cabezase Arizona ......................
By S. M. Jones and W. D. Bacheller
149
References
150
Cited
.........................................
Business and Professional
Directory
............................
154
ILLUSTRATIONS
Sketch map of 1953 field trip ..................................
Index map showing location of geologic maps .......................
Generalized section at Southern End of Franklin Mountains ..............
Geologic map 1 - 1 El Paso ...................................
Geologic map 1-2 Bishop Cap .................................
Geologic map 1-3 Las Cruces .................................
Geolog,c map 1-4 Tonuco Mountain and Selden Canyon .................
Geologic
map 1-5 Hatch ....................................
Geologic map 1- 6 Caballo ...................................
Geologic map 1-7 Hillsboro
..................................
Diagrammatic Section of rocks from Kingston to the Mimbres River .........
Geologic map 1-8 Mimbres Valley ..............................
Geologic Map 1-9, 2- 1 Silver City ..............................
Generalized Geologic Map of the Silver City Region ...................
Diagrammatic Section of Rocks, Silver City Region ...................
Geologic Cross Section through Hanover Mine .......................
Cross Section of Boston Hill District
............................
Geologic Map 2- 2, 3- 1 Tyrone ................................
Geologic Map 3- 2 Lordsburg ..................................
Geologic Map 3-3 Steins ....................................
Geologic Map 3-4 San Simon ..................................
Geologic Map 3-5 Bowie - Dos Cabezas ..........................
Geologic Map 3-6 Willcox ....................................
Lower Paleozoic of Southern New Mexico ..........................
Upper Paleozoic of Southern New Mexico ..........................
Index Mapof SonoranGeosyncline showing location of Silver City quadrangle..
Generalized Geologic Map of the Santa Rita quadrangle .................
Geologic Section through Main I ntrusivee Fierroe NewMexico .............
Generalized Diagramof Igneous Rock Sequenceand Relations of
Structural
and Mineralization
Events ........................
Geology Map Chino Mines Property ..............................
Generalized Geologic Mapof a Portion of the White Signal District .........
Sketch showing localization of ore at contact of dolomite with shale ........
Generalized Geologic Map, Boston Hill and Chloride Flat mining districts ....
Generalized Lower Cretaceous Section of the Big Hatchet Mountains ........
Correlation Chart of Cenozoic Rocks along Rio Grande .................
Sections of Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks near Dos Cabezas, Arizona .......
Geologic Mapof Southwestern NewMexico compiled by John D. Hill ........
3
8
10
15
19
23
27
32
37
39
42
49
50
60
65
67
71
78
79
85
89
92
97
101
107
111
118
119
124
129
132
135
138
139
142
148
149
158
NEW MEXICO GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY * FOURTH FIELD CONFERENCE* SOUTHWESTERN
NEW MEXICO
FOREWARD
The New Mexico Geoloqical
Society welcomes you to its Fourth Field Conference. We have enjoyed your participation
in the first
and second conference,
which were along the margins of the San Juan Basin. Last year we lured you
down the Rio Grande Valley,
to view the mountain backbone of New Mexico. This
year we wish you to examine the southern part of the Rio Grande Valley, and then
to plunge into the rugged mountains and wide plains of the Basin and Range section
of southwestern New Mexico. This portion of the state is a challenge to the petroleum geologist,
the stratigrapher,
the vulcanologist,
and the mining geologist.
The
trip will take you through rich valleys, over timbered mountains, and across broad
plains,
with a maximium variety of geology and scenery. We hope you will enjoy
your trip,
and will find the geology both interesting
and stimulating.
We invite you
to participate
actively in the discussions at the various stops, and we shall appreciate your comments and criticisms.
OFFICERS
John Eliot
Allen
OF THE SOCIETY
President
New Mexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
1st Vice President
Edward C. Beaumont
U.S. Geological
Survey
2nd Vice President
B. J. Pevehouse
Bay Petroleum
Corporation
Secretary
Philip
T. Hayes
U.S. Geological
Survey
U.S. Geological
Survey
Treasurer
Ross B. Johnson
Councilors
Three year term
Rex Alcorn
Sun Oil
Company
Frank F. Gray
Two year term
Continental
E. J. Foley
One year term
Humble Oil
Oil
Company
and Refining
Co.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Society this year requested the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources to be responsible for the preparation and editing of the guidebook.
Extensive field mapping and various geologic studies, combined with liberal
excerpts from unpublished reports of the Bureau, were required to produce many of
the maps and much of the text.
The cooperation of the Mineral Deposits Branch
of the U. S. Geological Survey was secured and Mr. W. R. Jones of the Survey obtained and prepared the material covering the Silver City area. The Society is
grateful,
not only to the personnel of these two organizations,
but to the many
others who have supplied article’s
and materials for the guidebook or who have
made the arrangements necessary to conduct the conference. All are listed in
the index. The Society is particularly
indebted to the members, individuals,
companies, and advertisers
who in so many ways are attempting
to make the
success of this conference equal that of its predecessors.
4
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NEW MEXICO GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY * FOURTH FIELD CONFERENCE* SOUTHWESTERN
NEW MEXICO
CONFERENCE
COMMITTEE
General Chairman
Edward C. Beaumont ...........................
U.S. Geological Survey
Advisory
John Eliot
Allen
..............................
NewMexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
U.S. Geological Survey
Consultant
University of Arizona
Arizona Bureau of Mines
Texas Western College
Humble Oil Company
Humble Oil Company
Robert M. Hernon .............................
Harrison
Schmitt ..............................
Bert S. Butler ................................
Eldred D. Wilson ..............................
William S. Strain ..............................
William B. Hoover .............................
Edward J. Foley ..............................
Guidebook
Frank E. Kottlowski,
Eugene CaJlaghan,
Compiler and Editor .............
Editor
........................
William R. Jones, Editor.
........................
Florence B. Crespin, Assembling ...................
Myrtie
M. Morris,
Assembling ......................
Jean K. Burand, Assembling
......................
Marian R. Burks, Assembling ......................
Wright W. Putney~ Drafting
.......................
NewMexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
NewMexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
U.S. Geological ~urvey
NewMexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
NewMexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
NewMexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
NewMexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
NewMexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
Road Log
Frank E. Kottlowski,
Editor
......................
William R. Jones ..............................
Frederick
J. Kuellmer ..........................
Rousseau H. Flower
Florence
J. Kottlowski
...........................
NewMexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
U.S. Geological Survey
NewMexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
NewMexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources
..........................
Trip Arrangements
Arnold D. Buzzalini,
Chairman .....................
Lloyd A. Nelson, El Paso arrangements ...............
William R. Jones, Silver City arrangements .............
William A. Sandeen, Meals .......................
Henry S. Birdseye, Caravan ......................
Thomas C. Kennane Caravan ......................
Phillips Petroleum Company
Texas Western College
U.S. Geological Survey
Standard Oil Companyof Texas
Lowry Oil Company
Phillips Petroleum Company
NEW MEXICO GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY * FOURTH FIELD CONFERENCE* SOUTHWESTERN
NEW MEXICO
CONFE RENCECOMMITTEE (Continued)
Registration
Philip T. Hayes, Chairman .......................
Ross B. Johnson ..............................
U.S. GeQIogical Survey
U.S. Geological Survey
Advertising
John J.
Gill
Stanolind Oil and Gas Company
.................................
Publicity
Sherman A. Wengerd .......
University
.....................
of NewMexico
SCHEDULE
Thursday, October 1.5,
Friday,
El Paso, Texas and vicinity.
9:00 a.m.
Registration.
1:00 p.m.
Caravan assembles
1:15 p.m.
Caravan leaves
assembly spot.
5:00 p.m.
Caravan returns
to El Paso.
October 16.
Cortez
Hotel,
El Paso, Texas
at McKelligon
Las Cruces to Silver
City,
Canyon.
New Mexico.
8:30 a.rn.
Caravan assembles on northwest
of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
9:00 a.m.
Caravan leaves
Las Cruces,
New Mexico.
5:30 p.m.
Caravan arrives
Silver
New Mexico.
7:00 p.m.
Late registration,
City,
side (U. S. 8,5)
Murray Hotel, Silver
City.
Saturday w October 17. Santa Rita and White Signal districts,
New Mexico.
7:30 a.m. Caravan assembles on north side of Silver City, at
intersection
of Pope and Twelfth Streets.
8:00 a.rn.
Caravan leaves Silver
12:00 noon Caravan returns
to Silver
Caravan assembles at mileage 1.1 south of Silver
1:30 p.m.
Caravan leaves for
5:00 p.m.
Caravan returns
7:00 p.m.
Banquet, Murray Hotel.
9:00 p.m.
Smoker, Murray Hotel.
Silver
City,
Tyrone and White Signal
to Silver
City
district.
City.
New Mexico to Dos Cabezas, Arizona.
7:30 a.m.
Caravan assembles at mileage 1.1 south of Silver
8:00 a.m.
Caravan leaves Silver
3:30 p.m.
Caravan disbands
City.
near Dos Cabezas,
Conference
I I
City for lunch.
I:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 18.
7 II FJ
City for Santa Rita area.
Ends.
Arizona.
City
NEW MEXICO GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY * FOURTH FIELD CONFERENCE* SOUTHWESTERN
NEW MEXICO
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1.
It is essential that the caravan start
Your cooperation will be appreciated.
each morning at the announced time.
2.
You will be seated in a different
car each day (except drivers).
Your car
assignments are listed on the slips which give your room assignments and
your total charges for the trip. If you wish to ride in some special car, please
notify
some member of the Arrangements Committee the night before you make
the change.
3.
You will be assigned to your lodging reservations at the time of registration.
Please do not make any subsequent change of room without notifying
some
member of the Arrangements Committee.
Please pay your lodging bill in advance or before you go to breakfast
will not delay the departure time of the caravan.
so you
5.
There will be several pick-up trucks in the caravan and if you have luggage
which will not fit in the car in which you are riding notify a memberof the
Arrangements Committee and you will be provided with space for your luggage
in some car in the caravan.
6.
The person sitting in the front seat with the driver will keep him informed of
stops~ points of danger, points of interest,
etc.~ noted in the road Ioge and he
should read the geologic road log to the driver.
7. Limited parking and turning space on Saturday’s trip necessitate taking
few cars as possible. Please arrange to fill
every car in the caravan.
SPECIAL
INSTRUCTIONS
as
TO CAR DRIVERS
I.
DO NOT DISREGARD
ROAD CONDITIONS;
THE WARNINGS IN THE ROAD LOGS CONCERNING
THEY ARE FOR YOUR PROTECTION.
2.
You will be given a numbered placard
This number designates your position
3.
If for any reason you have dropped out of line, you may resume your position
at any subsequent stop. A space will be left for you by the driver in your
rear at all stops until you return.
4.
Never pass another Conference car .while
car has dropped out of line.
5.
If you have car trouble, please stop at the side of the road and allow the
caravan to pass. If you need help, flag down the tow-car which will be at
the rear of the caravan.
6.
Please service your car at night
morning.
7.
Water is very scarce and if
carry water.
8.
At stops when parking in more than one line~ drive as close as possible to
the adjacent line and leave as |ittle
space as possible (one foot or less)
between bumpers.
for attachment to your rear window.
in the caravan.
the caravan is in motion unless that
to insure prompt departure the following
your car has a tendency to overheat,
you should
INTRODUCTION
by
Frank E. Kottlowski
SouthwesternNewMexico is a land of contrast. Fromthe cool, timberedheight’s of the
Black Rangeand Mogollon Plateau the traveller mayview dune-coveredcreosote plains of
La Mesa;it is scarcely five minutes from the
modemcrowded streets of El Paso and Las
Crucesto the unihabited desert; the glistening
alkali flats of the AnimasValley bear no resembJanceto the lush green fields of MesiJla Valley; a rocket from White SandsRocket Range
flashes across the sky abovethe ruins of a
stage coach station; and an airplane flies above
the Jomadaparallel to El CaminoReal, the path
of Rodriguezalmost four centuries ago.
This is Apacheria, as it waslabeled on
Spanish maps,and no factor influenced the developmentof the region moreadversely than did
the Apaches. They raided the Pueblos, harried
the Spanish, feuded with the Comanches,and
fought the settlers; as late as 1928there were
Apacheson the warpath. There were no pueblos in this area, and the Spanishthemselves
held only two settlements, Juarez and Santa Rita,
one along the Santa Fe - Chihuahuatrail, the
other the only mining area they developed,
Along the eastern edge, the Rio Grand.,
T IIFI
I I
rising in the lofty SanJuan and Sangrede Cristo
mountains, flows southwardin a ribbon of green
amid sandy plains and flanking ridges; it provides the lifeblood of irrigated farms from Mesilla
to Brownsville; a narrow strip wherecotton, alfalfa, and pecansgrow in well-watered profusion
just a few miles from wheresteers dig at dry
waterholes and munchon prickly pear cacti.
Thenorthern half of this land of contrast is
the Gila Wilderness, the Mogollon volcanic plateau
comparablein size and origin with the publicized
Yellowstone-Shoshone~Absaroka
area. Here rise s
the Gila River, to wind its twisting way through
lonely rock canyonsin the midst of thick forests,
flowing westwardto water most of Arizona and
join the mighty Colorado a few miles from the
Pacific. This is the backboneof the continent,
and we will stand on a spot where a raindrop could
split and send one part to the Gulf of Mexico and
the other to the Gulf of Califomia, 1200 miles away.
The southern part is typical Basin and Range
country where elongate mountain ranges rise like
islands from an endless sea of vast greasewood
plains. Here the modemmiracle of inexpensive
electricity drives the driller’s bit and the pumpto
transform the lonely cattle ranges into orchards
and cotton fields - and in one place, on the very
spot where thirsty explorers fought the Apachefor
muddydrops from a salty water hole. Here the
NEW MEXICO GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY * FOURTH FIELD CONFERENCE* SOUTHWESTERN
NEW MEXICO
feet of sedimentarybeds, and include representatives
ghosts of Spaniardscenturies dead, the solitary
prospector and his burro, the raiding party of Apaches,
of Precambrian, Paleozoic, Cretaceous, and Cenozoic
and Cibola with its treasure rises out of mirages
time. Pre-Cenozoicstrata are exposedin most of
over the playas,
the mountainranges, although manyof the upland
massesare of Tertiary volcanic rocks. The basins
This area is part of the MexicanHighlands
are filled in manyplaces with several thousand
section of the Basin and Rangeprovince. The
feet of late Cenozoicalluvium, so that petroliferous
northern border against the ColoradoPlateau is
beds maylie at great depths in the depressions.
obscured by the huge Cenozoic volcanic massof
The Cenozoicbeds, however,cut across the earl ier
the Mogollon Plateau which allows only glimpses
rocks with a great unconformity, so that there may
of complexly faulted and intruded pre-Cenozoic
be hiddenanticlines, stratigraphic traps, or faulted
domesburied beneatha relatively thin blanket of
rocks. On the east is the Sacramentosection, a
gradation from range and valley topography,sloping
bolson deposits in someof the intermant valleys.
eastward to the PecosValley and the Llano E stacado
of the Great Plains. To the south the vast Basin
The conference will begin Thursday with a
and Rangearea continues almost to Mexico City.
pre-trip excursion near El Pasoto examineoutElevations range from 3700feet in the Rio Grande
crops of Paleozoic strata in the Franklin MounValley near El Paso, to the 10,892 feet of Whitetains and the Cretaceousrocks in Cerro de Muleros.
water Baldy near Mogollon, and the 10,713 feet
The guidebookincludes a road log from El Paso
of Mr. Graham
in Arizona.
to Las Cruces, but the main trip will begin on the
north side of Las Cruces. FromLas Cruces the
The climate is semi-arid to arid although the
caravanwill drive to Caballo, then throughHillsmountainsreceive considerable precipitation. Most
boro and Kingston to Silver City. Five stops will
of the rainfall is in the formof scattered, violent
be made:(1) near RobledoMountain, (2) near
thundershowers during the summermonths. Hot
Caballo Mountains, (3) aloag Pen:haCreek, (4)
dry days and cool nights are the usual fare. As a
EmoryPass, (5) on the west side of MimbmsValresult, the lower rangesare of bare rock, frequently
ley. Almost continuous exposuresof the thick
brilliant in color, carvedinto craigs along the Vlate Tertiary volcanics, late Cenozoicsediments,
shapedcanyons, and surroundedby alluvial fans
and Paleozoic sedimentary rocks occur along the
or pedimentsthat slope downinto the bolsons and
route.
intermant valleys, whoselowest parts contain playas.
Saturday, the conference will examinethe PaPopulation density is influenced by three factors:
leozoic and Cretaceoussedimentsnear Silver City,
water, mines, and the railroads. El Pasoand Las
the lead-zinc mines, the SantaRita copper pit, the
Cruces, along the Rio Grand., Demingand Lordsburg
Tyronedistrict, and the White Signal uraniumdealong the railroad, and Silver City on the edgeof a
posits. Sunday,the caravanwill drive from Silver
great mining district, are the cities. U.S. Highway
City over the Burro Mountainsto Lordsburg, then
85, paralleling El CaminoReal, follows the Rio
westwardthrough Steins Pass to Willcox and Dos
GrandeValley northward; U.S. Highway 70-80
Cabezas,Arizona. Along the route occur outcrops
crosses east-west; U.S. Highway260 trends northof the Cenozoicbolson deposits, of Quanternary
west from Demingto Silver City and beyond; while
lake sediments, of Paleozoic and Cretaceousstrata,
N. M. Highway180 crosses from southwestto northand of the tremendouslythick Tertiary volcanic
east through the woodedBurro Mountainsand over
beds. Westof Lordsburgthere will be a stop to
the Black Range. The Sou,hemPacific Railroad
discuss areal stratigraphy and structure, and near
serves El Paso, Deming,and Lordsburg; a branch
Dos Cabezasa section ~rom Precambrianto Permian
of the Atchison, Topeka,and Santa Fe Railroad
will be examined.
follows the Rio GrandeValley and touches at Deming
and Silver City as well as at El Paso.
In addition to the road log, the guidebookcontains short articles on the rocks exposedalong the
Extensiveirrigation farming is carried on along
route, the regional structure, the history of petroleum
the Rio Grandeand in someof the intermont valleys
exploration in the area, and the geologyand mineral
such as near Deming,the Playas and Animasvalleys,
resourcesof the Silver City district. Thereare reand the MimbresValley. On the wide plains are
latively few detailed geologic mapsof southwestern
large cattle and sheepranches; in the mountains
NewMexico, except for the intensive reports on the
are mineshoisting the copper, zinc, lead, and fluorite
Silver City district. Muchof the geologic record is
for our industrial nation,
yet to be, or is being investigated, so that most
broad conclusions are tentative, and we hopeto
The rocks exposedinclude a maximum
of 15,000
whet your appetite, and arouse your interest.
Banvoyagel
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