12.114 Field Geology I
Lab 1 – Building our field reference book
In this lab, you will begin to prepare a 3-ring binder that you will take to field camp and
which will serve as an all-purpose reference manual. This binder will include the most
important references, definitions of terms, descriptions of field methods, rock
classification schemes, etc.
Your binder will eventually include:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Geological timescale
Schematic geological history of the western United States
Your geological background chapter of your field report
Reference papers and notes from our discussions
Definitions of important geological terms
Printed maps of the field area, published stratigraphic columns, etc
Rock identification schemes, compass techniques, map symbols, etc.
Workflow
-
Write your name and address on the inside of the binder (It is a good idea to offer
a reward for returning a lost binder!)
Label and install section dividers
Add geological timescale and the provided references
Examine and add the provided map symbols (from Compton)
Add some paper for notes and definitions
Collaborate to distill the provided British Geological Survey rock identification
schemes into an easily referenced packet, no more than 10 pages total.
During the lecture portion of the course, you should distill your notes into a condensed
framework of the geological history of western North America. This should be no longer
than 5 pages total and is meant to be a quick reference.
Suggested references (not exhaustive) - Titles preceded by an asterisk are the most
important.
Background reading
Allmendinger, R.W., 1992, Fold and thrust tectonics of the western United States
Cordillera, exclusive of the accreted terranes, in Burchfiel, B.C., Lipman, P., and Zoback,
M.L. (eds), The Cordilleran Orogen: Conterminous U.S., Boulder, Colorado Geological
Society of America, The Geology of North America, v. G-3, p. 583-607
Armstrong, R.L., 1968, Sevier orogenic belt in Nevada and Utah: Geological Society of
America Bulletin 79 (4), p. 429-458
*Armstrong, R.L., 1972, Low-angle (denudation) faults, hinterland of the Sevier orogenic
belt, eastern Nevada and western Utah: Geological Society of America Bulletin v. 83, p.
1729-1754
*Burchfiel B. C., Cowan, D.S., and Davis, GA., 1992, Tectonic overview of the
Cordilleran Orogen of the western United States, in Burchfiel, B. C., Lipman, P., and
Zoback, M. L. (eds.), The Cordi1leran Orogen, Conterminous U.S.: Boulder, Colorado,
Geological Society of America, The Geology of North America, v. G-3, p. 407-479.
Compton, R. R., 1985, Geology in the Field, Wiley 416 p.
Fink, J. H., 1983, Structure and emplacement of a rhyolitic obsidian flow — Little Glass
Mountain, Medicine Lake Highland, Northern Ca1ifornia: Geological Society of America
Bulletin, v. 94, p. 362-380.
*Lister, G.S. and Davis, G. A., 1989, The origin of metamorphic core complexes and
detachment faults during Tertiary continental extension in the northern Colorado River
region, USA: Journal of Structural Geology 11 (2), p. 65-94.
Snow, J. Kent and Wernicke, Brian, 2000, Cenozoic tectonism in the central Basin and
Range: magnitude, rate, and distribution of upper crustal strain: American Journal of
Science, 300 (9), p. 659-719.
Topping D. J., 1993, Paleogeographic reconstruction of the Death Valley extended
region; evidence from Miocene large rock-avalanche deposits in the Amargosa Chaos
Basin, California Geological Society of America Bulletin, 105 (9), p. 1190-1213.
Wernicke, B., Axen, G.J., and Snow, J K., 1988, Basin and Range extensional tectonics
at the latitude of Las Vegas, Nevada: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 100, p.
1738-1757.
Wernicke, B. P., and Spencer, J., 1999, Retrospective on low-angle (denudational) faults,
hinterland of the Sevier orogenic belt eastern Nevada and western Utah by Richard Lee
Armstrong, Geological Society of America Special Paper 338, p. 340-345.
Geology of the Spring Mountains region
*Axen, G. J., 1984, Thrusts in the eastern Spring Mountains, Nevada; geometry and
mechanical implications, Geological Society of America Bulletin, 95 (10), p. 1202-1207.
Axen, Gary]., 1985, Geologic map and description of structure and stratigraphy, La
Madre Mountain, Spring Mountains, Nevada, Map and Chart Series (Geological Society
of America), 51, p. 17.
Axen, Gary J., 1989, Reinterpretations of the relations between the Keystone, Red
Spring, Contact, and Cottonwood faults; eastern Spring Mountains, Clark County,
Nevada; discussion, The Mountain Geologist, 26 (3), p. 69-70.
*Burchfiel, B. C., Fleck, R. J., Secor, D. T., Vincelette, R. R., Davis, G. A., 1974,
Geology of the Spring Mountains, Nevada, Geological Society of America Bulletin, 85
(7), p. 1013-1022, illus
Burchfiel, B. Clark, and Davis, Gregory A., 1971, Clark Mountains Thrust Complex in
the Cordillera of southeast California: Geologic summary and field trip guide.
*Burchfiel, B. Clark, and Davis, Gregory A., 1988, Mesozoic thrust faults and Cenozoic
low-angle normal faults, eastern Spring Mountains, Nevada, and Clark Mountains thrust
complex, California, Weide, David L. (editor), Faber, Marianne L. (editor), This
extended land; geological journeys in the southern Basin and Range, p. 87-106.
Burchfiel, B. Clark, and Wernicke, Brian P., 1989, Day5; Spring Mountain Breakaway
Zone, Amargosa Chaos, and the Death Valley pull-apart basin: Extensional tectonics in
the Basin and Range Province between the southern Sierra Nevada and the Colorado
Plateau Hanshaw, Penelope M. (editor), Field trips for the 28th international geological
congress, p. 39-45.
Burchfiel, B. C., Cameron, C. S., and Royden, L. H., 1997, Geology of the Wilson CliffsPotosi Mountain area, southern Nevada, Ernst W. Gary (editor), and Skinner, Brian I.
(editor), Clarence A Hall, Jr. symposium; proceedings, International Geology Review,
39 (9), p. 830-854.
*Carr, Michael D., 1983, Geometry and structural history of the Mesozoic thrust belt in
the Goodsprings District, southern Spring Mountains, Nevada, Geological Society of
America Bulletin, 94 (10), p. 1185-1198.
Carr, M. D., Pinkston, I. C., 1987, Geologic map of the Goodsprings District; southern
Spring Mountains, Clark County, Nevada, Miscellaneous Field Studies Map - U. S.
Geological Survey, MF-1514.
Davis, Gregory A., 1973, Relations between the Keystone and Red Spring Thrust Faults,
Eastern Spring Mountains, Nevada, Geological Society of America Bulletin, 84 (11), p.
3709-3716.
Fleck, Robert J., and Carr, Michael D., 1990, The age of the Keystone Thrust; laserfusion 40Ar/39Ar dating of foreland basin deposits, southern Spring Mountains,
Nevada, Tectonics, 9 (3), p. 467-476.
Gans, W. T., 1974, Correlation and redefinition of the Goodsprings Dolomite, southern
Nevada and eastern California: Geological Society of America Bulletin, 85, p. 189-200.
Glock, W.S., 1929. Geology of the east-central part of the Spring Mountain Range,
Nevada. American Journal of Science, 5th ser., v. 17, p. 326-341.
Guest, B., Nieme, N., and Wernicke, B., 2007, Stateline fault system: a new component
of the Miocene-Quaternary Eastern California shear zone, Geological Society of America
Bulletin v. 119 p. 1337-1346
Hewett, Donnel Foster, 1931, Geology and ore deposits of the Goodsprings Quadrangle,
Nevada, U. S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 162, p. 172.
Longwell, C. R., 1926. Structural studies in southern Nevada and western Arizona,
Geological Society of America Bulletin 37 (4), p. 551-583.
Longwell, C.R., 1960. Possible explanation of diverse structural patterns in southern
Nevada. American Journal of Science, v. 258-A., p. 192-203.
Matthews, Vincent, III, 1988, Reinterpretations of the relations between the Keystone,
Red Spring, Contact, and Cottonwood faults: eastern Spring Mountains, Clark County
Nevada, The Mountain Geologist, 25 (4), p. 181-191.
Matthews, Vincent, III, 1989, Reinterpretation of the relations between the Keystone,
Red Spring, Contact, and Cottonwood faults; eastern Spring Mountains, Clark County,
Nevada; reply The Mountain Geologist, 26 (3), p. 71-74.
McDonnell-Canan, C., Axen, G., Carr, M. D., and Weide, D. C., 2000, Geologic map of
the Blue Dianond Quadrangle, Nevada: Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geologic Map 124,
scale 1:24,000.
Walker, I. D., Beaufait, M. S., and Zelt, F. B., 1981, Geology of the Devil Peak Area,
Spring Mountains, Nevada, The Geological Society of America, Cordilleran Section, 77th
annual meeting international meeting Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of
America, 13 (2), p. 112.
Relevant MIT Theses Axen, Gary James, Geology of the La Madre Mountain area, Spring Mountains, southern
Nevada, p. 170, 1980.
Carr, Michael David, Structure and stratigraphy of the Goodsprings District, southern
Spring Mountains, Nevada, p.l79, 1978.
Commerford, Janine, Comparative stratigraphy of the lower part of the CarboniferousPermian Bird Spring Formation, Spring Mountains, Clark County, Nevada, p. 51, 1984.
Wernicke, Brian Philip, Processes of extensional tectonics, p. 170, illus. incl. 12 plates,
144 refs, 1982.