Earth Sciences Commons^™

Paleozoic Stratigraphy Of The Mud Springs Mountains, Sierra County, New Mexico, John Davis Hill

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

This thesis gives a history of the terminology of each of the formations found in the Mud Springs Mountains as well as a discussion of the characteristics of each. The Mud Springs Mountains Section of Paleozoic rocks is 3660 feet thick. Parts of all the Paleozoic systems are represented except the Silurian and Mississippian. The Bliss sandstone is 145 feet thick, the lower 65 feet being late Cambrian and the upper 80 feet being early Ordovician. The El Paso limestone of early Ordovician age is 460 feet thick.

The Instability Of Folded Structures, Robert Del Mar

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Folded structures are not necessarily stable through geologic time. "Unfolding" is defined as the changes in attitude through with folded structures go subsequent to their creation by tectonic means, other than by faulting alone. The principal types of unfolding, together with their causes, are: (1) the effect of gravity on isolated structures, and the effects of loading and unloading insofar as the gravitational force is concerned; (2) basining action and its effect on unloading; (3) the action of vertical forces on folded structures; (4) migrating or "wave" folds in relation to unfolding.

Geology Of The Southern Part Of The Fra Cristobal Range, Sierra County, New Mexico, Samuel Thompson Iii

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Emphasis has been placed in this work on the structural features of the southern part of the Fra Cristobal Range in order to extend the studies in the Caballo Mountains area and the McRae Canyon area. By mapping in detail the structure of the Fra Cristobal range it is hoped that a better understanding of the adjoining Rio Grande and Jornada del Muerto depressions may be reached. As an added contribution, a Permian section was measured as these rocks are relatively undeformed and very well exposed in some parts of the range.

The field mapping was done in the spring …

Hydrologic Data Collection Program For New Mexico, Ralph L. Strother

Civil Engineering ETDs

The objective of this thesis is to present a program for the collection of basic hydrologic data for the state of New Mexico. It is an expansion of the existing program which currently becomes more inadequate with the progressively extensive use of the water resources of the state. The need for hydrologic data for planning and operation of water use and control structures far exceeds that obtained by the existing program.

Types of data reported upon are climatological, stream flow, ground water, quality of water, suspended sediment, snow cover and reservoir, valley and channel sedimentation. For the purposes presented herein …

Records Of Wells Drilled For Oil And Gas In New Mexico, George H. Dixon

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

This report contains information compiled from data in the files of the U.S. Geological Survey, the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, and oil and gas companies on nearly 3,000 of the more than 13,000 wells drills in New Mexico prior to September 1, 1953. The tabulation is believed to include all unsuccessful wildcat test wells, most of the unsuccessful field extension wells, and most of the discovery wells for the various producing areas, even though they may be shut or abandoned at the present time. In addition, the list contains some deep tests and some wells representative …

Geology Of East Grants Ridge, Valencia County, New Mexico, Herbert C. Johnston Jr.

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The field investigation for this report was initiated in October 1952 and was continued intermittently until February 1953. The area was mapped on the scale of 1/31680 with the aid of aerial photographs and Soil Conservation Service planimeteric base map 173. This scale was later enlargened to 1/15840. Rock and mineral specimens were studied with the aid of a hand lens, and the oil immersion method was used to identify some minerals. No thin sections were made. Sedimentary rocks were mapped to complete the geologic picture. No detailed sedimentary sections were measured as emphasis was placed on the Cenozoic igneous …

The Crystal Structure Of Ceni, Joseph J. Finney

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

X-ray diffraction methods were used to determine the cell constants and structure of CeNi. The unit cell is orthohombic. The spcae group is probably Cmcm with a_O=3.77 +/- 0.01, b_O=10.46 +/- 0.02, c_O=4.37+/- 0.01 A. The cell formula is Ce₄Ni_4. The observed density if 7.51 grams/cm³ and the calculated density is 7.65 grams/cm³, a deviation of 1.8%.

Paleontology And Stratigraphy Of The Upper Cretaceous Rocks Between Mount Taylor And The Rio Puerco, New Mexico, Kenneth D. Sharp

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The area covered in this report lies between Mt. Taylor and the Rio Puerco, and embraces approximately 675 square miles. Much of it is readily accessible by either paved highways or improved roads. The general region is a land of numerous mesas, the largest of which is Mesa Chivato. Sandstones form prominent ridges while shales and alluvium form the valleys. Many volcanic plugs stand out as landmarks.

Stratigraphy And Paleontology Of The Carboniferous Rocks Of The Cedro Canyon Area, Manzanita Mountains, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Ernest Szabo

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The discovery of an extension into the Cedro Canyon area, in the northern Manzanita Mountains, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, of strata similar in lithology and stratigraphic position to known pre-Pennsylvanian rocks of nearby areas is included in this report. No diagnostic fossils have been found in these newly discovered strata and therefore definite age assignment can not be made.

The Pennsylvanian strata are dominantly marine and exhibit unusual lighologic variations. These variations are attributed to the environment of a transgressing sea on an unstable shelf.

Measured sections indicate that it is possible to subdivide these strata according to series on …

Stratigraphic Relationships Of Cretaceous And Early Tertiary Rocks Of A Part Of Northwestern San Juan Basin, Elmer H. Baltz Jr.

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

No abstract provided.

Geology And Mineralogy Of The Fierro-Hanover District, Grant County, New Mexico., Robert B. O'Sullivan

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The primary purpose of this report is to describe the petrography of the contact pyrometasomatic ores and rocks from the metamorphic aureole near Fierro. In the course of this work the literature pertaining to the area was read in order to compare the features of metamorphism about Fierro with those about Hanover. One two-day reconnaissance was made in the area.

Stratigraphic Analysis Of The Upper Cretaceous Pictured Cliffs Sandstone In Northeastern San Juan County, New Mexico, John W. Caldwell

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The San Juan Basin is located in northwestern New Mexico and southern Colorado and is physiographically a part of the Colorado Plateau province.

The Upper Cretaceous Pictured Cliffs sandstone is exposed around the perimeter of the San Juan Basin and is present throughout the greater part of the Basin in the subsurface. This economically important gas-bearing sandstone is situated in the structural basin in which the strata are upturned on the basinward flanks of the nearby Laramide cliffs.

Five possible origins for the Pictured Cliffs gas are presented: from the underlying Lewis shale, from within the Pictured Cliffs sandstone, from …

The Variegated Member Of The Morrison Formation In The Southeastern Part Of The San Juan Basin, Valencia County New Mexico, William L. Chenoweth

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The strata now designated as Morrison in western New Mexico have been known by a variety of names since the beginning of geological exploration in the West. The nomenclature has become confused due to the many facies that are present. Recent exploration for uranium has renewed interest in the stratigraphy of the Morrison formation.

The Structural Geology Of The Cerrillos Hills Area, New Mexico, Alan E. Disbrow

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The earliest major structural deformation recorded in rocks exposed in the Cerrillos area occurred during the Laramie uplift of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This resulted in an erosional wedging of Upper Cretaceous strata at a rate of 130 feet per mile. Subsequent deposition of the Eocene Galisteo sand, clay, and gravel overstepped this surface in a sourceward direction.

At the beginning of work on this project the major problem was to determine the geological structure of the Cerrillos Hills. It was felt that a large-scale geologic map of an area extensive enough to reveal the structurally complex center of …

The Huego (Gym) Limestone, Luna County, New Mexico, Lowell E. Bogart

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Southwestern New Mexico is characterized by Basin and Range Physiography. Nearly level bolson plains are interrupted irregularly by linear mountain ranges. Sedimentary rocks ranging in age from Cambrian and recent crop out in the mountain areas. Darton (1916) mapped and described a limestone formation, about 1,000 feet thick, which he named Gym limestone. He thought the Gym was restricted in outcrop to Luna County and was distinct from previously described Paleozoic formations. The Gym was originally thought to be Pennsylvanian in age but later on was regarded as Permian. In the restudy of the Gym limestone was the basis of …

Geology Of The Mcrae Canyon Area Sierra County, New Mexico, Hugh P. Bushnell

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Sedimentary Rocks exposed at the surface in the low area between the north-trending Caballo and Fra Cristobal Mountains of south-central New Mexico include the late Cretaceous Mesaverde formation, the late Cretaceous and early Tertiary McRae formation, and the Miocene-Pliocene Santa Fe formation. A thin veneer of Jordana pediment gravel covers the older rocks on the eastern edge of the area.

Paleontology And Stratigraphy Of The Carboniferous Rocks Of The Placitas Region, Northern Sandia Mountains, Sandoval County, New Mexico, Donald Francis Toomey

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

A paleontologic and lithologic study of the Carboniferous rocks of the northern Sandia Mountains demonstrates that this predominantly marine sequence is divisible into several important series which are recognizable elsewhere.

The pre-Pennsylvanian rocks lack diagnostic fossils. However, correlation with a fossiliferous sequence in the southern Nacimiento Mountains, based on similar lithology and stratigraphic position, indicates a middle mississippian Meramec age for these rocks. The thickness ranges from 21 to 81 feet; they consist mainly of limestone associated with basal elastics. This sequence lies directly on Pre-Cambrian rocks. Nine sections have been measured and are shown geographically on three plates.

Unconformably …

Geology Of Santa Ana Mesa And Adjoining Areas, Sandoval County, New Mexico, Paul E. Soister

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The foremost purpose of this report is to outline the general geology and geomorphology of the mapped area. Secondarily, the relationship of the Santa Fe formation of late Tertiary age to older strata is explored. Presence of basalts and other volcanics in the Santa Fe formation is shown. Evidence indicating the probable contemporaneity of part of the Chicoma volcanic group and of the Santa Fe formation is discussed.

Plenoaste Crystals From An Olivian Basalt, Caballo Mountains, New Mexico, Charles Maxwell

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The thesis area lies along the eastern base of North Ridge which forms the northern part of the Caballo Mountains. This ridge rises abruptly, about 1,500 feet, above the considerably dissected lowland on which the area is located. The lowland lies near the head of Mescal Canyon and is dissected into the ridges and valley with a relief as much as 300 feet. The drainage is east and north into Mescal Canyon (Pl.2) which joins the Rio Grande just below Elephant Butte Dam.

Jade: Its Occurrences, Mineralogy, Geology, Uses And Technology, Robert L. Borton

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

No abstract provided.

Geology Of The Sierra De Santa Rita, Zacatecas, Mexico, Zoltan Decserna

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Information concerning the southern extent of the Mexican geosyncline was desired with the mapping of Sierra de Santa Rita, near Concepción del Oro, Zacatecas, in northern Mexico. Three Upper Jurassic and six Cretaceous formations were mapped, within which lithology and changes in thickness do not reflect proximity of this area to ancient shore lines. The first description of the Huizachal formation in northern Zacatecas is given.

The Study Of An Unusual Augite Near Cabezon Peak, Sandoval County, New Mexico, George Brunton

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

When the writer was examining some of the volcanic plugs near Cabezon, New Mexico in the spring of 1951, he discovered in Plug No. 5 (Pl. 2, D.W. Johnson, 1907) some unusual, large vitreous inclusions.

A New Basic Copper Phosphate Mineral From Santa Rita, New Mexico, David B. Givens

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Supergene minerals are not common, nor are they rare at Santa Rita, New Mexico. Kerr (1950,307) reports the presence of cuprite, melaconite, native copper, chrysocolla, machite and azurite. There is also smithsonite present.

The physical appearance of the mineral, coupled with preliminary determinations of the indices of refraction, gave a rough correspondence with dihydrite (Larson and Berman, 1934, 135). However, enough discrepancy existed to warrant taking powder and Weissenberg X-Ray pictures. From these it was evident immediately that the specimen was a new mineral species.

Geology Of The Pre-Cambrian Rocks Of The Northern End Of The Sandia Mountains, Bernalillo And Sandoval Counties, New Mexico, Philip T. Hayes

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Most of the pre-Cambrian metamorphic rocks of the northern end of the Sandia Mountains crop out on and adjacent to a prominent spur, called the Rincon, which lies to the west of the main mountain mass. These metamorphic rocks which consist of quartzite, schist, and greenstone are considered to be the result of moderate regional metamorphism of clastic sedimentary rocks and possibly some basic flows and stills. These rocks are here tentatively named the Juan Tabo sequence and are Archeozoic or early Proterozoic age. The Sandia granite, which lies to the east and south of the Juan Tabo sequence, was …

Anisotropism In Garnets, Arthur B. Merkle

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Six anisotropic garnets are studied by optical, thermal, and X-ray diffraction methods in an attempt to determine the cause of anisotropism. The garnets are all ungrandites with compositions ranging from chromian grossularite to nearly pure andradite, the composition having been estimated from indices of refraction and unit cell dimensions. In all cases the birefringence is 0.004 or less. Both positive and negative uniaxial and biaxial figures are sometimes observed. Heating of the garnets at 900°C for periods of 96 to 264 hours reduced the anisotropism in five of the six garnets studied; this observation is in agreement with previously reported …

A Study Of The Lalande, New Mexico, Yonо̄Zu, Japan, And Glorieta Mountain, New Mexico Meteorites, Ralph G. Stevenson Jr.

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

This thesis presents details relating to the discovery of three meteorites, as well as information concerning their acquisition, description, and mineralogy. These three meteorites are the Lalande, New Mexico chondrite (E.C.N. = 1047,343), the Yonо̄zu, Japan chondrite (E.C.N. = 1394,380), and the Glorieta Mountain, New Mexico siderite (E.C.N. = 1058,356).

The Lalande, New Mexico meteorite is composed of olivine and enstatite (var. hypersthene), with small percentages of enstatite-clinoenstatite intergrowths, secondary hematite, and dispersed metallic grains. Alteration to iron oxide has produced a strong stain over most of the component grains. The meteorite is classified as a hypersthene-olivine chondrite (Chy). …

A Study Of The Breece, New Mexico, Hishikari, Japan And Mino, Japan Meteorites, Louis H. Goldsmith

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

In this thesis are given the details concerning the falls of three meteorites, as well as information regarding their acquisition, description and mineralogy. These three meteorites are the Breece, New Mexico siderite (E.C.N. = 1083, 353), the Hishikari, Japan achondrite (E.C.N. = 1305, 317) * and the Mino, Japan achondrite (E.C.N. =1367, 354)*

The Geology And Geomorphology Of The White Rock Canyon Area, New Mexico, Robert J. Emmanuel

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The White Rock Canyon area is in the Rio Grande depression in north-central New Mexico between parallels 35 degrees 33' and 35 degrees 53' and meridians 106 degrees 4' and 106 degrees 21' (Figure 1). It occupies part of western Santa Fe County and eastern Sandoval County. The area was named for White Rock Canyon which has been formed by the Rio Grande. This canyon, called Caja del Rio by the Spanish, meaning "box of the river", begins at the town of Buckman and extends southward as a narrow gorge for a distance of 19 miles. The area encloses 316 …

The Geology And Ground-Water Resources Of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, George M. Ugrinic

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The purpose of this investigation has been to gather information which might aid in the proper development and utilization of the ground-water resources of Bernalillo County. Ground-water is one of the most valuable resources in the area. Its importance may best be realized by considering the fact that most of the water used in the County comes from wells. Albuquerque has increased its total annual consumption from 385,000,000 gallons in 1920 to an estimated 2,897,000,000 gallons in 1947, owing largely to a large population increase. Per capita annual consumption rose from 25,400 gallons in 1920 to 55,711 gallons in 1947 …

Geology Of The Golden Area, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, W. L. Emerick

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

This report represents a detailed study of the geology of a small area in the vicinity of Golden, Santa Fe County, New Mexico. The area is one of low hills, dissected by numerous small arroyos, lying between the Ortiz Mountains on the north and the San Pedro Mountains on the south. To the west the area merges into the Hagan Coal Basin, and to the east the low pass between the mountains descends into the headwaters of Galisteo Creek and into the Estanica Valley.