Triassic Stratigraphy in the Lucero Uplift, Cibola, Valencia and Socorro Counties, New Mexico
- ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Andrew B. Heckert Ph.D., Professor (Creator)
- Institution
- Appalachian State University (ASU )
- Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/
Abstract: Triassic strata exposed. in the Lucero uplift of Cibola, Valencia and Socorro Counties are nonmarine red beds of the Moenkopi Formation and Chinle Group. Moenkopi Formation strata disconformably overlie Middle Permian (Guadalupian) limestones and dolomites of the San Andres Formation and are mostly grayish red, trough-crossbedded and ripple-laminated micaceous litharenites intercalated with beds of intraformational conglomerate and grayish red, micaceous siltstone and mudstone. Charophytes, ostracods and capitosauroid amphibians indicate the Moenkopi Formation in the Lucero uplift is of Middle Triassic (early Anisian) age. Overlying Chinle Group strata consist of (ascending) the Shinarump, Bluewater Creek, Petrified Forest, Owl
Rock and Rock Point Formations. In the Lucero uplift, strata of the San Pedro Arroyo Formation laterally replace Bluewater Creek Formation strata south of the Rio Salado. Shinarump Formation strata are extrabasinal
conglomerates (mostly Paleozoic limestone clasts) and sandstones as much as 17 m thick that disconformably overlie Moenkopi strata. Locally, pedogenically modified sandstones, conglomerates and siltstones - the "mottled strata" laterally replace Shinarump conglomerates and sandstones. Bluewater Creek Formation strata are at least 70 m thick and are mostly reddish brown siltstones, mudstones and ripple-laminated sandstones
The distinctive McGaffey Member - 5-6 m of mostly ripple-laminated sandstone is present in the
upper half of the Bluewater Creek Formation in the northern part of the Lucero uplift. Below the McGaffey Member, the Bluewater Creek Formation contains an Adamanian (late Carnian) tetrapod fauna that includes cf.
Buettneria, indeterminate phytosaurs and Stagonolepis. The base of the Petrified Forest Formation in the
Lucero uplift is the Sonsela Member; evidently the Blue Mesa Member has been removed by erosion at the
pre-Sonsela unconfornlity. Sonsela strata are as much as 15 m thick and are mostly trough-crossbedded micaceous
litharenite and intrabasinal calcrete-pebble conglomerate. Overlying Painted Desert Member strata are
mostly reddish-brown bentonitic mudstone at least 100 m thick. Owl Rock and Rock Point strata are only
exposed in the Petaca Pinta area (SW 1/4 T6N, R6W and SE 1/4 T6N, R7W). The Owl Rock is mostly grayish-
red and very pale green,·calcareous mudstone and grayish-red purple bioturbated sandy siltstone and is up
to 37 m thick. Rock Point strata are up to 70 m thick and consist of laterally extensive beds of massive, moderate-
reddish brown sandy siltstone and laminar to trough-crossbedded moderate reddish brown quartzose sandstone.
Middle Jurassic (Entrada) to Upper Cretaceous (Dakota) strata disconformably overlie Upper Triassic
Chinle Group rocks in the Lucero uplift.
Triassic Stratigraphy in the Lucero Uplift, Cibola, Valencia and Socorro Counties, New Mexico
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Lucas, S.G., and Heckert, A.B. (1994), Triassic stratigraphy in the Lucero uplift, Cibola, Valencia and Socorro counties, New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook 45, p. 241-254. Archived in NCDOCKS with permission of the editor. Version of record available at: http://nmgs.nmt.edu/publications/guidebooks/45/
- Language: English
- Date: 1994