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Bibliography of New Mexico Geology — Abstracts
Second-day road log: From Inn of the Mountain Gods to Hondo, Lincoln, Capitan and return to Inn of the Mountain Gods
Steven M. Cather, Spencer G. Lucas, Virginia T. McLemore, and Colpitts, Robert M., Jr.
Abstract:
The second-day tour consists of a loop that begins and ends at the Inn of the Mountain Gods near Ruidoso. The first part of the route follows US-70 eastward down the Rio Ruidoso valley past good exposures of the Permian Yeso and San Andres Formations, Tertiary intrusives and Quaternary alluvium. The second part of the route then turns northwestward on US-380 at Hondo and continues through Lincoln to Capitan, with a spur route to the Capitan iron mines. The spectacular Lincoln fold belt is well exposed along the route, as are outcrops of Permian, Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous strata, and Tertiary intrusive rocks. The third part of the road log follows NM-48 southward between Capitan and Ruidoso, where Upper Cretaceous strata and Tertiary elastic and intrusive rocks are exposed in the eastern part of the Sierra Blanca basin.
Stop I is to examine the transition of lithologies between the Yeso and San Andres Formations. At Stop 2 we will examine and discuss the structure of the controversial Lincoln fold belt. Stop 3 provides an overview of the regional tectonics of the Pecos slope, Sierra Blanca basin, and Lincoln County porphyry belt and a discussion of the economic geology of the Capitan area. At Stop 4 we will examine one of the Capitan iron deposits. Stop 5 allows an opportunity to examine the lithology of the Eocene Cub Mountain Formation and the newly proposed, superjacent Sanders Canyon Formation.
This road log draws many data from earlier efforts by Ulvog and Thompson (1964) and Osburn and Arkell (1986). Thin section descriptions are by S. M. Cather.
Abstract From:
- Cather, Steven M.; Lucas, Spencer G.; McLemore, Virginia T.; Colpitts, Robert M., Jr., 1991, Second-day road log: From Inn of the Mountain Gods to Hondo, Lincoln, Capitan and return to Inn of the Mountain Gods, in: Geology of the Sierra Blanca, Sacramento and Capitan Ranges, New Mexico, Barker, James M.; Kues, Barry S.; Austin, George S.; Lucas, Spencer, G., ed(s), New Mexico Geological Society, Guidebook, 42nd Field Conference, pp. 27-46. https://doi.org/10.56577/FFC-42.27
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