Kelly Limestone

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Kelly Limestone
Stratigraphic range: Tournaisian–Visean
Type Formation
Sub-unitsLadron Member
Calosa Member
Underlies Sandia Formation
Overlies Basement rock
Thickness30 m (98 ft)
Lithology
Primary Limestone
Location
Coordinates 34°05′24″N107°11′46″W / 34.090°N 107.196°W / 34.090; -107.196
Region New Mexico
CountryUnited States
Type section
Named for Kelly, New Mexico
Named byC.L. Herrick
Year defined1904
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Kelly Limestone (the United States)
USA New Mexico relief location map.svg
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Kelly Limestone (New Mexico)

The Kelly Limestone is a geologic formation in New Mexico, United States. Its fossil assemblage is characteristic of the Early to Middle Mississippian. [1]

Contents

Description

The Kelly Limestone consists of approximately 30 meters (98 ft) of marine limestone. [1] It is found in the Lemitar, Ladron, and Magdalena Mountains of west-central New Mexico, US. [2] The formation rests on Precambrian basement rock and is overlain by the Sandia Formation. The Kelly Limestone is divided into a lower Calosa Member and an upper Ladron Member, which are separated by an unconformity. [1]

The Kelly Limestone likely correlates with the Arroyo Penasco Group in northern New Mexico and the Leadville Limestone of Colorado. [1] These were deposited in a major marine transgression (advance of the ocean across the continent) in the Mississippian. [2]

Fossil content

The formation contains fossil conodonts indicating that it ranges from Tournaisian to Visean (Early to Middle Mississippian) in age. [1]

The lower Caloso Member contains fossils of the brachiopods Beecheria chouteauensis and Spirifer centronatus and the fusulinids Latiendothyra , Medioendothyra , and Tuberendothyra . The upper Ladron Member contains a diverse fossil assemblage, including brachiopods such as Rhipidomella and Linoproductus , blastoid echinoderms such as Pentremites conoideus, cnidarians such as Zaphriphyllum casteri, and numerous species of microscopic algae and foraminiferans. [2]

Economic resources

The Kelly Limestone was the principal ore-bearing formation of the historic Magdalena, New Mexico mining district. The ore takes the form of replacement deposits in the limestone produced by nearby igneous intrusions. [3] The best ore was found in the so-called "silver pipes" beds, which were dense dolomitic limestone contrasting with the high-calcium limestone making up most of the rest of the formation. [4]

History of investigation

The formation was first named as the Graphic-Kelly Formation by C.L. Herrick in 1904 for exposures near the mining town of Kelly, New Mexico. [5] The hyphenated name was found objectionable, and the formation was renamed as the Kelly Limestone by C.H. Gordon in 1907. [6] In 1976, A.K. Armstrong and B.L. Mamet divided the formation into the Caloso and Ladron Members. [2]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Armstrong, A.K.; Mamet, B.L.; Repetski, J.E. (1992). "Stratigraphy of the Mississippian System, south-central Colorado and north-central New Mexico". U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin. 1787-EE. doi: 10.3133/b1787EE .
  2. 1 2 3 4 Armstrong, A.K.; Mamet, B.L. (1976). "Biostratigraphy and regional relations of the Mississippian Leadville limestone in the San Juan Mountains, southwestern Colorado". U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper. Professional Paper. 985. doi: 10.3133/pp985 .
  3. Loughlin, G.F.; Koschmann, A.H. (1942). "Geology and ore deposits of the Magdalena mining district, New Mexico". U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper. 200. doi: 10.3133/pp200 . hdl: 2027/mdp.39015080069993 .
  4. Loughlin & Koschmann 1942, p. 16.
  5. Herrick, C.L. (1904). "Laws of formation of New Mexico mountain ranges". American Geologist. 33 (5): 301–312. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  6. Gordon, C.H. (1907). "Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous) formations in the Rio Grande Valley, New Mexico". American Journal of Science. 4. 24 (139): 58–64. Bibcode:1907AmJS...24...58G. doi:10.2475/ajs.s4-24.139.58 . Retrieved January 11, 2022.