Trinidad Sandstone

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Trinidad Sandstone
Stratigraphic range: Campanian
Trinidad Sandstone.jpg
The Trinidad Sandstone forms a prominent band in the cliffs north of Raton, New Mexico, USA
Type Formation
Underlies Vermejo Formation
Overlies Pierre Shale
Thickness70–300 ft (21–91 m)
Lithology
Primary Sandstone
Location
Coordinates 37°10′N104°31′W / 37.17°N 104.51°W / 37.17; -104.51
Region New Mexico
Colorado
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Type section
Named for Trinidad, Colorado
Named byR.C. Hills
Year defined1899
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Trinidad Sandstone (the United States)
USA Colorado relief location map.svg
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Trinidad Sandstone (Colorado)

The Trinidad Sandstone is a geologic formation in northeastern New Mexico and southeastern Colorado. [1] It was formed during the Campanian Age of the Cretaceous Period and contains fossils. [2]

Contents

Description

The Trinidad Formation consists of a massive fine- to very fine-grained arkosic sandstone some 70–300 feet (21–91 m) in thickness. [1] [3] It rests conformably on the Pierre Shale and is in turn conformably overlain by the Vermejo Formation. [4] [2]

The formation is interpreted as shore deposits marking the final regression of the Western Interior Seaway from northeastern New Mexico. It is correlative with the Fox Hills Sandstone and the Pictured Cliffs Sandstone. [5]

Fossils

The formation contains trace fossils of Ophiomorpha and, in a few locations, Diplocraterion . "Ladders" of Diplocraterion are over 1 meter (3.3 ft) long in the lower part of the formation at Cerrososo Canyon. [3]

Economic geology

There is potential for natural gas extraction from the Trinidad Sandstone. The gas originates in interbedded coal formations. [6]

History of investigation

The beds making up this unit were originally included in Hayden's Raton Hills group in 1869. The name, Trinidad, was first applied by R.C. Hills in 1899, and W.T. Lee (1917) further refined the definition to include only Hills' "Upper Trinidad". [1]

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References

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