Paleozoic stratigraphy and tectonics in northernmost Nevada: Implications for the nature of the Antler orogeny

Conference · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5022951

Ketner, K B ^[1]; Ehman, K D ^[2]; Repetski, J E; Stamm, R G; Wardlaw, B R ^[3]

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1. Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)
2. Exxon Production Research Co., Houston, TX (United States)
3. Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)

Recent mapping and revised ages have clarified geologic relations in northern Nevada. In the Bull Run Mountains-Copper Mountains area, Proterozoic quartzite, phyllite, marble, and greenstone are overlain successively, depositionally, and nearly concordantly by the Cambrian Prospect Mountain Quartzite, Pioche Shale, and Eldorado Dolomite; the Cambrian to Ordovician Tennessee Mountain Formation composed of limestone, siltstone, and greenstone; the Ordovician Valmy Formation composed of a lower member of greenstone, limestone, mudstone, and chert, and an upper member of quartzite and argillite; and, disconformably by a Mississippian sequence of interbedded conglomerate, limestone, siltstone, and greenstone. The Prospect Mountain, Pioche, and Eldorado form a relatively shallow-water, shelf sequence containing trilobites and displaying cross-bedding, ooliths, oncolites, and fenestral fabric. The overlying Tennessee Mountain and Valmy are devoid of such features and contain many black, finely laminated, and graded strata, suggesting a deeper-water environment. This upper Proterozoic to Permian sequence is interpreted as indicating: (1) increased tectonic subsidence or sea-level rise in the latter part of the Cambrian; (2) elevation above sea level and erosion of Devonian, Silurian, and Upper Ordovician rocks in earliest Mississippian; (3) subsidence below sea level in later Early Mississippian; (4) elevation above sea level with sporadic, moderate deformation, and local, deep erosion in medial Pennsylvanian; (5) subsidence below sea level in medial Pennsylvanian or later; (6) intermittent eruption of basic volcanics peaking in Early Ordovician and again in Mississippian. The disconformable relation between the Valmy Formation and overlying Mississippian strata indicates that the Antler orogeny of earliest Mississippian age, here consisted primarily of uplift and deep erosion. Evidence of strong Early Mississippian folding and contractional faulting is not apparent.

• OSTI ID: 5022951
• Report Number(s): CONF-9305259--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 25:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGY
NEVADA
NORTH AMERICA
OROGENESIS
PALEOZOIC ERA
PETROLOGY
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STRATIGRAPHY
TECTONICS
USA