Mississippian Stratigraphic Framework of 

East-Central California and Southern Nevada with 

Revision of Upper Devonian and Mississippian 

Stratigraphic Units in Inyo County, California

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1988-J
AVAILABILITY OF BOOKS AND MAPS OF THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Instructions on ordering publications of the U.S. Geological Survey, along with prices of the last offerings, are given in the current-year 

issues of the monthly catalog "New Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey." Prices of available U.S. Geological Survey publications released prior to the current year are listed in the most recent annual "Price and Availability List." Publications that may be listed in various U.S. 

Geological Survey catalogs (see back inside cover) but not listed in the most recent annual "Price and Availability List" may no longer be 

available.

Reports released through the NTIS may be obtained by writing to the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of 

Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161; please include NTIS report number with inquiry.

Order U.S. Geological Survey publications by mail or over the counter from the offices listed below.

BY MAIL

Books

Professional Papers, Bulletins, Water-Supply Papers, Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Circulars, publications 

of general interest (such as leaflets, pamphlets, booklets), single 

copies of Earthquakes & Volcanoes, Preliminary Determination of 

Epicenters, and some miscellaneous reports, including some of the 

foregoing series that have gone out of print at the Superintendent of 

Documents, are obtainable by mail from

U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services

Box 25286, Federal Center

Denver, CO 80225

Subscriptions to periodicals (Earthquakes & Volcanoes and 

Preliminary Determination of Epicenters) can be obtained ONLY 

from the

Superintendent of Documents

Government Printing Office

Washington, DC 20402

(Check or money order must be payable to Superintendent of 

Documents.)

Maps

For maps, address mail orders to

U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services

Box 25286, Federal Center

Denver, CO 80225

Residents of Alaska may order maps from

U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Science Information Center

101 Twelfth Ave., Box 12

Fairbanks, AK 99701

OVER THE COUNTER

Books and Maps

Books and maps of the U.S. Geological Survey are available 

over the counter at the following U.S. Geological Survey offices, all 

of which are authorized agents of the Superintendent of Documents.

 ANCHORAGE, Alaska-Rm. 101, 4230 University Dr.

 LAKEWOOD, Colorado-Federal Center, Bldg. 810

 MENLO PARK, California-Bldg. 3, Rm. 3128, 

345 Middlefield Rd.

 RESTON, Virginia-USGS National Center, Rm. 1C402, 

12201 Sunrise Valley Dr.

 SALT LAKE CITY, Utah-Federal Bldg., Rm. 8105, 

125 South State St.

 SPOKANE, Washington-U.S. Post Office Bldg., Rm. 135, 

West 904 Riverside Ave.

 WASHINGTON, D.C.-Main Interior Bldg., Rm. 2650, 

18th and CSts., NW.

Maps Only

Maps may be purchased over the counter at the following 

U.S. Geological Survey offices:

FAIRBANKS, Alaska-New Federal Bldg, 101 Twelfth Ave. 

ROLLA, Missouri-1400 Independence Rd. 

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Mississippi-Bldg. 3101
Mississippian Stratigraphic Framework of 

East-Central California and Southern Nevada with 

Revision of Upper Devonian and Mississippian 

Stratigraphic Units in Inyo County, California

By Calvin H. Stevens, Darrell S. Klingman, Charles A. Sandberg, Paul Stone, 

Paul Belasky, Forrest G. Poole, and J. Kent Snow

EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN 

Harry E. Cook and Christopher J. Potter, Project Coordinators

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1988-J

A multidisciplinary approach to research studies of 

sedimentary rocks and their constituents and the evolution 

of sedimentary basins, both ancient and modern

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1996
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Gordon P. Eaton, Director

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services

Box 25286, Federal Center

Denver, CO 80225

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and 

does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Mississippian stratigraphic framework of east-central California and southern Nevada with 

revision of Upper Devonian and Mississippian stratigraphic units in Inyo County, 

California / by Calvin H. Stevens ... [et al.].

p. cm. (Evolution of sedimentary basins Eastern Great Basin ; J) 

(U.S. Geological Survey bulletin ; 1988)

Includes bibliographical references.

Supt. of Docs, no.: 119.3: 1988J

1. Geology, Stratigraphic Mississippian. 2. Geology, Stratigraphic 

Devonian. 3. Geology California Inyo County. 4. Geology Nevada. 

I. Stevens, Calvin H. II. Series, in. Series: Evolution of sedimentary basins 

Eastern Great Basin ; ch. J. 

QE75.B9 no. 1988-J 

[QE672]

557.3 s dc20 95-383 

[551.7'51'0979487] CIP
CONTENTS

Abstract........................................................................................................................... Jl

Introduction.................................................................................................................... 1

Mississippian Stratigraphic Nomenclature in Southern Nevada.................................... 6

Southeastern-Facies Belt........................................................................................ 6

Central-Facies Belt................................................................................................. 6

Northwestern-FaciesBelt....................................................................................... 9

Stratigraphic Nomenclature in East-Central California.................................................. 9

Southeastern-Facies Belt........................................................................................ 9

Central-Facies Belt................................................................................................. 10

Northwestern-FaciesBelt....................................................................................... 10

Proposed Revisions in Stratigraphic Nomenclature....................................................... 10

Perdido Group......................................................................................................... 11

Leaning Rock Formation................................................................................ 11

Mexican Spring Formation............................................................................. 13

Stone Canyon Limestone........................................................................................ 15

Squares Tunnel Formation and Kearsarge Formation............................................ 18

Squares Tunnel Formation.............................................................................. 18

Kearsarge Formation...................................................................................... 19

Comparison of Mississippian Stratigraphy and Stratigraphic Nomenclature in

Southern Nevada and East-Central California.................................................... 22

Southeastern-Facies Belt........................................................................................ 22

Central-Facies Belt................................................................................................. 22

Northwestern-Facies Belt....................................................................................... 24

Summary......................................................................................................................... 25

References Cited............................................................................................................. 26

Appendix 1 ..................................................................................................................... 29

Appendix 2..................................................................................................................... 37

FIGURES

1. Map of southern Nevada and east-central California showing locations of sections and

distribution of Mississippian facies belts............................................................................................................... J2

2, 3. Charts showing Mississippian Stratigraphic nomenclature for east-central California:

2. Currently in use............................................................................................................................................ 4

3. Proposed....................................................................................................................................................... 5

4, 5. Charts showing time-rock correlation of:

4. Mississippian rocks...................................................................................................................................... 7

5. Upper Devonian rocks.................................................................................................................................. 8

6, 7. Maps showing:

6. Location of measured sections..................................................................................................................... 12

7. Outcrop relations and location of type section of the Leaning Rock Formation and reference section

of the Mexican Spring Formation ................................................................................................................ 13

8. Type section of the Leaning Rock Formation and reference section of the Mexican Spring Formation.............. 14

9, 10. Maps showing outcrop relations and location of the type section of the:

9. Mexican Spring Formation........................................................................................................................... 15

10. Stone Canyon Limestone.............................................................................................................................. 16

in
CONTENTS

11. Type section of the Stone Canyon Limestone....................................................................................................... 16

12. Map showing outcrop relations and location of the type sections of the Squares Tunnel Formation and the

Kearsarge Formation............................................................................................................................................. 17

13. Type sections of the Squares Tunnel Formation and the Kearsarge Formation.................................................... 18

14, 15. Stratigraphic sections:

14. From Indian Springs to Potosi Mine, Nevada.............................................................................................. 20

15. From Bighorn Gap to Knight Canyon, California....................................................................................... 23

16-18. Maps showing distribution of:

16. Middle Osagean lithofacies.......................................................................................................................... 24

17. Upper Osagean lithofacies ........................................................................................................................... 25

18. Lowermost Meramecian lithofacies............................................................................................................. 26

TABLES

1. Locality register of 26 sections in east-central California and southern Nevada................................................. J3
Mississippian Stratigraphic Framework of

East-Central California and Southern Nevada with Revision of

Upper Devonian and Mississippian Stratigraphic Units in

Inyo County, California

By Calvin H. Stevens, 1 Darrell S. Klingman,2 Charles A. Sandberg,3 Paul Stone,4 

Paul Belasky, 1 Forrest G. Poole,5 and J. Kent Snow6

ABSTRACT

Three contrasting lithofacies belts of Mississippian age 

are recognized in east-central California and southern 

Nevada. These belts are (1) a southeastern, predominantly 

limestone belt representing an extensive carbonate platform, 

(2) a central, mixed limestone and siliciclastic belt representing slope and base-of-slope environments, and (3) a northwestern, dominantly siliciclastic belt deposited primarily in 

base-of-slope and basinal environments. A useful set of 

Stratigraphic names that reflects the lithologic differences 

between rocks of these belts has been developed for southern 

Nevada, but the Stratigraphic nomenclature currently used in 

east-central California is incomplete and confusing. Here, a 

Stratigraphic framework is constructed for east-central California that is more parallel with that used in southern 

Nevada. The Perdido Formation (Lower and Upper Mississippian) is herein raised to the rank of group, the position of 

its upper contact is lowered, and several new formations are 

named to encompass rocks of different lithologic character 

for which the name "Perdido Formation" had previously 

been used.

Department of Geology, San Jose State University, San Jose, California 95192.

2Pacific Gas and Electric Co., 3400 Crow Canyon Road, San Ramon, 

California 94583.

3Geologist Emeritus, U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25046, MS 940, 

Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225.

4U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, California 94025.

5Geologist Emeritus, U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25046, MS 905, 

Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225.

6Exxon Production Research Co., Houston, Texas 77252.

The Perdido Group at its type locality consists of a 

Lower Mississippian limestone unit herein named the 

Leaning Rock Formation and an Upper Mississippian, dominantly siliciclastic unit herein named the Mexican Spring 

Formation. The Leaning Rock Formation is composed of 

highly deformed dark-gray micrite interlayered with thin siliceous beds and abundant chert nodules and locally with 

bedded chert and limestone conglomerate. The Mexican 

Spring Formation consists dominantly of quartzose siltstone 

and very fine grained sandstone. A widespread unit of 

dark-gray, cherty limestone in the southeastern-facies belt 

formerly referred to as the limestone facies of the Perdido 

Formation is herein named the Stone Canyon Limestone. 

The name "Kearsarge Formation" is herein introduced for a 

Lower and Upper Mississippian unit of mixed rock types 

including conglomerate with carbonate or siliceous clasts, 

siltstone, shale, and limestone that is present in the northwestern-facies belt. Two members of the Kearsarge Formation are recognized at its type section: a lower, 

conglomeratic unit of Kinderhookian age composed dominantly of carbonate clasts, herein named the Bee Member, 

and an overlying unit of Meramecian and Chesterian age, 

which is herein named the Snowcaps Member. The Kearsarge Formation overlies an Upper Devonian unit, the newly 

described Squares Tunnel Formation, which in its type section is composed mostly of black argillite and chert. Rocks 

herein assigned to the Kearsarge and Squares Tunnel Formations formerly were assigned to the Perdido Formation 

despite significant lithologic differences with the rocks of 

the Perdido at its type locality.

INTRODUCTION

Mississippian rocks and their relations with underlying 

Upper Devonian and overlying Lower Pennsylvanian rocks

Ji
J2 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

m\

EXPLANATION

Southeastem-facies belt 

Central-facies belt

Northwestern-facies belt

 Contact

 Fault Barbs show direction of movement

 ^^^ Fault Sawteeth on upper plate

Figure 1. Map of southern Nevada and east-central California showing location of Upper Devonian and Mississippian sections and distribution of Mississippian facies belts. Localities (described in table 1): 1, Tinemaha Reservoir; 2, Last Chance Range (California); 3, Al Rose 

Canyon; 4, Johnson Spring; 5, Squares Tunnel; 6, Vaughn Gulch; 7, Lee Flat West; 8, Mexican Spring; 9, Ubehebe Mine Canyon; 10, Quartz 

Spring area (including Rest Spring Gulch, lOa; Lost Burro Gap, lOb; Bighorn Gap, lOc); 11, Grapevine Mountains; 12, Talc City Hills; 13, 

Santa Rosa Hills; 14, Southeast Cottonwood Mountains (including Cottonwood Canyon, 14a; Marble Canyon, 14b); 15, Dry Bone Canyon 

East; 16, Stone Canyon; 17, Knight Canyon; 18, Funeral Mountains South; 19, Mercury Ridge area; 20, Indian Springs (including Indian 

Springs, 20a; Indian Springs East, 20b); 21, Lee Canyon; 22, Trough Spring; 23, Last Chance Range East (Nevada); 24, Mountain Springs 

Pass; 25, Potosi Mine; 26, Tungsten Gap.
Table 1. Locality register of 26 sections in east-central California and southern Nevada. 

[Localities are shown by number in figure 1]

No. Locality Physiographic setting Land-grid location County

Latitude (nor

longitude (w

CALIFORNIA

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Tinemaha Reservoir

Last Chance Range

Al Rose Canyon

Johnson Spring

Squares Tunnel

Vaughn Gulch

Lee Flat West

Mexican Spring

Ubehebe Mine Canyon

Rest Spring Gulch-Quartz

Spring area(lOa)

Lost Burro Gap (1 Ob)

Bighorn Gap (lOc)

Grapevine Mountains

Talc City Hills

Santa Rosa Hills South

Cottonwood Canyon (14a)

Marble Canyon (14b)

Dry Bone Canyon East

Stone Canyon

Knight Canyon

Funeral Mountains South

Inyo Mtns., Owens Valley

Last Chance Range

Inyo Mountains, west side

Inyo Mountains, west side

Inyo Mountains, west side

Inyo Mountains, west side

Inyo Mountains, east side

Inyo Mountains, east side

Last Chance Range, east

side

Cottonwood Mountains

Cottonwood Mountains

Cottonwood Mountains

Northern Grapevine Mtns.

Talc City Hills

Santa Rosa Hills

Cottonwood Mountains

Cottonwood Mountains

Cottonwood Mountains

Northern Argus Range

Eastern Argus Range

Funeral Mountains

WVisec. 13,T. 10S.,R. 34 E.

T. 8 S., R. 39 E. (unsurveyed)

T. 11, 12 S., R. 36 E. (unsurveyed)

T. 12 S., R. 36 E. (unsurveyed)

S1/! sec. 30, T. 12 S., R. 36 E. (unsurveyed)

NEV4SEK sec. 8, T. 13 S.,R. 36 E.

Sec. 26, T. 16 S., R. 39 E. (unsurveyed)

T. 15 S., R. 38 E. (unsurveyed)

T. 14 S., R. 40 E. (unsurveyed)

Sec. 31, T. 13 S., R. 42 E. (unsurveyed)

SWtt sec. 4, T. 14 S., R. 41 E. (unsurveyed)

Sec. 25, T. 13 S., R. 41 E. (unsurveyed)

T. 9, 10 S., R. 42 E. (unsurveyed)

SW corner, T. 18 S., R. 40 E. (unsurveyed)

T. 17 S., R. 40 E. (unsurveyed)

Sec. 8, T. 16 S., R. 43 E. (unsurveyed)

Sec. 1, T. 16 S., R. 42 E. (unsurveyed)

T. 13 S., R. 42 E. (unsurveyed)

Sees. 27, 28, T. 19 S., R. 42 E. (unsurveyed)

Sees. 13, 18, T. 21 S., R. 42, 43 E. (unsurveyed)

S1/! sec. 2, T. 25 N., R. 4 E. (unsurveyed)

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

Inyo

37.08°, 118.

37.23°, 117.

36.94°, 118.

36.91°, 118.

36.87°, 118.

36.82°,! 18,

36.52°, 117.

36.61°, 117.

36.76°, 117.

36.77°, 117.

36.74°, 117.

36.79°, 117.

37.11°, 117.

36.34°,! 17.

36.45°, 117.

36.58°,! 17.

36.61°, 117.

36.76°, 117.

36.26°, 117.

36.11°, 117.

36.33°, 116

NEVADA

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

Mercury Ridge

Indian Springs (20a)

Indian Springs East (20b)

Lee Canyon

Trough Spring

Last Chance Range East

Mountain Springs Pass

Potosi Mine

Tungsten Gap

Spotted Range

Northern Spring Mountains

Northern Spring Mountains

Northern Spring Mountains

Northern Spring Mountains

Last Chance Range

Central Spring Mountains

Central Spring Mountains

Arrow Canyon Range

NWV4 sec. 20, T. 15 S., R. 54 E. (unsurveyed)

S'/iSWtt sec. 35, T. 16 S., R. 55% E.

SfcSfcSEtt sec. 25, T. 16 S., R. 55% E.

NEK sec. 34, T. 17 S., R. 57 E.

NEttsec. 22, T. 18S.,R. 55 E.

Center SEMNEV4 sec. 31, T. 18 S., R. 53 E.

NEVisec. 19,T. 22S.,R. 58 E.

Center N'/zSW'/JNEtt sec. 12, T. 23 S., R. 57 E.

Center N% sec. 10, T. 15 S., R. 64 E. (unsurveyed)

Nye

Clark

Clark

Clark

Clark

Nye

Clark

Clark

Clark

36.63°, 115.

36.51°, 115

36.52°, 115.

36.43°, 115

36.37°, 115

36.35°,! 16

36.03°, 115

35.97°, 115

36.65°, 114
J4 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

are quite similar in southern Nevada and east-central 

California, but the different systems of nomenclature used in 

these two areas and the major displacements by strike-slip 

faulting have tended to obscure the similarities. In both areas, 

the Mississippian rocks are divisible into three major lithofacies belts: (1) a southeastern, predominantly limestone belt 

representing an extensive carbonate platform; (2) a central 

belt consisting of a lower limestone unit, a middle unit of 

quartzose siltstone and fine-grained sandstone, and an upper 

unit of dark shale, representing an upward-deepening 

sequence of beds deposited mostly in slope and basinal environments; and (3) a northwestern shale or argillite belt that 

includes beds of conglomerate, conposed of limestone and 

chert clasts, deposited primarily in base-of-slope and deep 

basinal environments (see for example, Rose, 1976; Poole 

and Sandberg, 1977; Stevens, 1986). In this report, these 

three lithologic belts are referred to as the southeastern-facies 

belt, the central-facies belt, and the northwestern-facies belt.

Distribution of these belts in southern Nevada and 

east-central California is shown in figure 1.

The nomenclature developed for Mississippian rocks in 

southern Nevada reflects the lithologic characteristics of 

these three lithofacies belts. Thus, in this region, several sets 

of formational names are used for the different Mississippian 

rocks. The nomenclature presently used in east-central California (fig. 2) is, however, incomplete and unsatisfactory. In 

this paper, we present new paleontologic and stratigraphic 

data for these rocks and, on the basis of this new information, 

revise the nomenclature of the Mississippian units (and an 

underlying Upper Devonian unit) in east-central California 

to produce a nomenclature set that is different from, but more 

parallel with, the one employed in southern Nevada, and we 

compare and correlate units in these two areas (fig. 3). Following the general usage of names, we employ the southern 

Nevada nomenclature in the areas east of the Death 

Valley-Furnace Creek fault zone and south of the Garlock

FACIES 

BELT

Northwesternfacies belt

Vaughn Gulch

Central-facies belt

Mexican Spring Quartz Spring

Southwesternfacies belt

Santa Rosa Hills

PENNSYLVANIAN Keeler Canyon Formation (part) Tihvipah Limestone

Chesterian

Rest Spring 

Shale

Meramecian

Perdido Formation

(part)

(shale, sandstone, 

and limestone)

Osagean

Kinderhookian

Perdido Formation 

(part) (conglomerate)

Rest Spring 

Shale

Rest Spring 

Shale

Perdido

Formation

(siltstone facies)

Siltstone 

facies

Limestone 

facies

Tin Mountain 

Limestone

Tin Mountain 

Limestone

Indian Springs 

Formation

Santa Rosa Hills 

Limestone

Perdido Formation 

(limestone facies)

Tin Mountain 

Limestone

DEVONIAN Squares Tunnel 

beds1

Lost Burro Formation

Sources of data

Stevens and

Ridley (1994),

Stevens (1986),

and new data

Merriam (1963)

and 

Klingman (1987)

McAllister(1952)

and 

Klingman (1987)

Dunne and others

(1981)and 

Klingman (1987)

Informal name.

Figure 2. Mississippian stratigraphic nomenclature currently used in east-central California.
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J5

SYSTEM

AREA Northwestern-facies belt

Nevada 

Test Site

Vaughn Gulch, 

California

Central-facies belt

Quartz Spring, 

California

Mercury Ridge 

area, Nevada

Southeastern-facies belt

Santa Rosa 

Hills, California

Indian Springs, 

Nevada

PENNSYLVANIAN Limestone

Chesterian

Meramecian

Osagean

Kinderhookian

DEVONIAN

UnitJ 

(> 250 m)

UnitA-l 

(> 2,000 m)

Carbonate 

rocks

Rest Spring 

Shale 

(475 m)

Snowcaps 

Member 

(140m)

Squares

Tunnel Formation 

(10m)

Rest Spring

Shale 

(120? m)

Mexican

Spring Formation 

(97m)

Leaning Rock

Formation

(83m)

Limestone of

Timpi Canyon

(100±m)

Tin Mountain

Limestone

Bee Member (112m)

(13.5m)

Mercury 

Limestone (67 m)

Narrow Canyon 

Formation (66 m)

Chainman 

Shale

Unnamed 

siltstone

Indian Springs Formation 

(33 m) (26 m)

Santa Rosa

Hills Limestone

(83m)

Stone Canyon

Limestone

(456 m)

Tin Mountain

Limestone

(128m)

Yellowpine 

Limestone (12 m)

Bullion 

Limestone (59 m)

Anchor 

Limestone 

(>246 m)

Dawn

Limestone

(75m)

Narrow Canyon 

Formation (15 m)

Carbonate rocks

Figure 3. Proposed Mississippian stratigraphic nomenclature for east-central California compared to nomenclature in use in southern 

Nevada. Rocks comprising the Stone Canyon Limestone were formerly included within the Perdido Formation, which is herein redefined 

as the Perdido Group.

fault. The east-central California nomenclature is used in the 

area north and west of these faults.

Much of the stratigraphic and paleontologic data on 

which this report is based originally were collected and analyzed by Klingman (1987) and Belasky (1988) in 

east-central California and southern Nevada, respectively. 

This work included the collection and study of many fossil 

samples, particularly conodonts. These data, with the addition of some newer data, were utilized by Stevens and others 

(1995) to develop a model for the evolution of the Mississippian carbonate platform in east-central California and southern Nevada.

For the present study, all of the conodont samples collected by Klingman (1987) and Belasky (1988) were restudied by Sandberg and augmented by many new samples. The 

conodont data now available allow considerable refinement 

of the ages of Mississippian rocks in east-central California 

and southern Nevada. All conodont samples to which reference is made herein have been entered into the D/C (Devonian/Carboniferous) Conodont Database (Charpentier and 

Sandberg, 1992). We follow Poole and Sandberg (1991) in

correlating the conodont zones distinguished in this report 

with provincial series of the type Mississippian (figs. 4, 5) 

because the majority of the ages are based on conodont 

zones. These correlations generally are compatible with the 

coral- and foraminiferal-based provincial series correlations 

of Mamet and Skipp (1970), Sando (1985), and Sando and 

Bamber (1985), except that the Osagean-Meramecian 

boundary is placed somewhat higher by Poole and Sandberg 

(1991). Therefore, in appendix 1, in which faunal and age 

data are given, the conodont zones are used as often as is 

practicable. In the text, however, we generally use series 

names for simplicity. The most important stratigraphic sections containing age-diagnostic fossils are correlated with 

one another and with an intensively studied section on the 

east side of the Arrow Canyon Range northeast of the area of 

this study (Poole and Sandberg, 1991) in figure 4. Regional 

correlation of the herein described Devonian Squares Tunnel 

Formation is shown in figure 5.

Acknowledgments. We are grateful to William J. 

Sando, U.S. Geological Survey, who identified the corals 

reported on here and who also through conversations helped
J6 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

us to keep a regional perspective in focus; Paul Brenckle, 

Amoco Production Company, who identified the foraminiferal-algal samples; and Benita Murchey, U.S. Geological 

Survey, who prepared and identified the radiolarians.

MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC 

NOMENCLATURE IN 

SOUTHERN NEVADA

SOUTHEASTERN-FACIES BELT

The southeastern-facies belt is represented throughout 

the southeastern part of southern Nevada. South of the Las 

Vegas Valley fault zone, these Mississippian rocks are represented by the Monte Cristo Limestone as defined by 

Hewett (1931), which is herein raised to group rank. The 

rocks of this group generally overlie Devonian carbonate 

rocks unconformably and are overlain unconformably by the 

Upper Mississippian Indian Springs Formation. The Lower 

Mississippian Narrow Canyon Formation (herein renamed) 

is present below the Monte Cristo Group in some areas, and 

the Upper Mississippian Battleship Wash Formation of 

Langenheim and Langenheim (1965) locally is present 

between the Monte Cristo Group and the Indian Springs Formation. The Mississippian sequence is overlain by Pennsylvanian limestone of the Bird Spring Formation (fig. 3).

As originally defined by Hewett (1931), the Monte 

Cristo Limestone consists of five members: the Dawn 

Limestone Member, Anchor Limestone Member, Bullion 

Dolomite Member, Arrowhead Limestone Member, and 

Yellowpine Limestone Member. Later, Langenheim (1956) 

and Langenheim and others (1962) were among those workers who referred to these units as formations. Here, we raise 

the Monte Cristo Limestone to group rank, in agreement 

with the usage noted above, and also raise four of its members to formation rank; namely, the Dawn Limestone, 

Anchor Limestone, Bullion Limestone (locally renamed 

here as shown, but renamed as the Bullion Dolomite at its 

type locality), and Yellowpine Limestone. These formations 

are widely distributed and mappable in southern Nevada 

from the Beaver Dam Mountains near the Nevada-Arizona 

State line on the east through the Spring Mountains into the 

Last Chance Range near Pahrump, Nevada, on the west. We 

here rename the Arrowhead Limestone Member, a thin

(generally less than 6 m thick), discontinuous unit composed 

of wavy- to nodular-bedded, argillaceous micrite and calcareous shale, as the Arrowhead Member and reassign it as the 

basal member of the Yellowpine Limestone.

The Dawn Limestone, the lowest formation of the 

Monte Cristo Group, consists primarily of medium-bedded, 

relatively chert free, dark-gray micrite and spiculiferous lime 

wackestone, locally containing some interbeds of crinoidal 

limestone. The overlying Anchor Limestone consists predominantly of fine-grained, thin- to medium-bedded, 

dark-gray, spiculiferous lime wackestone interbedded with 

partially silicified micrite and abundant dark-brown chert in 

nodules and nodular layers and locally interbedded with 

medium-gray, coarse-grained crinoidal limestone. The Bullion Limestone overlies the Anchor Limestone and commonly is characterized by thick-bedded, fine- to 

coarse-grained, light-gray, crinoidal calcarenite with sparse 

chert nodules and nodular layers. The Yellowpine Limestone, the uppermost unit of the Monte Cristo Group, consists of thin- to thick-bedded, medium- to dark-gray, 

medium-grained crinoidal lime wackestone and packstone 

with abundant rugose corals (Langenheim and others, 1962; 

Belasky, 1988). Throughout this facies belt, the Dawn, Bullion, and Yellowpine Limestones are interpreted to represent 

shallow-water, carbonate-platform deposition. The Anchor 

Limestone is considered to represent deeper water platform 

deposition in the southeastern part of this lithofacies belt, 

whereas in the northwestern part of the belt it is inferred to 

represent slope deposition (Stevens and others, 1995).

The Monte Cristo Group generally is unconformably 

overlain by the Upper Mississippian (Chesterian) Indian 

Springs Formation, a thin sequence of interbedded shale, 

pale-red to light-brown, fine-grained quartzite, and thin-bedded, olive-gray limestone that was considered by Gordon 

and Poole (1968) to be laterally equivalent to the Chainman 

Shale.

CENTRAL-FACIES BELT

Well-exposed sections of the central-facies belt, which 

lies northwest of the southeastern-facies belt (fig. 1), are 

uncommon in southern Nevada. This belt is perhaps best 

displayed in the Mercury Ridge area (fig. 1) (Poole and others, 1961; Bames and others, 1982; F.G. Poole and C.A. 

Sandberg, unpub. data). The Mississippian sequence there

Figure 4 (facing page). Time-rock correlation chart of Mississippian rocks straddling southern part of carbonate-platform margin, California and Nevada. M.F.Z. refers to Mamet foraminiferal zone. Solid circle indicates conodont collection identified by Sandberg, diagnostic 

of zone at left; open circle indicates conodont collection identified by others. Plus (+) indicates Sandberg collection from southern Funeral 

Mountains; query (?) indicates collection lacking zonal indicators; letter "e" indicates eotaphrid conodont biofacies, diagnostic of platform 

margin-upper slope setting. Corals (identified by W.J. Sando): A, Ankhelasma; 5, Siphonodendron. Letter F indicates foraminiferal collection, identified by B.L. Mamet, diagnostic of Mamet foraminiferal zone at left. Solid square indicates ammonoid collection identified by M. 

Gordon, Jr. YP* indicates base of Yellowpine Limestone of Pierce and Langenheim (1974). Dots (.....) indicate sandstone. Numbers to left 

of symbols are conodont collection numbers. See appendix table 2 for faunal lists of unqueried collections in column 1. Conodont dating of 

Narrow Canyon Formation is based on collection TPE-5 (Sandberg, unpublished data) from Mercury Ridge area (table 1, loc. 19).
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J7

UJ

cc

UJ 

CO

SANDBERG 

WESTERN U.S. 

CONODONTZONE

(Poole and Sandberg, 

1991)

1

QUARTZ SPRING

AREA, 

W. COTTONWOOD

MOUNTAINS 

INYO CO., CALIF.

COTTONWOOD 

AND MARBLE

CANYONS, 

E. COTTONWOOD

MOUNTAINS 

INYO CO., CALIF.

INDIAN SPRINGS, 

NORTHERN

SPRING

MOUNTAINS,

CLARK CO., NEV.

4

MOUNTAIN 

SPRINGS PASS 

- POTOSI MINE 

AREA, CENTRAL

SPRING MTS., 

CLARK CO., NEV.

TUNGSTEN GAP,

E. ARROW

CANYON RANGE,

CLARK CO., NEV.

(Poole and Sandberg,

1991; this report)

O

O 

UJ

cc

UJ

S5

O

<

CO 

O

primus

muricatus

umcorms

naviculus

bilineatusUpper 

Cavusgnathus

Lower 

Cavusgnathus

homopunctatusUpper texanus

mehliLower texanus

anchoralislatus

Upper typicus

Lower typicus

isostichaUpper crenulata

Lower crenulata

sandbergi

 Not studied Not studied 

19

18

17

16s

15

14

13

12 -?" 

11 ^?" 

10

CD 

Ql

duplicata 

sulcata

UNDERLYING DEVONIAN ROCKS

Undivided 

part

INDIAN

SPRINGS

FORMATION

l/M/vl

INDIAN

SPRINGS

FORMATION

BIRD SPRING o 

FM (PART) o

INDIAN

SPRINGS

FORMATION

INDIAN

SPRINGS

FORMATION

Limestone 

'(0.5m)Rsc-3'

Phosphatic 

shale 

(2.5 m)

_____RSC-1

QS-94

MEXICAN

SPRING

FORMATION

QS-59 ? 

BATTLESHIP

WASH 

FORMATION

YELLOWPINE LS

QS-49 

QS-37 ? 

QS-29 ? 

QS-25 .

LEANING

QS-20 

ROCK

QS-15?'

FORMATION

MC-1-1.MC-1* 

SANTA ROSA

HILLS 

LIMESTONE

CC-6

BU-1»

BULLION 

LIMESTONE

ISS-265.

YELLOWPINE 

LIMESTONE

(carbonate-platform

YELLOWPINE . 

LIMESTONE 

(backmound or 

lagoonal fades)

fades) S.AF

ARROW- PO-5F* 

, HEAD MBR /"

I ARROWHEAD MBR6'

CC-46*

STONE

CC-1 e»

CANYON

PD-17 

LIMESTONE

AN-1B'

ISS-126.

ANCHOR 

LIMESTONE

(fades 

not studied)

(carbonate- s> 

platform 

fades)

YP*

e»

e 

e»

(upper-slope e 

facies)

ANCHOR 

LIMESTONE

SM-12?»

ANCHOR ~;~"^r=- ^Is^

(middle-slope fades)'

QS-1 

FMS-3 +

TIN MOUNTAIN 

LIMESTONE

ISS-11 ?*

TIN MOUNTAIN 

LIMESTONE

LBG-4

DAWN 

LIMESTONE

DAWN 

LIMESTONE

DAWN 

LIMESTONE

(carbonate-platform 

fades)

NARROW CANYON FM 

Covered

UNNAMED LIMESTONE

WE STRANGE ISS-6' 

LIMESTONE

O QUpper 

part

Lower part

O Q.

Upper part

(nearshore 

facies)

Lower part
J8 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

to yj

ot in

CO

LATE DEVONIAN

STANDARD 

CONDONT ZONE 

(Ziegler and Sandberg, 1990)

1

VAUGHN

GULCH

INYO MTS.

INYO CO., CALIF.

LOST BURRO

GAP 

COTTONWOOD

MTS. 

INYO CO., CALIF

COMPOSITE

SECTION

NYE CO. AND

CLARK CO.,

NEV.

BACTRIAN

MOUNTAIN

LINCOLN CO.,

NEV.

SO. BURBANK

HILLS 

MILLARD CO.,

UTAH

LU 

<

OVERLYING 

MISSISSIPPI ROCKS

KEARSARGE 

FORMATION

TIN MOUNTAIN 

LIMESTONE

NARROW 

CANYON FM

praesulcata

expansa

postern

trachytera

marginifera

rhomboidea

crepida

triangularis

Late

Middle

Early

Late

Middle

Early

Late

Early

Late

Early

VGI-1 

SQUARES

TUNNEL

FORMATION

Latest

Late

Early

Late

Early

Latest

Late

Middle

Early

Late

Middle

Early

linguiformis

rhenana

Late

Early

UNDERLYING 

DEVONIAN ROCKS

VAUGHN GULCH 

LIMESTONE

(upper unit)

UNNAMED LBG 3 

LIMESTONE

LBG-2

*-UPPER-

 -MEMBERLAS-6 

 LOST

BURRO(?) 

FORMATION

LBG-1

9

UPPER 

MEMBER

LEATHAM 

MEMBER

LOWER MBR

TPE-3, ISS-6, LAS-5 

WEST

RANGE

LIMESTONE

WEST

RANGE

LIMESTONE

UNDIVIDED 

PART

(not 

studied)

UPPER 

MEMBER

LEATHAM-j 

MEMBER

LOWER -si 

MEMBER 

WEST 

RANGE -^ 

LIMESTONE

GUILMETTE 

FORMATION

(not 

studied)

GUILMETTE 

FORMATIONGUILMETTE 

FORMATION
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J9

consists of a lower carbonate and an upper siliciclastic 

sequence and rests on the Devonian West Range Limestone 

(fig. 4). The lower, carbonate part of the sequence consists 

of, in ascending order, the Narrow Canyon Formation, 

which is older than the Dawn Limestone in the southeastern-facies belt; the Mercury Limestone, which is temporally 

equivalent to the lower part of the Dawn Limestone, and the 

limestone of Timpi Canyon, which is correlative with the 

upper part of the Dawn Limestone (C. A. Sandberg and F.G. 

Poole, unpub. data). The upper, siliciclastic part of the 

sequence consists of an unnamed, yellowish-weathering, 

fine-grained, siliciclastic unit and the overlying olive- to 

dark-gray Chainman Shale.

The Narrow Canyon Formation and Mercury Limestone represent platform deposition. The remainder of the 

section exposed in the Mercury Ridge area represents 

deeper water deposition in slope and basinal environments.

NORTHWESTERN-FACIES BELT

The northwestern-facies belt consists of argillite, 

impure chert, siliceous siltstone, fine-grained quartzite, 

limestone, and conglomerate containing chert, quartzite, 

argillite, quartz, and limestone clasts. The most extensive 

outcrops of this belt in southern Nevada are represented by 

the Eleana Formation in the Nevada Test Site. Poole and others (1961) measured 2,350 m of section in the Nevada Test 

Site that they divided into 10 informal units (units A-J) lying 

between Devonian and Pennsylvanian carbonate rocks (fig. 

3). Cashman and Trexler (1991, 1994) reexamined the 

Eleana Formation and concluded that its eastern outcrops, 

consisting of unit J (of Poole and others, 1961), and its western outcrops (units A-I) represent lateral facies juxtaposed 

by thrust faulting. The eastern outcrops are composed primarily of mudstone and quartzite that have shallow-water sedimentary features, whereas the western outcrops of the 

Eleana Formation are composed mostly of relatively deep 

water, fine- to coarse-grained, turbiditic siliciclastic sandstone, containing significant amounts of feldspar and both 

sedimentary and volcanic grains, and calciclastic rocks 

(Cashman and Trexler, 1991, 1994). The available conodont 

and ammonoid data show that the dated part of unit I is older

than the dated part of unit J (Poole and Sandberg, 1991, 

unpub. data; Alan Titus, oral commun., 1994). These data do 

not resolve the question of whether the eastern and western 

outcrops have been juxtaposed by thrust faulting, as proposed by Cashman and Trexler (1991, 1994), or represent a 

single stratigraphic sequence, as indicated by Poole and others (1961, 1965). Comparison with the section of the Eleana 

Formation on Bare Mountain (Monsen and others, 1992) 

about 50 km southwest of the Nevada Test Site suggests, 

however, that these facies are in stratigraphic sequence. At 

Bare Mountain, the section is predominantly siliciclastic and 

consists of fine-grained lower and upper parts and a middle 

conglomeratic section containing some volcanic clasts (C.H. 

Stevens, unpub. data), as the section in the Nevada Test Site 

would appear if units A-I and J were superimposed there. 

Regardless of the structural interpretations, however, the 

sedimentary data strongly support the interpretation that the 

western outcrops (composed of units A-I) are deep-water 

deposits derived generally from northern sources, probably 

directly or indirectly from the Antler erogenic belt. The eastern outcrops (consisting of unit J of Chesterian age) are composed of shallow-water deposits derived from a mature 

continental source, such as the craton (Cashman and Trexler, 

1994), or, alternatively, multiple sources including reworked 

older Eleana orogenic sediment (Poole and Claypool, 1984; 

Poole and Sandberg, 1991).

STRATIGRAPHIC NOMENCLATURE 

IN EAST-CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

SOUTHEASTERN-FACIES BELT

Mississippian rocks of the southeastern-facies belt in 

east-central California (fig. 1) consist of a thick carbonate 

sequence and a thin siliciclastic unit. This sequence rests 

upon the dominantly calcareous Middle and Upper Devonian Lost Burro Formation (McAllister, 1952) and is overlain by Pennsylvanian carbonate rocks of the Tihvipah 

Limestone or Bird Spring Formation. In this region, the Mississippian limestone sequence consists of three recognizable 

lithologic units that, from lower to upper, have been called

Figure 5 (facing page). Time-rock correlation chart of Upper Devonian rocks across carbonate platform in east-central California and 

southern Nevada and along east side of Pilot Basin (Sandberg and others, 1989) in eastern Nevada and western Utah. VGI-1», number and 

position of conodont collection, identified by Sandberg, diagnostic of zone at left. In column 3, collection number prefixes refer to these 

localities: LAS, Last Chance Range East (table 1, loc. 23); ISS, Indian Springs (table 1, loc. 20); TPE, Mercury Ridge area (table 1, loc. 19). 

For collection numbers and faunal lists for column 4 see Sandberg and Ziegler (1973) and for column 5, see Sandberg and others (1989, fig. 

10). Dots (....) indicate sandstone and quartzite. Asterisk (*) indicates top of Quartz Spring Sandstone Member of Langenheim and Tischler 

(1960), who included highest limestone beds of Lost Burro Formation as well as overlying unnamed limestone (~3 m thick) within their Tin 

Mountain Limestone.
no EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

the Tin Mountain Limestone, the limestone facies of the Perdido Formation, and the Santa Rosa Hills Limestone (fig. 2). 

The Tin Mountain and Santa Rosa Hills Limestones represent shallow-platform deposition throughout this lithofacies 

belt. The limestone facies of the Perdido Formation, on the 

other hand, shoals upward from deep-water facies to 

shallower water facies. The Santa Rosa Hills Limestone is 

overlain by a thin, primarily siliciclastic, shallow-water unit 

of Late Mississippian age that has been assigned to the 

Indian Springs Formation (Stevens, 1986).

turn is overlain by Pennsylvanian limestone of the Keeler 

Canyon Formation (fig. 2).

The Squares Tunnel beds were deposited primarily in 

submarine channels, the rocks assigned to the Perdido Formation are slope and base-of-slope deposits, and the Rest 

Spring Shale represents basinal deposition.

PROPOSED REVISIONS IN 

STRATIGRAPHIC NOMENCLATURE

CENTRAL-FACIES BELT

The central-facies belt is present northwest of the southeastern-facies belt (fig. 1). The Mississippian sequence rests 

on Middle and Upper Devonian rocks of the Lost Burro Formation, which is composed primarily of carbonate rocks, and 

is overlain by Pennsylvanian limestones of the Keeler Canyon Formation. The lower part of the Mississippian 

sequence in this belt consists of limestone assigned to the Tin 

Mountain Limestone and formerly to the limestone facies of 

the Perdido Formation. The limestone facies of the Perdido 

Formation, which thins rapidly westward, is present only in 

the eastern part of this lithofacies belt. This limestone 

sequence is overlain by a distinctive quartzose siltstone and 

very fine grained sandstone unit that has been referred to as 

the siltstone facies of the Perdido Formation (Stevens, 1986). 

The upper part of the section is composed of dark-gray shale 

assigned to the Upper Mississippian (mainly Chesterian) 

Rest Spring Shale (fig. 2).

The Tin Mountain Limestone in this facies belt probably represents central to outer platform deposition. The overlying rocks formerly assigned to the Perdido Formation are 

slope and base-of-slope deposits, and the Rest Spring Shale 

consists of basinal deposits.

NORTHWESTERN-FACIES BELT

The stratigraphic section in the western Inyo Mountains 

and other areas northwest of the central-facies belt (fig. 1) is 

substantially different from that in the region to the southeast 

(Stevens, 1986). The Upper Devonian is represented by 

eugeoclinal, radiolarian-rich, black chert and argillite originally included by Ross (1966) in the Perdido Formation. 

Stevens and Ridley (1974) noted the lithologic dissimilarity 

between these beds and those in the type locality of the Perdido Formation and informally called these rocks the 

Squares Tunnel beds. The Squares Tunnel unit is overlain by 

a lithologically diverse sequence consisting of megabreccia, 

conglomerate, pebbly mudstone, shale, siltstone, finegrained sandstone, and limestone that compose the upper 

part of the Perdido Formation as recognized by Ross (1966). 

These rocks are overlain by the Rest Spring Shale, which in

The three Mississippian lithofacies belts in east-central 

California are lithogenetically similar to, and originally were 

continuous with, those in southern Nevada. The present 

stratigraphic nomenclature in east-central California fails, 

however, to adequately reflect the differences between the 

units in these facies belts. The primary problem is that several lithologically distinct units have been assigned to a single formation, the Perdido Formation, and thus are not 

formally distinguished in the stratigraphic nomenclature.

The Perdido Formation was named by McAllister 

(1952) for a heterogeneous sequence of strata cropping out 

near Quartz Spring in the northern Cottonwood Mountains 

(fig. 1). In the area of Quartz Spring, the Perdido Formation 

consists of a diverse assemblage of carbonate rocks and 

quartzose sandstone and siltstone underlain by the Lower 

Mississippian Tin Mountain Limestone and overlain by the 

Upper Mississippian Rest Spring Shale (fig. 2). The Perdido 

Formation consists of two lithologically distinct facies: (1) a 

lower, dominantly carbonate facies composed primarily of 

micrite and black chert, some of it characterized by soft-sediment deformation, and limestone conglomerate, and (2) an 

upper, mostly siliciclastic facies composed of quartzose siltstone and sandstone, calcarenite, and limestone-intraclast 

conglomerate (McAllister, 1952; Langenheim and Tischler, 

1960; Klingman, 1987; Snow, 1990). Both of these facies 

also are present in the western Lee Flat area and in Ubehebe 

Mine Canyon (localities 7 and 9, fig. 1).

Stratigraphic confusion began when the name "Perdido 

Formation" was extended into areas where only one or neither of the two major facies exhibited at the Perdido type 

locality is present. For instance, the name "Perdido Formation" has been applied to sequences of interbedded micrite, 

chert, and minor silicified limestone at many localities 

southeast of the Inyo Mountains in the southeastern-facies 

belt, including the Santa Rosa Hills (Hall and MacKevett, 

1962) and the Argus Range (Hall, 1971) (fig. 1). Throughout a large area, this limestone facies of the Perdido Formation is overlain by a light-colored limestone unit, the Santa 

Rosa Hills Limestone of Dunne and others (1981), instead 

of quartzose siltstone and very fine grained sandstone as at 

the type locality. The name "Perdido Formation" also has 

been used in parts of the southeastern Inyo Mountains (Merriam, 1963) where quartzose siltstone and very fine grained
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA 111

sandstone are the only rocks present. Finally, Ross (1965, 

1966) applied the name "Perdido Formation" to an 

extremely heterogeneous assemblage of rocks in the 

Mazourka Canyon area in the western Inyo Mountains, 

where most of the rocks are very different from those in 

either of the major facies in the Quartz Spring area.

Although the concept of a heterogeneous assemblage of 

units at this stratigraphic level is useful, the confusion and 

lack of precision in the application of the name "Perdido Formation" indicate the need for a revision of the nomenclature. 

To resolve this problem, we here raise the Perdido Formation 

at its type locality to the rank of group composed of two new 

formations. The two new formations are the Leaning Rock 

Formation and the Mexican Spring Formation, encompassing the interval of dominantly limestone and quartzose sandstone and siltstone, respectively, which previously had been 

assigned to the Perdido Formation at its type locality. The 

limestone facies of the Perdido Formation as employed by 

many earlier workers for an interbedded micrite, silicified 

micrite, and chert interval in the southeastern facies-belt is 

herein named the Stone Canyon Limestone. The Upper 

Devonian Squares Tunnel Formation in the northwesternfacies belt is herein formally defined, and the name "Kearsarge Formation" is applied to an overlying sequence of Mississippian rocks. These latter two units comprise the rocks in 

the western Inyo Mountains originally assigned to the Perdido Formation by Ross (1965, 1966). The Kearsarge Formation contains two intervals of considerably different 

lithology and age and is, therefore, subdivided into two 

members, the Bee Member (Lower Mississippian) and the 

overlying Snowcaps Member (Upper Mississippian). All of 

these new units, correlated with their most comparable units 

in southern Nevada, are shown in figure 3. Locations of type 

or reference sections for these new units are shown in figure 

6. Descriptions of the type sections of the new formations, as 

well as a reference section for the Mexican Spring Formation, are given in appendix 2.

PERDIDO GROUP

The Perdido Group is composed of all the strata 

between the Tin Mountain Limestone and the Rest Spring 

Shale, the base of which is revised (later) at the type locality 

of the Perdido in the Quartz Spring area in the northern Panamint Range (McAllister, 1952). There, the Perdido consists 

of the Leaning Rock Formation and the overlying Mexican 

Spring Formation (fig. 3). Because the name "Perdido" is 

firmly entrenched in the geologic literature, we continue to 

employ this term, but only as a group name, to include all the 

strata in the central-facies belt present between the Tin 

Mountain Limestone and the Rest Spring Shale. Rocks in the 

southeastern facies-belt that heretofore were assigned to the 

Perdido are removed from the Perdido Group and are herein 

reassigned to the Stone Canyon Limestone. Rocks in the

northwestern-facies belt originally placed in the Perdido also 

are removed from the Perdido Group and are herein reassigned to the Squares Tunnel and Kearsarge Formations.

LEANING ROCK FORMATION

The Leaning Rock Formation is here named to comprise a sequence of interbedded, commonly deformed, 

dark-gray, cherty micrite, chert, mudstone, and shale that is 

well exposed in its type section about 1 km south of Rest 

Spring in the Quartz Spring area (fig.7). This formation, 

named for Leaning Rock Peak about 3 km southeast of the 

type section, is represented in the eastern part of the central-facies belt in the easternmost Inyo Mountains, the western Cottonwood Mountains, and the Talc City Hills (fig. 1).

The Leaning Rock Formation conformably overlies the 

Tin Mountain Limestone and is overlain, generally conformably, by the Mexican Spring Formation. The lower contact is 

placed at the base of the lowest bedded-chert unit in the dominantly limestone sequence. The upper contact is placed at 

the base of the lowest siltstone or sandstone in the overlying 

dominantly siliciclastic sequence.

In its type section, the Leaning Rock Formation is 83 m 

thick and is divided into three subunits (fig. 8). The lowest 

subunit (unit 1) is 7 m thick and consists of dark-gray chert, 

spiculite, micrite, and silicified micrite. The chert is in 

4-10-cm-thick beds and as irregularly shaped nodules. Horizontal grazing trails are uncommon, and macrofossils are 

limited to minute pelmatozoan debris. Unit 2 is 33 m thick 

and consists of reddish-brown-weathering, flaggy mudstone, 

thin- to medium-bedded, dark-gray, spiculiferous chert, and 

deformed submarine-slide masses composed of micrite and 

chert. Unit 3 is 43 m thick and consists mostly of thin- to 

medium-bedded, dark-gray, argillaceous micrite, silicified 

limestone, and spiculiferous chert; macrofossils include 

pelmatozoan debris and rare horn corals and brachiopod 

fragments. Throughout the formation, bioturbation features 

are common and include both horizontal grazing trails and 

vertical burrows. The Leaning Rock Formation thins 

abruptly northwestward so that at Bighorn Gap less than 4 

km northwest of the type section this formation is only 23 m 

thick. Abundant slump folds and other deformational features suggest that this formation was deposited primarily in 

a base-of-slope environment.

The Leaning Rock Formation is late Early Mississippian (Osagean) in age, and conodont faunas representing 

three of the four Osagean conodont zones (Lower typicus 

Zone, anchoralis-latus Zone, and mehli-Lower texanus 

Zone) have been recovered from the section of the formation 

exposed near Rest Spring (locality lOa) in the Quartz Spring 

area. The Lower typicus Zone has been recognized in sample 

QS-1 from the uppermost part of the Tin Mountain Limestone and in sample QS-2 from 0.1 m above the base of the 

Leaning Rock Formation (appendix 1). The younger
J12 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

118 

37W

'15' 118° 117°45' 117°30'

Independence 

15'quadrangle

Area of 

figure 12

Independence

36°45'

36°30'

36°15'

Bee Springs

Canyon 

7.5-minute 

quadrangle

V

Squares 

' Tunnel

Vaughn 

' Gulch

^/ Quartz 

Spring

Tin Mountain 

15'quadrangle

White Top 

Mountain 

7.5-minute 

quadrangle

New York Butte 

15'quadrangle

Mexican 

Spring

20 KILOMETERS

Area of 

figure 7

Panamint Butte 

15'quadrangle

Maturango Peak 

15'quadrangle

Figure 6. Map of east-central California showing locations of measured sections.
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J13

anchoralis-latus Zone has been recognized in sample 

QS-20,27 m above the base of the Leaning Rock Formation, 

and the we/z/r-Lower texanus Zone is in samples QS-25 and 

QS^9 in the upper part of the formation (fig. 8). A comparison of the Leaning Rock Formation near Rest Spring and 

Bighorn Gap, which are only about 4 km apart, shows that 

the formation becomes increasingly condensed northwestward. For instance, the rae/i/z-Lower texanus Zone is present 

in the Rest Spring section about 60 m above the base of the 

Leaning Rock Formation, but at Bighorn Gap it is only 19m 

above the base (sample BG-108). This condensed stratigraphic interval, representing slow sedimentation, is similar 

in age and paleogeographic position to that of the condensed 

Delle Phosphatic Member (of the Woodman Formation, 

Deseret Limestone, and Chainman Shale) in eastern Nevada 

and western Utah (Sandberg and Gutschick, 1984).

MEXICAN SPRING FORMATION

The Mexican Spring Formation is here named to comprise a dominantly quartzose siltstone and very fine grained 

sandstone sequence that is exposed in the southern and eastern Inyo Mountains, Talc City Hills, and northwestern Cottonwood Mountains (fig. 1). The type section of the Mexican 

Spring Formation is near Mexican Spring, for which the unit 

is named, in the southern Inyo Mountains, about 7 km northwest of the Cerro Gordo Mine in the southeastern part of the 

New York Butte 15-minute quadrangle (fig. 9). This section 

comprises rocks originally assigned to the Perdido Formation by Merriam (1963). In addition, we have designated a 

measured reference section for the Mexican Spring Formation near Rest Spring in the Quartz Spring area (fig. 8), 

where this unit lies above the type section of the Leaning 

Rock Formation.

At its type section, the Mexican Spring Formation 

unconformably overlies the Tin Mountain Limestone and is 

conformably overlain by the Rest Spring Shale. Here, the 

Mexican Spring Formation is 37 m thick and is composed 

entirely of brown-weathering, massive, highly bioturbated, 

calcareous, quartzose siltstone and very fine grained sandstone (Klingman, 1987). Elsewhere, the siliciclastic rocks 

commonly are interbedded with limestone-intraclast conglomerate. Primary sedimentary structures in the siltstone 

generally are obscure, although, locally, meandering horizontal grazing trails typical of middle slope environments 

(Gutschick and Sandberg, 1983) are numerous. The siliciclastic rocks consist of quartz and some feldspar, but virtually no chert grains, and about 15 percent carbonate cement 

and clay matrix. This formation commonly forms smooth, 

rounded slopes covered with brownish-orange rubble.

In the type section, the base and top of the Mexican 

Spring Formation are placed below and above the lowest 

and highest prominent siltstone or sandstone beds, respectively. The top of this new unit and the top of the Perdido

117°26'

Mrs

Mms

Mlr

Mtm

EXPLANATION 

Rest Spring Shale (Mississippian) 

Mexican Spring Formation (Mississippian) 

Leaning Rock Formation (Mississippian) 

Tin Mountain Limestone (Mississippian)

b___t Line of section b indicates base of section, t, top 

 Fault in section

Figure 7. Map showing outcrop relations and location of type section of the Leaning Rock Formation and reference section of the 

Mexican Spring Formation (Perdido Group) in the Quartz Spring 

area. See figure 6 for location of map area. Base from U.S. Geological Survey, l:62,500-scale, Tin Mountain quadrangle.

Group near Quartz Spring (in comparison with the upper 

contact of the Perdido Formation as defined by McAllister, 

1952) is lowered by about 3 m to exclude a very fine 

grained, ammonoid-bearing, argillaceous limestone that lies 

directly above the quartzose siliciclastic and bioclastic limestone sequence; these very fine grained rocks are reassigned 

to the Rest Spring Shale. This is a better lithologic boundary 

for the formation (and the group) because it can be recognized regionally and it represents a significant depositional 

change. Therefore, near Rest Spring (fig. 7) the upper contact of the formation is placed at the top of the highest siltstone, sandstone, or limestone turbidite bed below a thin 

bed of dark-gray, very fine grained, phosphatic limestone 

that forms the basal part of the dominantly dark-gray, carbonaceous Rest Spring Shale (fig. 8). The maximum thickness of the Mexican Spring Formation, about 100 m, is near 

Rest Spring.
J14 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

Rest Spring Shale

Mexican 

Spring 

Formation 

(97m)

Leaning 

Rock 

Formation

(83m)

Tin Mountain

Unit3 

(43m)

Unit 2 

(33m)

Unit 1 

(7m)

FAULT

** . \ 1 . . " ." * ' ' . " *

 '-.-. .' ; : ; VTT"'. ' '. ' ; "' '-.

 '.-'^T. '.- .'- IT-.:V-

' .' '". ." ' rp ;'.' - ;' .'.

 ' -.' : i:-X' :.:{: " 

r . i .1 .'r i :

. i . i . i .

i i i i 

. i . i . i .

i iii

AtlTltit^ i i i i i . i i . i .

| CS | d 1 «=s 1 d 1 d

. . . . 1 .

1 1 1

.A. A. .A. A.

1 1 1 1

i ^ i ^ i ^ i

. . | . | . | .

1

 H 

. i . i . i . .

Ki Hi Hi

^^^^^

C=> d C=> | CT>

. | . | . | | .

^^^^^

S^XX\VM3C<^

^^S^^^

_ .- _

1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

Fossil 

sample

 QS-42

..

QS-31,-32,-37;

SJSU-1091

Lio zy 

EXF

 QS-24,-25 . -

^^ ^^ 1 impstnnp n

-1

1 Thin-bedded

L- ' L-1 wackesto

. . . . . |

 . .-^- ' ..-^\ , _

.....

 '. " !-!- . . . ' ; -' .'.

 | t | L | L ! L | L 1_

. . . . | . .

. . " ' ^^' " -S-T " * 1 T' . .

di di di di c^>

Ci <=2 ^i Ci 1 C^> <^i

 -.' --^'. '..' - :--'T^"-.'

. . . . .

' . ' -r-'. ' :': :.- :'rX ' '

-..-.^-.- :-- -r^--..

:' -^'- ' '.- ' '. -^' : 

.- , { ' -

. i

-.--^ ...' .- ..^- -.

. i

. . . . j .

 "-. -. "- ' . '. ':'' "'' " ' 

 k^.. :-.-V.-.:ui----;

'. :' :':'. : ::^r- ':' " :/:' 

d d d d d

o d cr> cr> | d d

ililililili

1

lllilil ilil

FAULT

>LANATION

ium-bedded calcarenite

>nglomerate

lime mudstone and 

ne

Fossil 

sample

 RSC-3 

 RSC-1

 V^O &*T

 QS-90 

 QS-84, -85

T 10 METERS

-L-0-

 QS-59

 QS-49

X<^g Deformed thin-bedded lime 

IX^r-w^-M mudstone

t1 t1 Nodular chert

 " Interbedded chert and lime mudstone

1- ^ ^-" and wackestone

 _lj_: . Calcareous siltstone

"; r : T Mudstone

QS-2 E |

_ QS-1 ^T Black shale
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J15

Although fossils have not been recovered from its type 

section, numerous fossils recovered from its reference section show that the Mexican Spring Formation spans almost 

the entire Meramecian (lower Upper Mississippian). Based 

on macrofossils, McAllister (1952) and Langenheim and 

Tischler (1960) previously suggested a Late Mississippian 

age for the rocks herein assigned to the Mexican Spring Formation in the Quartz Spring area. Conodonts from a sediment-gravity-flow deposit in the lower part of the reference 

section (locality lOa, sample QS-59, fig. 8) probably are 

early Meramecian in age, and throughout much of the 

section, limestone turbidite interbeds within the unit (samples QS^2, QS-84, QS-90, fig. 8) contain middle Meramecian foraminifers. Conodonts from the uppermost part of the 

section (sample QS-94, fig. 8) are late Meramecian in age, 

and a transported brachiopod recovered from the highest 

limestone sediment-gravity-flow deposit near Rest Spring 

was similarly interpreted as late Meramecian in age by 

Mackenzie Gordon, Jr. (written commun., 1980). Finally, 

the presence of transported Zone IIIA or IIIB corals in sample SJS-1091 and conodonts of the meW/-Lower texanus 

Zone in sample QS-37 (upper Osagean) in the underlying 

Leaning Rock Formation and Lower Cavusgnathus Zone 

conodonts in the basal part of the overlying Rest Spring 

Shale (sample RSC-1), interpreted as Meramecian in age 

here but as Chesterian by Gordon (1964) and Alan Titus 

(oral commun., 1994) on the basis of ammonoids, suggests 

that the Mexican Spring Formation here is entirely Meramecian in age.

The siltstone and very fine grained sandstone of the 

Mexican Spring Formation were deposited in a relatively 

deep water environment, similar to that of the prodeltaic part 

of the Humbug Formation in Utah, when a eustatic sea level 

fall exposed much of the carbonate platform in the western 

United States (Sandberg and others, 1983). The high degree 

of bioturbation indicates that this depositional setting was 

well oxygenated.

STONE CANYON LIMESTONE

The Stone Canyon Limestone is here named to comprise a sequence of thinly interbedded, dark-gray, cherty 

limestone, chert, and mostly silicified micrite beds that is 

well exposed about 0.5 km north of Stone Canyon, for which 

the unit is named, on the east flank of the Argus Range (fig. 

10); these exposures are designated as the type section for 

the formation. Locally the Stone Canyon Limestone contains 

micrite, calcarenite, and rarely limestone conglomerate. This

Figure 8 (facing page). Type section of the Leaning Rock Formation and reference section of the Mexican Spring Formation 

(Perdido Group) in the Quartz Spring area showing positions of fossil samples. Fault along line of section shown in figure 7 repeats the 

section as indicated.

formation is widely distributed and has been mapped 

throughout east-central California from the Santa Rosa Hills 

and eastern Cottonwood Mountains eastward to the Death 

Valley-Furnace Creek fault zone and southward to the Garlock fault (fig. 1).

The Stone Canyon Limestone conformably overlies the 

Tin Mountain Limestone and is conformably overlain by the 

Santa Rosa Hills Limestone. The lower contact of the Stone 

Canyon Limestone is placed at the base of the lowest bedded 

chert interval in the limestone sequence; the upper contact is 

placed where the limestone becomes much lighter gray, 

more massive, coarser grained, and more pelmatozoan rich 

with much less chert. The most characteristic feature of the 

Stone Canyon Limestone is its thin interbedding of 

dark-gray limestone, chert, and silicified micrite. This formation is distinguished from the overlying Santa Rosa Hills 

Limestone and from the underlying Tin Mountain Limestone 

by the alternation of these different rock types and by the 

browner appearance of its weathered outcrops.

117°50'

EXPLANATION 

Rest Spring Shale (Mississippian)

Mexican Spring Formation (Mississippian) 

Tin Mountain Limestone (Mississippian) 

Line of section t indicates top of section

Figure 9. Map showing outcrop relations and location of the type 

section of the Mexican Spring Formation. See figure 6 for location 

of map area. Geology modified from Merriam (1971). Base from 

U.S. Geological Survey, l:62,500-scale, New York Butte 

quadrangle.
J16 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

117°26'

Msrh

Msc

Mtm

Dlb

EXPLANATION

Santa Rosa Hills Limestone (Mississippian) 

Stone Canyon Limestone (Mississippian) 

Tin Mountain Limestone (Mississippian) 

Lost Burro Formation (Devonian)

b t Line of section b indicates base of section, t, top

Figure 10. Map showing outcrop relations and location of the type 

section of the Stone Canyon Limestone. See figure 6 for location of 

map area. Geology modified from Hall (1971). Base from U.S. Geological Survey, l:62,500-scale, Panamint Butte and Maturango Peak 

quadrangles.

At its type section, the Stone Canyon Limestone is 107 

m thick and comprises three subunits (fig. 11). The lower 

subunit (unit 1) is 16m thick and consists of approximately 

40 percent thin- to medium-bedded, dark-gray micrite and 

wackestone, 45 percent brown-weathering, dark-gray, spiculitic chert (both as irregular beds 1-15 cm thick and as nodules), and 15 percent orangish-brown-weathering, thin- to 

medium-bedded, dark-gray, spiculiferous, silicified micrite. 

Macrofossils other than scattered pelmatozoan ossicles are 

sparse in these rocks.

Unit 2 is 55 m thick and consists of the same lithologic 

components as unit 1, but chert is much less abundant, occurring only as discontinuous lenses and nodules.

Santa Rosa Hills 

Limestone

Stone 

Canyon 

Limestone 

(107m)

Unit3 

(36m)

Unit 2 

(55m)

Unitl 

(16m)

Tin Mountain Limestone

I I

. . . .

I A. A. A. A.

 . .

A. A. A. .A.

 

. - ; T : " 

 . .

 * * ! * 

. . . .

^ i ^ ^

i

A. A. A. A. -*. A. A.

A i A i A

^ I ^

I

^ I ^

I I

I I A. -A. A. -A.

I I

.*..*..*._ .

^ I * I ^

A. A. -A. A.

A | A | A

A. A. A. A.

I I

A. A. A. A.

A I A *.

A. A. A. A.

A. A. A.

A. A. A. A.

I

Jk. *. A. A.

A. A. A.

^. A. A. A.

A A I A

Fossil 

sample

MM-2 

MM-1

-,-10 METERS

EXPLANATION

Massive, light-gray limestone 

Thin- to medium-bedded calcarenite

Thin-bedded lime mudstone and

wackestone 

Thin-bedded, silicified lime mudstone

Interbedded chert and lime mudstone

Figure 11. Type section of the Stone Canyon Limestone showing positions of fossil samples. Location of type section is shown 

in figure 10.
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J17

^>?m:^^ { ^mm*^,-, 

, - ---A^wr/svdK'i'A' i, ^^ms^^^\ *\:/^\'<\rfj !. l .~VV

^iSliK v-

"''/.' 1 ^ S ! /

.'<S7^lV-> ^T^i i^Tfe

?\ <-.n ;- ;!/j^\\\\ \(! ^ \^§^->L^\ j f'.'>*^'.'.=.. x \/^Vil> j1 ^??^^ H^^ill*Ni^l"'^*^rs^lSf'v/rtf^-^.? ' /1' i ";? ?J/ VlTSX

"^ t""ON\li/' ^-'iiiJsCsr r ) i ^^(.^li^v^^i^^fei'.r^x

^^r^^r/.n , pJ ,-^:r/ n ll ;fij'C !U!\''-"ri^ 1 l^rir^JS J-."; ;-JL4r^_/^VX^'.^ 4 > i=wi _ J! -VXC/^f 2-v :'^V^r-,r 5V\ ^" -. i r^" .'^- .^T ^^^\1 ^g^^ll;S^r^^-

.. ;_- ^^HT- s--^- -T^T^ -t~r r-v^v/'iU \:!'&^.-:~r\ d-^vT -v- ^'^<^i7*i?pi'\3i^® =7" v- »' ""'N i^fV^'1!:-'J*S^TJ,

U i "vtars^9e \t?x ^Sf«.Sv^^^

,, ^^''4-

'\ ,^"' ^'\ '« "\ Jv^vlrs , -JJ-K^

,^- I, -^ ^ > i ><J ' ' ' ^ifcS 'V « '. / :_>, :T>-i--~:a --- ^-~i?

"~~\ ;! -.- ' , / t^U S?s-4t /vj ', > x<VCV-^S;:v5-

 ..^t| ^^-/-^K^.^4^^^^

2 KILOMETERS

Qa

Mrs

Mk

Dst

DSvg

EXPLANATION

Alluvium (Quaternary)

Rest Spring Shale (Mississippian)

Kearsarge Formation (Mississippian)

Squares Tunnel Formation (Devonian) Dashed line is marker 

bed along which section is offset

Vaughn Gulch Limestone (Devonian? and Silurian)

-t Line of section b indicates base of section, t, top

Unit 3, which is 36 m thick, consists of dark-gray 

micrite and wackestone, similar to those lithologies in unit 1, 

silicified micrite, and discontinuous lenses and nodules of 

chert. Beds and lenses of light- to medium-gray-weathering, 

pelmatozoan-rich, bioclastic limestone differentiates unit 3 

from unit 2. This rock type becomes increasingly abundant 

upward through unit 3.

The Stone Canyon Limestone thickens northwestward 

from 107 m at its type section in the Argus Range to 456 m 

in the Santa Rosa Hills (Dunne and others, 1981). Farther 

north and west the formation interfingers with the much thinner, more heterogeneous Leaning Rock Formation.

In Cotton wood Canyon, a reference section 417 m thick 

is designated for the Stone Canyon Limestone. It is composed mostly of dark-gray, thin- to medium-bedded micrite, 

black chert, and brown-weathering, silicified micrite. For a 

more detailed description of the Cottonwood Canyon section, see Stevens and others (1995).

We interpret the Stone Canyon Limestone to have accumulated mostly as a relatively deep ramp or upper slope 

deposit. Unit 1 at the type section probably was deposited in 

a relatively deep water environment. In the Santa Rosa Hills 

and eastern Darwin Hills, temporally equivalent rocks contain several limestone turbidite and debris-flow beds. Unit 2 

at the type section is similar to unit 1 except that it contains 

less chert. Unit 3 is intermediate in composition between unit 

2 and the pelmatozoan-rich Santa Rosa Hills Limestone 

above. Thus, units 2 and 3 represent a shallowing-upward 

sequence deposited initially in deep water but later aggrading to above storm-wave base.

The three highest of the four Osagean conodont zones 

are represented in the Stone Canyon Limestone in the reference section designated in Cottonwood Canyon: the Upper 

typicus Zone (sample PD-17), the anchoralis-latus Zone 

(samples CC-1 and CC-4), and the meW/-Lower texanus 

Zone (sample CC-6). Because the Lower typicus Zone has 

been recognized in sample QS-1 from the uppermost part of 

the Tin Mountain Limestone and in sample QS-2 from 0.1 

m above the Tin Mountain in the Leaning Rock Formation 

near Rest Spring and the next younger Upper typicus Zone is 

recognized in sample PD-17 from only 1 m above the Tin 

Mountain Limestone near the base of the Stone Canyon 

Limestone at Cottonwood Canyon, the zonal boundary 

between the Lower and Upper typicus Zones evidently is just 

above the top of the Tin Mountain Limestone.

Figure 12 (facing column). Map showing outcrop relations and 

location of the type sections of the Squares Tunnel Formation (top) 

and the Kearsarge Formation (bottom). See figure 6 for location of 

map area. Base from U.S. Geological Survey, l:62,500-scale, Independence quadrangle.
J18 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

SQUARES TUNNEL FORMATION AND 

KEARSARGE FORMATION

In a study of the Independence quadrangle on the west 

slope of the Inyo Mountains, Ross (1965, 1966) assigned all 

of the rocks above the Silurian and Lower Devonian(?) 

Vaughn Gulch Limestone and the partially coeval Sunday 

Canyon Formation and below the Upper Mississippian Rest 

Spring Shale to the Perdido Formation. This stratigraphic 

assignment was based on the lithologic heterogeneity of the 

rocks, a characteristic McAllister (1952) gave for the Perdido Formation at its type locality. Most of the rock types in 

the western Inyo Mountains bear little resemblance, however, to those McAllister (1952) included in the Perdido Formation. In addition, geologic mapping and dating (Stevens 

and Ridley, 1974; Stevens, 1986; this report) show that the 

distinctive lowermost part of this sequence contains Famennian (late Late Devonian) fossils and that only the upper part

Vaughn Gulch

Kearsarge Formation 

(153.5m)

Snowcaps Member 

(140m)

Unit 5 

(47 m)

Unit 4 

(32.5 m)

UnitS 

(29m)

Unit 2 

(18m)

Unitl 

(13.5m)

Bee Member 

(13.5m)

Squares Tunnel Formation 

(10m)

Vaughn Gulch 

Limestone

Fossil 

sample 

VGI

20-^ 

19 

3A 

o

o __

1 

o o | o

____ _____

o o | o

0 0 1 0

Q 010

0 010

0 | 0 | 0

o o | o

 

 

1 1

. 1 . 1 .

1 1 1

 1 1

 . 1 .

 1 1

 1 1 . 1 1 1 . 1 . 1

innn_"zn^tj^~

--^F^-J-J-J-Lr

 i 

0 | 0 | 0

1 . 1 . 1 .

0 | 0 | 0 | 0

oV o

o U O °

^$^$2 $£zs^t

1 1 

 

Conodont 

Zone

6/7/neattvsUpper 

Cavusgnatfjus

Lower 

Cavi/sgrnatf)i/s

Lower 

crenulata

posters

is Mississippian in age. On the basis of data now available, 

we propose two new formations to encompass the rocks previously assigned to the Perdido Formation in this area. 

The lower part of the sequence, the Squares Tunnel Formation, is herein described, and the upper part of the 

sequence is herein named the Kearsarge Formation. Type 

sections of both formations are in the Mazourka Canyon area 

on the western flank of the Inyo Mountains near Independence, California (figs. 1,6). The type section of the Squares 

Tunnel Formation (fig. 12) is on a ridge 1 km north-northeast 

of Squares Tunnel; the type section of the Kearsarge Formation (fig. 12) is on the ridge south of Vaughn Gulch.

SQUARES TUNNEL FORMATION

The Squares Tunnel Formation, the rocks of which 

originally were informally referred to as the Squares Tunnel 

beds by Stevens and Ridley (1974), is composed primarily of

EXPLANATION

O

Boulder conglomerate

Limestone conglomerate

Fine- to coarse-grained limestone

Black shale

Quartzose siltstone

Chert and silicified argillite

-r- 20 METERS

-L- 0

Squares Tunnel area

O O Q

I I

Unit 2 (7m)

Unitl 

(63m)

Figure 13. Type sections of the Squares Tunnel Formation (Squares Tunnel area) and Kearsarge Formation (Vaughn Gulch) showing 

positions of fossil samples. Location of type sections is shown in figure 12.
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J19

black chert and siliceous argillite and is exposed discontinuously along the western slopes of the Inyo Mountains. This 

unit also has been reported in the Last Chance Range, California, by Casteel (1986) and in the northern Grapevine 

Mountains (Mitch Casteel, oral commun., 1992). Although 

not formally proposed, this name was used in a chart by Boucot and Potter (1977). We here formally name the Squares 

Tunnel Formation and designate a type section for the unit 

near Squares Tunnel, for which the unit is named, in the 

Mazourka Canyon area in the western Inyo Mountains.

The Squares Tunnel Formation unconformably overlies 

the Silurian and Lower Devonian(?) Vaughn Gulch Limestone and is unconformably overlain by the Mississippian 

Kearsarge Formation. The Squares Tunnel Formation is 

divided into two subunits at its type section north-northeast 

of Squares Tunnel (fig. 13), a lower, dominantly chert and 

argillite unit (unit 1) 63 m thick and an upper, conglomeratic 

limestone unit (unit 2) about 7 m thick. Unit 1 consists of 

black argillite and impure chert in beds commonly 2-8 cm 

thick. Some of the chert beds contain distinctive light-gray 

stringers and (or) blebs as thick as 1 cm that were determined 

by Ross (1966) to be phosphatic. Unit 2 consists of conglomeratic limestone that contains clasts as long as 12 cm composed of limestone and, locally, of argillite and chert 

apparently derived from unit 1.

In its type section, the Squares Tunnel Formation occupies a channel cut deeply into the underlying Silurian and 

Lower Devonian(?) Vaughn Gulch Limestone (Stevens and 

Ridley, 1974). The basal contact is marked by a pebble conglomerate less than 1 m thick composed of clasts of limestone and black chert as much as 8 cm across in a 

medium-gray limestone matrix.

Southwestward along the ridge from the type section 

toward Squares Tunnel, the Squares Tunnel Formation thins 

abruptly due to onlap of the unit against the western margin 

of the channel, and all the black chert and argillite of its unit 

1 is missing near the south end of the ridge, 0.3 km south of 

the type section. The upper contact of the Squares Tunnel 

Formation is placed at the base of a megabreccia that forms 

the basal part of the Kearsarge Formation.

North of Water Canyon, 8.5 km north of its type section, rocks that we questionably assign to the Squares Tunnel 

Formation consist primarily of siliceous, slaty siltstone (Ridley, 1971). These rocks appear to be conformable with the 

underlying Silurian and Devonian Sunday Canyon Formation. The contact between the Sunday Canyon Formation 

and the beds questionably assigned to the Squares Tunnel 

Formation is placed between lower calcareous and upper 

noncalcareous beds, in the same position that Ross (1966) 

placed the contact between the Sunday Canyon and Perdido 

Formations.

At the south end of the outcrop belt of the Squares 

Tunnel Formation, in the bottom of Vaughn Gulch, a large 

mass of folded, thin-bedded, black chert containing phosphatic eyelets and stringers, essentially identical to the most

distinctive rock type at the type section, is well exposed. 

The folding is interpreted here to represent soft-sediment 

deformation, and the entire outcrop may represent a large, 

submarine landslide. On the ridge south of Vaughn Gulch, a 

50-m-thick sequence of thin-bedded, fine-grained, darkcolored limestone and chert and thin beds of limestone conglomerate, which may be assignable to the Squares Tunnel, 

overlies the unconformity at the top of the Silurian and 

Devonian(?) Vaughn Gulch Limestone.

We interpret the Squares Tunnel Formation to be 

entirely Late Devonian in age. A Devonian fish plate has 

been reported from float (Stevens and Ridley, 1974), and 

Late Devonian (Famennian) radiolarians identified by Benita Murchey were recovered from the type section near 

Squares Tunnel (Stevens and others, 1995) (sample S-0654, 

appendix 1). We also have recovered conodonts of the 

postera Zone from a thin micritic limestone lens or concretion in Vaughn Gulch (sample VGI-1), narrowing the age of 

this part of the Squares Tunnel Formation to the late Famennian (fig. 5). Eifelian (early Middle Devonian) conodonts 

have been recovered from the older Sunday Canyon Formation (Stevens and Ridley, 1974), and late Kinderhookian 

conodonts have been recovered from the overlying Kearsarge Formation (sample VGI-2). Temporally and lithogenetically, the Squares Tunnel Formation correlates with the 

upper parts of the western-fades Slaven Chert and transitional-facies Woodruff Formation, which also contain black 

chert and phosphatic nodules, in central Nevada.

We interpret the Squares Tunnel Formation to have 

been deposited primarily in deep-water submarine channels 

locally cut at least 125 m deep into the slope deposits of an 

Early to Middle Devonian carbonate platform. This interpretation is based on the following evidence: (1) the Vaughn 

Gulch Limestone into which the channels were cut is a relatively deep water unit, (2) the Squares Tunnel Formation 

itself is characterized by radiolarian chert and argillite, and 

(3) in situ conodonts in a micritic concretion or limestone 

lens (sample VGI-1) represent the moderately deep water 

palmatolepid-polygnathid biofacies (Sandberg and Dreesen, 

1984) (fig. 4).

KEARSARGE FORMATION

The Kearsarge Formation is here named to comprise a 

heterogeneous assemblage of Mississippian rocks exposed 

in Mazourka Canyon in the western Inyo Mountains. This 

unit also is present in the Tinemaha Reservoir area and the 

Last Chance Range, California (fig. 1). It is named for the 

site of a railroad station that once stood next to the Mazourka 

Canyon road in the Bee Springs Canyon 7.5-minute quadrangle near the town of Independence (fig. 6). The Kearsarge 

Formation generally rests on the Upper Devonian Squares 

Tunnel Formation, but locally it rests upon the underlying 

Vaughn Gulch Limestone. Extending from its type section 

on the ridge south of Vaughn Gulch northward to Johnson
J20 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

NW

Outer limestone 

subfacies belt

Indian 

Springs

Central limestonesubfacies belt

Trough Spring

and 

Lee Canyon

Inner limestonesubfacies belt

SE

Mountain Springs 

Pass

Potosi 

Mine

EXPLANATION

Limestone

Dolomite © © Colonial corals 

Missing section turb? Turbidites? 

Abundant chert beds and nodules n. Normal fault

Middle Meramecian Early Meramecian

EXPLANATION

Formational boundary 

- Age boundary

-r 100 METERS

-50

10 20 KILOMETERS

H

Figure 14. Stratigraphic sections from Indian Springs to Potosi Mine, Nevada. Location of sections shown in figure 1. Modified from Stevens and others (1995). A, Formational units, some important environmental indicators, and generalized lithology. 

B, Interpreted deepening and shallowing trends, time lines, and the position of time-significant fossil samples as indicated by the 

following numbers: 1, PO-5; 2, YPC^l; 3, SM-12; 4, LC-YP-3; 5, LC-BU-8; 6, LC-AN-1; 7, TS-AN-14; 8, DCF-1; 9, 

ISD-1; 10, IST-BU-1; 11, ISS-31; 12, IST-1; 13, ISS-26; 14, ISB-AN-1B; 15, ISS-12; 16, ISS-11. Middle Osagean = Upper 

typicus and anchoralis-latus Zones.
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J21

Spring (fig. 1), the lower contact of the Kearsarge Formation 

is placed at the base of a megabreccia containing large 

blocks and boulders of limestone and quartzite. Farther 

north, the lower contact is placed provisionally at the base of 

the lowest pebbly mudstone in the sequence. If the age of a 

thin sequence of siliceous, slaty siltstone below the lowest 

pebbly mudstone should be determined as Mississippian, the 

contact of the Kearsarge Formation should be lowered to 

include these beds. The Kearsarge Formation is conformably 

overlain by the Rest Spring Shale. Following Ross (1966) in 

his placement of the lower contact of the Rest Spring Shale, 

we place the upper contact of the Kearsarge Formation 

(= lower contact of the Rest Spring) at the top of the highest 

major limestone or sandstone bed in this part of the 

sequence. The Kearsarge Formation ranges from about 47 to 

154 m in thickness in the Mazourka Canyon area (Ridley, 

1971).

In its type section, the Kearsarge Formation is 153.5 m 

thick and consists of two members (fig. 13). The lower member, here named the Bee Member after Bee Springs in the 

lower Mazourka Canyon area, consists of a 13.5-m-thick 

basal megabreccia. The upper member, here named the 

Snowcaps Member for the Snowcaps Mine near the mouth 

of Mazourka Canyon, comprises five subunits, in ascending 

order: a 13.5-m-thick sequence of calcareous turbidites (unit 

1), a 18-m-thick quartzose siltstone unit (unit 2), a 

29-m-thick black shale unit (unit 3), a 32.5-m-thick sequence 

of resistant limestone turbidites (unit 4), and a 47-m-thick 

sequence of interbedded black shale, limestone debris-flow 

deposits, and turbidites (unit 5).

The Bee Member (megabreccia) in its type section, 

which is designated as the same as part of the type section of 

the Kearsarge Formation on the ridge south of Vaughn 

Gulch, contains blocks and boulders of quartzite and limestone and some chert clasts (Ridley, 1971). Some quartzite 

boulders are 1 m in diameter, and many show prominent 

crossbedding. Some of the limestone blocks, containing 

"two-hole" crinoid ossicles of late Early to early Middle 

Devonian age (Johnson and others, 1968), are as large as 13 

m. The relatively uncommon chert clasts are as long as 6 cm. 

The matrix consists of medium-gray calcarenite that has 

yielded Lower crenulata Zone (Kinderhookian) conodonts 

(sample VGI-2). This demonstrates that the time of 

emplacement of this unit was not before late Kinderhookian 

(Early Mississippian) time, which is here regarded as the age 

of the member.

The overlying Snowcaps Member of Late Mississippian age, the type section of which is designated as the same 

as part of the type section of the Kearsarge Formation on the 

ridge south of Vaughn Gulch, comprises five subunits. Unit 

1 is exposed only on the south side of Vaughn Gulch where 

it consists of several thick, graded, bioclastic limestone beds.

Unit 2 is composed of quartzose siltstone that weathers 

orangish brown. This rock type consists mostly of quartz silt 

and 9-15 percent potassium feldspar (Donald Peters, written

commun., 1989). The lithologic character of the rocks comprising this unit suggests that it may be a tongue of the Mexican Spring Formation, which is present in the southeastern 

Inyo Mountains about 30 km to the southeast.

Unit 3 is composed of black shale and argillite that contain abundant horizontal grazing trails. Rocks of this unit are 

similar to, although harder and apparently more siliceous 

than, those that compose the lower part of the overlying Rest 

Spring Shale.

Unit 4 consists of 32.5 m of amalgamated limestone turbidites, some of which show Tab Bouma divisions and others 

only T^. Individual beds as thick as 1 m characteristically 

consist of a medium-gray-weathering, normally graded, 

crinoidal calcarenite lower part and a brown-weathering, 

laminated upper part containing abundant quartz silt.

Unit 5 consists of black shale interbedded with two 

limestone debris-flow beds containing clasts of dark chert 

and several normally graded, locally channelized, bioclastic 

limestone turbidite beds 0.5-1.5 m thick.

Unit 4 and the limestones in unit 5 evidently pinch out 

within a very short distance north and west of Vaughn 

Gulch; where the limestones in units 4 and 5 are not present, 

unit 3 is virtually indistinguishable lithologically from the 

Rest Spring Shale. The Bee Member and unit 2 of the Snowcaps Member are recognizable extending from their type 

sections for about 10 km northward to a point just north of 

Johnson Spring (fig. 1), where they apparently pinch out. 

Farther north, for instance in Al Rose Canyon (fig. 1) in the 

northern part of Mazourka Canyon about 13 km north of 

Vaughn Gulch, Donald Peters (written commun., 1989) has 

recognized in the Kearsarge Formation several different rock 

types bioclastic calcarenite and calcarenite containing 

large amounts of quartz silt; chert-pebble conglomerate; 

pebbly mudstone in which the clasts are composed of mudstone, chert, and angular quartz; and black shale. These different rock types are complexly interbedded, and only the 

quartz silt-bearing beds and black shale closely resemble 

rocks of the Kearsarge Formation at its type section. In Al 

Rose Canyon, many of the mudstone and chert clasts in these 

rocks evidently have been reworked from the underlying 

Squares Tunnel Formation or from the lower part of the 

Kearsarge Formation (Ridley, 1971; Donald Peters, written 

commun., 1989), but some may have been derived ultimately from the Antler erogenic belt to the northwest. 

Although these rocks in the northern part of Mazourka Canyon are quite different from those in the southern part of the 

canyon, all are here included in the Kearsarge Formation 

because facies change across very short distances and it is 

impractical to apply separate names to each facies.

Unit 1 of the Snowcaps Member contains conodonts of 

the Lower Cavusgnathus Zone (sample VGI-7) and thus is 

Meramecian in age. Unit 2 is lithologically correlative with 

the Meramecian Mexican Spring Formation at its type 

section, and unit 4 yielded late Meramecian conodonts 

(samples VGI-3 and VGI-3A) correlative with the upper-
J22 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

most part of the Mexican Spring Formation in the Quartz 

Spring area. Stevens and Ridley (1974) reported a conodont 

(Cavusgnathus altus), considered to indicate Chesterian age, 

from one of the highest limestone beds in the Kearsarge Formation south of Johnson Spring (Ridley, 1971), and sample 

VGI-20 from the uppermost part of unit 5 in the type section 

yielded Chesterian conodonts of the bilineatus-Upper 

Cavusgnathus Zone. Thus, the Kearsarge Formation apparently includes all of Meramecian time and extends into the 

early Chesterian. Because the Bee Member apparently is of 

Kinderhookian age, Osagean beds evidently are not present 

in the type section of the Kearsarge Formation.

COMPARISON OF MISSISSIPPIAN

STRATIGRAPHY AND

STRATIGRAPHIC NOMENCLATURE

IN SOUTHERN NEVADA AND

EAST-CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

Three major Mississippian lithofacies belts the southeastern, central, and northwestern are readily recognizable 

in both southern Nevada and east-central California. Within 

these belts, especially the southeastern-facies belt, the stratigraphic and lithologic similarities between the two areas are 

striking.

SOUTHEASTERN-FACIES BELT

Throughout east-central California and southern 

Nevada, a Mississippian limestone sequence, representing 

an extensive carbonate platform, rests on Devonian carbonate sequences. In both areas, this southeastern-facies belt can 

be subdivided into three subfacies belts (Stevens and others, 

1995) that have been called the outer limestone-subfacies 

belt, the central limestone-subfacies belt, and the inner limestone-subfacies belt (figs. 14,15). The generally lowest Mississippian units, the Dawn Limestone (in Nevada) and the 

Tin Mountain Limestone (in California), in all three subfacies belts consist of medium- to dark-gray limestone that 

ranges in age from Kinderhookian into early Osagean. In all 

areas, these rocks are shallow-water carbonate-platform 

deposits. The overlying Anchor Limestone (in Nevada) and 

the Stone Canyon Limestone (in California) are both distinguished by medium- to dark-gray micrite that contains an 

abundance of interbedded chert and silicified micrite beds 

and lenses. Deposition of these strata, which accumulated in 

outer platform environments in the inner limestone-subfacies belt and in lower slope environments in the central and 

outer limestone-subfacies belts, began in early Osagean time 

near the boundary between the Upper and Lower typicus 

Zones. These are the deepest water rocks in the sequence and 

correlate temporally with the Delle Phosphatic Member (of 

the Woodman Formation, Deseret Limestone, and Chainman 

Shale) in Utah and Nevada, which has been interpreted as

representing a deep-water environment by some authors 

(Sandberg and Gutschick, 1984), or a shallow-water environment by others (Nichols and Silberling, 1990). In both 

east-central California and southern Nevada, this unit thickens greatly to the margin of the platform, and its uppermost 

part becomes much younger, as shown in the stratigraphic 

cross sections drawn for eastern California (fig. 14) and 

southern Nevada (fig. 15).

In southern Nevada the upper part of the Mississippian 

limestone sequence is composed of two formations, the Bullion and Yellowpine Limestones, whereas in California only 

one formation, the Santa Rosa Hills Limestone, is recognized. Generally, the Santa Rosa Hills Limestone is light 

gray and highly crinoidal, similar to the Bullion Limestone, 

although in the northeastern Cottonwood Mountains it is 

dark gray and appears to be quite fine grained. In this latter 

area, the Santa Rosa Hills Limestone is more similar to the 

Yellowpine Limestone. The Bullion Limestone, lower part 

of the Yellowpine Limestone, and Santa Rosa Hills Limestone were interpreted by Stevens and others (1995) to be 

progradational units on the basis of their sedimentologic and 

paleontologic characteristics and the age relationships 

shown in figures 14 and 15. The character of the progradation of these shallow-water facies, composed primarily of 

bioclastic limestone, across the platform from the middle 

Osagean to the earliest Meramecian also can be shown in 

map view (figs. 16-18). As shown on these maps, by early 

Meramecian time shallow-water deposits had prograded to 

near the margin of the platform. In both east-central California and southern Nevada, carbonate sedimentation ceased, 

probably in the middle Meramecian (Stevens and others, 

1991, 1995), because of a sea-level fall that led to development of a widespread karst plain throughout the western 

United States (Sandberg and others, 1983). Later, near the 

end of the Mississippian, the carbonate platform was covered by the dominantly siliciclastic Indian Springs Formation, upon which Pennsylvanian limestones were deposited 

as part of a transgression that began in Chesterian time 

(Poole and Sandberg, 1991).

Although similar in most respects, the sequences deposited in southern Nevada and east-central California differ in 

scale. The sequence in California is almost twice as thick as 

that in Nevada, and the original distance, after accounting for 

thrust faulting, separating the inner limestone-subfacies and 

outer limestone-subfacies belts apparently was much greater 

in Nevada than that in California.

CENTRAL-FACIES BELT

The details of the central-facies belt in east-central California and southern Nevada are somewhat different. Upper 

Devonian carbonate sequences underlie the Mississippian 

rocks in each area, but in parts of southern Nevada the mixed 

siliciclastic and calciclastic Narrow Canyon Formation, 

which apparently has no counterpart in California, was 

deposited during earliest Mississippian time. The succeeding
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J23

NW

Quartzose siltstonefacies belt

Outer limestonesubfacies belt

Santa Rosa 

Hills

Central limestone-subfacies belt

Rest Spring 

Gulch

Bighorn 

Gap

Mexican

Spring

Formation

Cottonwood 

Canyon

Stone 

Canyon

SE

Inner limestonesubfacies belt

Knight 

Canyon

EXPLANATION

Siltstone

Limestone

Dolomite

Abundant chert beds and nodules

XXC^ Crossbedding

© © Colonial corals

turb Turbidites

B

Mexican

Spring

Formation

EXPLANATION

Formational boundary 

Age boundary

-pi 00 METERS

-50

10 20 KILOMETERS

0

Figure 15. Strati graphic sections from Bighorn Gap to Knight Canyon, California. Location of sections shown in figure 1. Modified 

from Stevens and others (1995). A, Formational units, some important environmental indicators, and generalized lithology.fi, Thicknesses, interpreted deepening and shallowing trends, time lines, and the position of time-significant fossil samples as indicated by the following 

numbers: 18, MM-2; 19, MM-1; 20, MC-1; 21, CC-6; 22, CC-^; 23, CC-1; 24, PD-17; 25, SR-31, SR-31A; 26, C-1; 27, SRA-1; 28, 

SRA-22; 29, QS-94; 30, QS^2, QS-84, QS-85, QS-90; 31, QS-59; 32, QS-37, SJS-1091; 33, QS-25; 34, QS-20; 35, QS-2; 36, QS-1; 

37, BG-108. Middle Osagean = Upper typicus and anchoralis-latus Zones.
J24 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

118° 117° 116° 115°

37C

36°

EXPLANATION 

Bioclastic platform limestone 

Micritic slope limestone 

Turbiditic limestone 

Strike-slip fault

Lone 

Pine

Vegas X

Figure 16. Map showing distribution of middle Osagean (Upper typicus and anchoralis-latus Zones) lithofacies in 

southern Nevada and east-central California. Sample localities (solid circles): CC, Cottonwood Canyon; IS, Indian 

Springs; LC, Lee Canyon; MSP, Mountain Springs Pass; PM, Potosi Mine; QS, Quartz Spring; SC, Stone Canyon; 

SRH, Santa Rosa Hills; TS, Trough Spring; VG, Vaughn Gulch.

unit in the Mercury Ridge area (including the North Ridge 

and South Ridge in addition to Mercury Ridge) in Nevada is 

the Mercury Limestone, which has a lithologic and at least a 

partial temporal equivalent in the lower part of the Tin 

Mountain Limestone in east-central California. Above the 

Mercury Limestone, a limestone lithogenetically equivalent 

to the Tripon Pass Limestone in central Nevada was studied 

and informally termed the "Timpi limestone" unit in 1965 by 

Poole (unpub. field data) and subsequently referred to as the 

limestone of Timpi Canyon by Poole and Sandberg (1977) 

and mapped by Barnes and others (1982). This unit is late 

Kinderhookian and early Osagean in age (Sandberg and 

Poole, unpub. data) and is temporally equivalent to the upper 

part of the Tin Mountain Limestone in east-central California. The limestone of Timpi Canyon, however, represents a 

deeper water environment than the Tin Mountain Limestone.

In the Mercury Ridge area, middle and upper Osagean 

rocks may be lacking or may be present only in a thin covered interval representing a condensed section somewhat 

similar to the condensation of the Leaning Rock Formation 

at Bighorn Gap in California (fig. 15). In both areas, the 

limestone sequence is succeeded by a predominantly quartzose siltstone and very fine grained sandstone unit (an 

unnamed siltstone in Nevada and the Mexican Spring

Formation in California) that is overlain in turn by olive-gray 

to black shale (Chainman Shale in Nevada and Rest Spring 

Shale in California). In east-central California, the siliciclastic sequence is overlain by Lower Pennsylvanian limestone; 

the top of the Mississippian section is not exposed in the 

Mercury Ridge area of southern Nevada.

The Tin Mountain Limestone in California and the 

combined Narrow Canyon Formation, Mercury Limestone, 

and limestone of Timpi Canyon in Nevada represent deepening-upward sequences. The upper parts of these sequences 

and the overlying siltstones probably are slope deposits. The 

overlying shale units were deposited under basinal 

conditions.

NORTHWESTERN-FACIES BELT

The differences between the rocks of the northwesternfacies belt in east-central California and in southern Nevada 

are somewhat greater than those of the other facies belts. In 

southern Nevada, the Eleana Formation consists of a great 

thickness of Mississippian rocks above a thin sequence of 

Devonian rocks (unit A and lower part of unit B of Poole and 

others, 1961). A comparison of sections in the Eleana Range 

and at Bare Mountain suggests that the Mississippian part of
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA

118° 117° 116° 115°

J25

37 C

36°

EXPLANATION 

Bioclastic platform limestone

Micritic slope limestone 

Turbiditic limestone 

Strike-slip fault

Figure 17. Map showing distribution of upper Osagean (me/z//-Lower texanus Zone) lithofacies in southern Nevada and east-central California. Sample localities (solid circles): CC, Cottonwood Canyon; IS, Indian Springs; LC, 

Lee Canyon; MSP, Mountain Springs Pass; PM, Potosi Mine; QS, Quartz Spring; SC, Stone Canyon; SRH, Santa 

Rosa Hills; TS, Trough Spring; VG, Vaughn Gulch.

the sequence consists mostly of fine-grained siliciclastic 

rocks near the base, overlain by many chert-pebble conglomerate units representing an Antler orogenic-belt source to the 

northwest, and capped by fine-grained rock composed of 

siliciclastic sediment possibly derived primarily from the 

craton.

In east-central California, the sequence of strata is 

somewhat similar. Here, the Upper Devonian is represented 

by chert and argillite of the Squares Tunnel Formation, 

which is, in part, a temporal equivalent of the lowermost 

part of the Eleana Formation as mapped by Monsen and 

others (1992) at Bare Mountain in southern Nevada (Poole 

and Sandberg, 1993). The Mississippian sequence in the 

western Inyo Mountains is represented by the mixed clastic 

rocks (including conglomerate) of the Kearsarge Formation 

and the overlying Rest Spring Shale. Most of the mediumto coarse-grained clastic sedimentary materials in the southern exposures of the Kearsarge Formation were derived 

from the east (Stevens and Ridley, 1974; Stevens, 1986), 

but some of the chert-pebble conglomerate in northern 

Mazourka Canyon and farther north may have had an 

Antler-orogen source to the north or northwest. Rocks of the 

Kearsarge Formation have lithologic counterparts in the 

Eleana Formation, and the sequence of rock types in the two

areas (the coarse-grained Kearsarge Formation overlain by 

the fine-grained Rest Spring Shale) is similar. The differences between the sequences in the two areas, especially the 

thicknesses, probably are due to differences in the positions 

of the two depositional sequences within the trough, the 

Eleana Formation having been deposited closer to the axis 

of the flysch trough than the type section of the Kearsarge 

Formation, which was deposited on its eastern flank. 

Because of the difference in distance from the carbonate 

platform, the positions of the Nevada and California sections in the northwestern-facies belt are intentionally 

reversed from that of the other two belts in figure 3.

SUMMARY

Three major Mississippian lithofacies belts are represented in southern Nevada and east-central California: a 

southeastern (limestone)-facies belt; a central (mixed limestone and siliciclastic)-facies belt; and a northwestern (primarily siliciclastic)-facies belt. Rocks within each of these 

lithofacies belts are broadly similar, but, because of some 

lithologic differences and resulting separate nomenclatures 

in southern Nevada and east-central California, correlation 

between the two areas has been confusing.
J26 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

118° 117° 116° 115°

37°

36°

EXPLANATION

Bioclastic platform limestone 

Siltstone with limestone turbidites 

Strike-slip fault

Lone 

Pine

I I T

Figure 18. Map showing distribution of lower Meramecian (homopunctatus-Upper texanus Zone) lithofacies in 

southern Nevada and east-central California. Sample localities (solid circles): CC, Cottonwood Canyon; IS, Indian 

Springs; LC, Lee Canyon; MSP, Mountain Springs Pass; PM, Potosi Mine; QS, Quartz Spring; SC, Stone Canyon; 

SRH, Santa Rosa Hills; TS, Trough Spring; VG, Vaughn Gulch.

The stratigraphic nomenclature in east-central California has been revised herein to better reflect lithologic differences between rocks in different lithofacies belts, as was 

done previously for southern Nevada. This revision comprises elevation of the Perdido Formation to group rank, 

naming of four new Mississippian formations (Leaning 

Rock Formation, Mexican Spring Formation, Stone Canyon 

Limestone, and Kearsarge Formation with two members 

named the Bee and Snowcaps Members), and formal definition of one Devonian unit (Squares Tunnel Formation). The 

revised nomenclature and new age data clarify the lithologic 

and age differences between rocks in different lithofacies 

belts in east-central California, bring the stratigraphic 

nomenclature more in line with that used in southern 

Nevada, and emphasize the stratigraphic similarities of 

facies belts in the two areas.

REFERENCES CITED

Barnes, Harley, Ekren, E.B., Rodgers, C.L., and Hedlund, D.C., 

1982, Geologic and tectonic maps of the Mercury quadrangle, 

Nye and Clark Counties, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map 1-1197, scale 1:24,000.

Belasky, Paul, 1988, Stratigraphy and paleogeographic setting of 

the Mississippian Monte Cristo Group in the Spring Mountains, Nevada: San Jose, Calif., San Jose State University, M.S. 

thesis, 152 p.

Boucot, A.J., and Potter, A.W., 1977, Middle Devonian orogeny 

and biogeographical relations in areas along the North American Pacific rim, in Murphy, M.A., Berry, W.B.N., and Sandberg, C.A., eds., Western North America; Devonian: California 

University, Riverside, Campus Museum Contribution 4, p. 

210-219.

Cashman, P.H., and Trexler, J.H., Jr., 1991, The Mississippian Antler foreland and continental margin in southern Nevada The 

Eleana Formation reinterpreted, in Cooper, J.D., and Stevens, 

C.H., eds., Paleozoic paleogeography of the Western United 

States-II: Los Angeles, Society of Economic Paleontologists 

and Mineralogists, Pacific Section, Book 67, v. 1, p. 271-280.

 1994, The case for two, coeval, Mississippian sections at the 

Nevada Test Site, in McGill, S.F., and Ross, T.M., eds., Geological investigations of an active margin: Geological Society 

of America Cordilleran Section Annual Meeting, 27th, Guidebook, p. 76-81.

Casteel, M.V., 1986, Geology of a portion of the northwest Last 

Chance Range, south of Hanging Rock Canyon, Inyo County, 

California: Fresno, California State University, M.S. thesis, 

115 p.
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J27

Charpentier, R.R., and Sandberg, C.A., 1992, A Devonian/Carboniferous conodont database Documentation and user's manual: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 92-273A and B, 

61 p., 2 3.5-in. disks.

Dunne, G.C., Gulliver, R.M., and Stevens, C.H., 1981, Correlation 

of Mississippian shelf-to-basin strata, eastern California: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 92, pt. 2, p. 1-38.

Gordon, Mackenzie, Jr., 1964, California Carboniferous cephalopods: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 483-A, 27 p.

Gordon, Mackenzie, Jr., and Poole, F.G., 1968, Mississippian-Pennsylvanian boundary in southwestern Nevada and 

southeastern California in Nevada Test Site: Geological Society of America Memoir 110, p. 157-168.

Gutschick, R.C., and Sandberg, C.A., 1983, Mississippian continental margins of the conterminous United States, in Stanley, 

D.J., and Moore, G.T., eds., The shelfbreak; critical interface 

on continental margins: Society of Economic Paleontologists 

and Mineralogists Special Publication 33, p. 79-96.

Hall, W.E., 1971, Geology of the Panamint Butte quadrangle, 

Inyo County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 

1299, 67 p.

Hall, W.E., and MacKevett, E.M., Jr., 1962, Geology and ore 

deposits of the Darwin quadrangle, Inyo County, California: 

U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 368, 87 p.

Hewett, D.F., 1931, Geology and ore deposits, Goodsprings quadrangle, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 

162, 172 p.

Johnson, J.G., Boucot, A.J., and Gronberg, E.G., 1968, A new 

genus of stringocephaloid brachiopod from the Middle Devonian of Nevada: Journal of Paleontology, v. 42, p. 406-414.

Klingman, D.S., 1987, Depositional environments and paleogeographic setting of the middle Mississippian section in eastern 

California: San Jose, Calif., San Jose State University, M.S. 

thesis, 231 p.

Langenheim, R.L., Jr., 1956, Mississippian stratigraphy in eastern 

Nevada: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 67, p. 

1714.

Langenheim, R.L., Jr., Carss, B.W., Kennedy, J.B., McCutcheon, 

V.A., and Waines, R.H., 1962, Paleozoic section in Arrow 

Canyon Range, Clark County, Nevada: American Association 

of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 46, p. 592-609.

Langenheim, R.L., Jr., and Tischler, H., 1960, Mississippian and 

Devonian paleontology and stratigraphy, Quartz Spring area, 

Inyo County, California: University of California Publications 

in Geological Sciences, v. 38, p. 89-152.

Langenheim, V.A.M., and Langenheim, R.L., Jr., 1965, The Bird 

Spring Group, Chesterian through Wolfcampian, at Arrow 

Canyon, Arrow Canyon Range, Clark County, Nevada: Illinois 

State Academy of Sciences, Transactions, v. 58, p. 225-240.

Mamet, B.L., and Skipp, B.A., 1970, Lower Carboniferous calcareous Foraminifera Preliminary zonation and stratigraphic 

implications for the Mississippian of North America: International Congress of Carboniferous Stratigraphy and Geology, 

6th, Sheffield, 1967, Compte Rendu, v. 3, p. 1129-1146.

McAllister, J.F., 1952, Rocks and structure of the Quartz Spring 

area, northern Panamint Range, California: California Division 

of Mines and Geology Special Report 25, 38 p.

Merriam, C.W., 1963, Geology of the Cerro Gordo mining district, 

Inyo County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Professional 

Paper 408, 83 p.

Monsen, S.A., Carr, M.D., Reheis, M.C., and Orkild, P.P., 1992, 

Geologic map of Bare Mountain, Nye County, Nevada: U.S. 

Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map 

1-2201, scale 1:24,000.

Nichols, K.M., and Silberling, N.J., 1990, Delle Phosphatic Member; an anomalous phosphatic interval in the Mississippian 

(Osagean-Meramecian) shelf sequence of central Utah: Geology, v. 18, p. 46-49.

Pierce, R.W., and Langenheim, R.L., Jr., 1974, Platform conodonts 

of the Monte Cristo Group, Mississippian, Arrow Canyon 

Range, Clark County, Nevada: Journal of Paleontology, v. 48, 

p. 149-170.

Poole, F.G., and Claypool, G.E., 1984, Petroleum source-rock 

potential and crude-oil correlation in the Great Basin, in Woodward, J., Meissner, F.F., and Clayton, J.L., eds., Hydrocarbon 

source rocks of the greater Rocky Mountain region: Denver, 

Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, p. 179-229.

Poole, F.G., Houser, F.N., and Orkild, P.P., 1961, Eleana Formation of Nevada Test Site and vicinity, Nye County, Nevada: 

U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 424-D, p. 

D104-D111.

Poole, F.G., Orkild, P.P., Gordon, M., Jr., and Duncan, H., 1965, 

Age of the Eleana Formation (Devonian and Mississippian) in 

the Nevada Test Site: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 

1224-A,p. A51-A53.

Poole, F.G., and Sandberg, C.A., 1977, Mississippian paleogeography and tectonics of the Western United States, in Stewart, 

J.H., Stevens, C.H., and Fritsche, A.E., ed., Paleozoic paleogeography of the Western United States: Los Angeles, Society 

of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Pacific Section, Pacific Coast Paleogeography Symposium 1, p. 67-85.

 1991, Mississippian paleogeography and conodont biostratigraphy of the western United States, in Cooper, J.D., and 

Stevens, C.H., eds., Paleozoic paleogeography of the Western 

United States-II: Los Angeles, Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Pacific Section, Book 67, v. 1, p. 

107-136.

 1993, Relation of transitional-facies Woodruff Formation to

Late Devonian continental margin in Nevada: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 77, p. 1458.

Ridley, A.P., 1971, Devonian and Mississippian sedimentation and 

stratigraphy of the Mazourka Canyon area, Inyo Mountains, 

Inyo County, California: San Jose, Calif., San Jose State University, M.S. thesis, 78 p.

Rose, P.R., 1976, Mississippian carbonate shelf margins, western 

United States: U.S. Geological Survey Journal of Research, v. 

4, no. 4, p. 449-466.

Ross, D.C., 1965, Geology of the Independence quadrangle, Inyo 

County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1181-O, 

64 p.

 1966, Stratigraphy of some Paleozoic formations in the 

Independence quadrangle, Inyo County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 396, 64 p.

Sandberg, C.A., and Dreesen, R., 1984, Late Devonian icriodontid 

biofacies models and alternate shallow-water conodont zonation, in Clark, D.L., ed., Conodont biofacies and provincialism: 

Geological Society of America Special Paper 196, p. 143-178.

Sandberg, C.A., and Gutschick, R.C., 1984, Distribution, microfauna, and source-rock potential of Mississippian Delle Phosphatic Member of Woodman Formation and equivalents, Utah and
J28 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

adjacent States, in Woodward, J., Meissner, F.F., and Clayton, 

J.L., eds., Hydrocarbon source rocks of the Greater Rocky 

Mountain region: Denver, Rocky Mountain Association of 

Geologists, p. 135-178.

Sandberg, C.A., Gutschick, R.C., Johnson, J.G., Poole, F.G., Sando, W.J., 1983, Middle Devonian to Late Mississippian geologic history of the Overthrust belt region, western United 

States, in Geologic studies of the Cordilleran thrust belt: Denver, Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, v. 2, p. 

691-719.

Sandberg, C.A., Poole, F.G., and Johnson, J.G., 1989, Upper Devonian of Western United States, in McMillan, N.J., Embry, A.F., 

and Glass, D.J., eds., Devonian of the World: Calgary, Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 14, v. 1, Regional 

Syntheses, p. 183-220.

Sandberg, C.A., and Ziegler, W., 1973, Refinement of standard 

Upper Devonian conodont zonation based on sections in Nevada and West Germany: Geologica et Palaeontologica, v. 7, p. 

97-122.

Sando, W.J., 1985, Revised Mississippian time scale, Western Interior region, conterminous United States: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1605-A, p. A15-A26.

Sando, W.J., and Bamber, E.W., 1985, Coral zonation of the Mississippian System in the Western Interior Province of North 

America: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1334, p. 

1-61.

Snow, J.K., 1990, Cordilleran orogenesis, extensional tectonics, 

and geology of the Cottonwood Mountains area, Death Valley 

region, California and Nevada: Cambridge, Mass., Harvard 

University, Ph.D. dissertation, chap. 3, 64 p.

Stevens, C.H., 1986, Evolution of the Ordovician through Middle 

Pennsylvanian carbonate shelf in east-central California: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 97, p. 11-25.

Stevens, C.H., Klingman, D., and Belasky, P., 1995, Development 

of the Mississippian carbonate platform in southern Nevada 

and eastern California on the eastern margin of the Antler foreland basin, in Dorobek, S.L., and Ross, G.M., eds., Stratigraphic evolution of foreland basins: SEPM (Society for 

Sedimentary Geology) Special Publication 52, p. 175-186.

Stevens, C.H., and Ridley, A.P., 1974, Middle Paleozoic off-shelf 

deposits in southeastern California Evidence for proximity of 

the Antler orogenic belt?: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 85, p. 27-32.

Stevens, C.H., Stone, P., and Belasky, P., 1991, Paleogeographic 

and structural significance of an Upper Mississippian facies 

boundary in southern Nevada and east-central California: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 103, p. 876-885.

Ziegler, W., and Sandberg, C.A., 1990, The Late Devonian standard conodont zonation: Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg,v. 121, 115 p.

Published in the Central Region, Denver, Colorado 

Manuscript approved for publication May 5, 1995 

Edited by Judith Stoeser 

Graphics by Shelly Fields and Joan G. Nadeau 

Photocomposition by Joan G. Nadeau
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J29

APPENDIX 1 

PALEONTOLOGIC SAMPLES

[Localities are shown by number in figure 1]

LOCALITY 1 TINEMAHA RESERVOIR

Conodonts (CAI average 5.5)

Sample TR-1 (Kearsarge Formation, base of exposed section) 

Bispathodus sp. 

Gnathodus sp. aff. G. delicatus 

Gnathodus pseudosemiglaber 

Gnathodus texanus (late form) 

Gnathodus sp.

Polygnathus communis communis 

Polygnathus longiposticus 

Taphrognathus varians 

Palmatolepis sp. (reworked Famennian)

Pseudopolygnathus cf. P. micropunctatus (reworked Famennian) 

Siphonodella isosticha (reworked Kinderhookian) 

Siphonodella isosticha-obsoleta (reworked Kinderhookian) 

Zone: homopunctatus-Upper texanus 

Age: early Meramecian

LOCALITY 5 SQUARES TUNNEL

Radiolarians

Sample S-0654 Squares Tunnel Formation (unspecified part of

section)

Ceratokiskum sp. 

Holoeciscus sp. 

Paleoscenidium sp. 

Popofskyellum sp. 

Various entactiniids 

Age: Famennian

LOCALITY 6 VAUGHN GULCH

[South side of gulch unless otherwise specified; fossils are listed in appendix table 1]

Conodonts (CAI range 5-7; average 6)

Sample VGI-1 (Squares Tunnel Formation, base of exposed section)

Zone: postera

Age: late Famennian 

Sample VGI-2 (Kearsarge Formation about 1 m above base)

Zone: Lower crenulata

Age: late Kinderhookian 

Sample VGI-7 (Kearsarge Formation, near base of unit 1)

Zone: Lower Cavusgnathus

Age: late Meramecian 

Sample VGI-3 (Kearsarge Formation, 6 m below top of unit 4)

Zone: Lower Cavusgnathus

Age: late Meramecian

Sample VG1-3A (Kearsarge Formation, near top of unit 4, north side 

of Vaughn Gulch)

Zone: Lower Cavusgnathus

Age: late Meramecian 

Sample VGI-19 (Kearsarge Formation, 10 m below top)

Zone: bilineatus-Upper Cavusgnathus^)

Age: early Chesterian 

Sample VGI-20 (Kearsarge Formation, 0.1 m below top)

Zone: bilineatus-Upper Cavusgnathus

Age: early Chesterian

LOCALITY 7 LEE FLAT WEST

Conodonts (CAI average 5)

Sample LF-19 (Leaning Rock Formation, 16 m above base of 

exposed section)

Bispathodus utahensis

Gnathodus punctatus

Gnathodus semiglaber

Gnathodus texanus (early form)

Hindeodus cristulus

Taphrognathus varians

Vogelgnathus deflexus

Zone: mehli-Lower texanus

Age: late Osagean

Sample LF-23 (Mexican Spring Formation, 99 m above base of 

exposed section)

Cavusgnathus unicornis

Lochriea commutata

Paragnathodus homopunctatus

Zone: Lower Cavusgnathus

Age: late Meramecian

LOCALITY 9 UBEHEBE MINE CANYON

Foraminifers

Sample UMC-13 (Mexican Spring Formation, at base) 

Tetrataxis sp. 

Eoendothyranopsis sp. 

Stacheoides sp. 

Age: late Osagean or Meramecian

LOCALITY lOa NEAR REST SPRING IN QUARTZ 

SPRING AREA

[Fossils from most samples are listed in appendix table 2]

Conodonts (CAI average 4)

Sample QS-1 (Tin Mountain Limestone, 1 m below top)

Zone: Lower typicus

Age: early Osagean 

Sample QS-2 (Leaning Rock Formation, at base)

Zone: Lower typicus

Age: early Osagean 

Sample QS-15 (Leaning Rock Formation, about 18 m above base)

Bispathodus utahensis

Zone: Upper typicusC?)

Age: middle Osagean(?) 

Sample QS-20 (Leaning Rock Formation, 26 m above base)

Zone: anchoralis-latus

Age: middle Osagean 

Sample QS-25 (Leaning Rock Formation, 43 m above base)

Zone: meM-Lower texanus

Age: late Osagean 

Sample QS-29 (Leaning Rock Formation, 60 m above base)

Bispathodus utahensis

Zone: me/i/i-Lower texanus(l)

Age: late Osagean(?) 

Sample QS-37 (Leaning Rock Formation, 68 m above base)

Taphrognathus varians

Zone: meM-Lower texanus(?)

Age: late Osagean(?) 

Sample QS-49 (Mexican Spring Formation, 17m below top)

Zone: meM-Lower texanus

Age: late Osagean
J30 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

Sample QS-59 (Mexican Spring Formation, 8 m above base)

Gnathodus texanus (late form)

Zone: homopunctatus-Upper texanus(1)

Age: early Meramecian(?) 

Sample QS-94 (Mexican Spring Formation, 9 m below top)

Zone: Lower Cavusgnathus

Age: late Meramecian 

Sample RSC-1 (Rest Spring Shale, 0.1 m above base)

Zone: Lower Cavusgnathus

Age: late Meramecian 

Sample RSC-3 (Rest Spring Shale, about 3 m above base)

Zone: bilineatus-Upper Cavusgnathus

Age: early Chesterian 

Foraminifers and * algae

Sample QS-24 (Leaning Rock Formation, 43 m above base; upper 

unit)

Earlandia clavatula group

Earlandia elegans group

Earlandia moderata group

"Priscella prisca "(?)

Tetrataxis sp.

Endothyridae indeterminate

*Aoujgaliaceae(?) indeterminate

Age: late Osagean

Samples QS-31 and QS-32 (Leaning Rock Formation, 68 m above 

base)

Earlandia clavatula group

Earlandia elegans group

Earlandia moderata group

Endothyra sp.

"Priscella prisca "(?)

Tetrataxis sp.

Endothyridae indeterminate

Age: late Osagean or early Meramecian

Samples QS-42, QS-84, QS-85, and QS-90 (Mexican Spring Formation, from about 12m above the base to 12 m below top)

Archaediscus koktjubensis(f!)

Archaediscus sp.

Brunsia lenensis

Earlandia clavatula group

Earlandia elegans group

Earlandia moderata group

Earlandia vulgaris group

Endostaffella cf. E. discoidea

Endothrya bowmani group

Endothyra sp.

Eoendothyranopsis utahensis(l)

Eoendothyranopsis "ermakiensis "(?) group

Eoendothyranopsis sp.

Eoforschia sp.

Globoendothyra sp.

Paraarchaediscus sp.

Planoarchaediscus spirillinoides

Planoarchaediscus sp.

Pseudoammodiscus sp.

"Priscella prisca "(?)

Pseudoglomospira sp.

Septabrunsiina(l) sp.

Tetrataxis sp.

Valvulinella sp.

Endothyridae indeterminate

Palaeotextulariidae indeterminate

*Aoujgaliaceae indeterminate

*Calcisphaera laevis

*Diplosphaerina inaequalis

*Fourstonella sp.

*Mametella chautauquae

*Stacheoides meandriformis

*Stacheoides tenuis

*Stacheoides sp.

Zone: 13 or 14

Age: early to early late Meramecian

Corals

Sample SJS-1091 (Leaning Rock Formation, 68 m above base) 

Stelechophyllum mclareni(1) 

Zone: IIIAorlllB 

Age: late Osagean

LOCALITY lOb LOST BURRO GAP 

(QUARTZ SPRING AREA)

Conodonts (CAI average 5)

Sample LBG-1 (Lost Burro Formation, about 7 m below top)

Bispathodus stabilis

Paltnatolepis glabra distorta

Palmatolepis marginifera marginifera

Palmatolepis quadrantinodosa inflexa

Polygnathus brevilaminus

Polygnathus sp. cf. P. inornatus

Polygnathus communis communis

Polygnathus subirregularis

Zone: Early trachytera

Age: middle Famennian 

Sample LBG-2 (Lost Burro Formation, 2.5 m below top)

Bispathodus stabilis

Mehlina strigosa

Palmatolepis glabra lepta (late form)

Palmatolepis perlobata helmsi

Pelekysgnathus inclinatus

Polygnathus homoirregularis (early form)

Polygnathus margaritatus

Polygnathus perplexus

Polygnathus procerus

Polygnathus semicostatus

Polygnathus sp.

Zone: Early postera(!)

Age: late Famennian

Sample LBG-3 (unnamed limestone, 2 m above top of Lost Burro 

Formation)

Bispathodus aculeatus aculeatus

Bispathodus costatus

Bispathodus spinulicostatus

Bispathodus stabilis

Polygnathus communis communis

Polygnathus delicatulus

Polygnathus obliquicostatus

Polygnathus procerus

Polygnathus semicostatus

Polygnathus sp.

Zone: Middle expansa

Age: late Famennian

Sample LBG-4 (Tin Mountain Limestone, less than 5 m above base; 

fossils are listed in appendix table 2)

Zone: sandbergi

Age: Kinderhookian
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J31

LOCALITY lOc BIGHORN GAP 

(QUARTZ SPRING ARE)

Conodonts (CAI average 4.5)

Sample BG-108 (Leaning Rock Formation, 19 m above base)

Bispathodus utahensis

Gnathodus texanus (early form)

Taphrognathus varians

Zone: me/i/i-Lower texanus

Age: late Osagean 

Corals

Sample BG-1 (Leaning Rock Formation, 6 m above base)

Stelechophyllum mclareni(l)

Age: late Osagean(?)

LOCALITY 12 TALC CITY HILLS

Conodonts (CAI average 5)

Sample TCH-1 (Mexican Spring Formation, near top) 

Cavusgnathus unicornis 

Gnathodus texanus 

Zone: Lower Cavusgnathus(l) 

Age: late Meramecian(?)

Foraminifers and *algae

Samples SR-15 and SR-16 (Stone Canyon Limestone, near base of 

upper unit)

Earlandia clavatula group

Earlandia elegans group

Earlandia moderata(l) group

Earlandia vulgarls group

Endothyra(!) sp.

Eoendothyranopsis(7) sp.

Age: late Osagean or Meramecian

Samples SR-31 and SR-31A (Santa Rosa Hills Limestone, near 

middle)

Earlandia clavatula group

Earlandia moderata group

Earlandia vulgarls group

Eoendothyranopsls "ermaklensls" group

Eoendothyranopsls scltula

Eoendothyranopsis sp.

Endothyra sp.

"Prlscella prisca "(?)

Tetrataxls sp.

*Mametella ? sp.

Zone: 13 or 14

Age: early to early late Meramecian

LOCALITY 13 SANTA ROSA HILLS SOUTH

Conodonts (CAI range 5-7; average 6)

Sample SRA-22 (Tin Mountain Limestone, 1.5m below top)

Gnathodus cunelformls

Gnathodus punctatus

Polygnathus communis communls

Zone: Lower typicus

Age: early Osagean 

Sample SRA-1 (Stone Canyon Limestone, 12.75 m above base)

Bispathodus utahensis

Clydagnathus cavusformis(f!)

Eotaphrus burllngtonensls

Eotaphrus sp. cf. E. bultyncki

Polygnathus communls communls

Zone: anchoralis-latus

Age: middle Osagean 

Corals

Sample C-l (Santa Rosa Hills Limestone, near base)

Slphonodendron warreni(l)

Siphonodendron sp. A (Armstrong, 1970b)

Stelechophyllum sp. aff. 5. blrdl

Age: Meramecian(?) 

Samples SJS-979, SJS-931-d (Santa Rosa Hills Limestone, near top)

Slphonodendron slnuosum

Age: early or middle Meramecian 

Sample SJS-931-a (Santa Rosa Hills Limestone, in float)

Stelechophyllum aff. 5. baffense

Age: early or middle Meramecian 

Sample SJS-777 (Santa Rosa Hills Limestone, 15 m below top)

Stelechophyllum aff. S. birdi(?)

Age: early or middle Meramecian

Sample SJS-931-g and SJS-931-e (Santa Rosa Hills Limestone, in 

float)

Stelechophyllum sp. - 5. macouni(?) group

Age: early or middle Meramecian

LOCALITY 14a COTTONWOOD CANYON

Conodonts (CAI average 5)

Sample PD-17 (Stone Canyon Limestone, 1 m above base)

Bispathodus utahensis

Gnathodus sp.

Hindeodus sp.

Polygnathus communis communls

Pseudopolygnathus nudus morphotype 1

Pseudopolygnathus nudus morphotype indet.

Pseudopolygnathus oxypageus morphotype 3

Vogelgnathus n. sp. NLC

Zone: Upper typicus

Age: middle Osagean 

Sample CC-6 (Santa Rosa Hills Limestone, 16 m above base)

Bispathodus utahensis

Hindeodus crlstulus

Zone: meWi-Lower texanus

Age: late Osagean 

Sample CC-4 (Stone Canyon Limestone, about 50 m below top

Bispathodus utahensis

Eotaphrus burllngtonensls (early form)

Zone: anchoralis-latus

Age: middle Osagean 

Sample CC-1 (Stone Canyon Limestone, 260 m above base)

Bispathodus utahensis

Doliognathus latus

Eotaphrus burlingtonensis

Polygnathus communls communls

Zone: anchoralis-latus

Age: middle Osagean

LOCALITY 14b MARBLE CANYON

Conodonts (CAI average 5.5)

Sample MC-1-1 (USGS loc. 28900-PC) (Santa Rosa Hills Limestone, uppermost part)
J32 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

Bispathodus utahensis 

Hindeodus cristulus 

Hindeodus penescitulus 

Taphrognathus varians 

Zone: homopunctatus-Upper texanus 

Age: early Meramecian

Sample MC-1 (Santa Rosa Hills Limestone, uppermost part) 

Bispathodus stabilis 

Hindeodus penescitulus 

Taphrognathus varians 

Vogelgnathus campbelli 

Zone: homopunctatus-Upper texanus 

Age: early Meramecian

Corals

Sample PD-1 (Stone Canyon Limestone, 23 m below top) 

"Diphyphyllum" 

Zone: probably HID (equivalent to foraminiferal zone 13 or 14)

based on age of samples BUF-1 and BUF-2 in Trough Spring

section 

Age: early to early late Meramecian

LOCATION 15 DRY BONE CANYON EAST

Corals

Sample SJS-1086 (Santa Rosa Hills Limestone, near top) 

Siphonodendron "whitneyi" 

Acrocyathus pennsylvanica(l) 

Stelechophyllum mclareni(1)

Zone: HID (equivalent to foraminiferal zone 13 or 14) 

Age: early to early late Meramecian

LOCALITY 16 STONE CANYON

Conodonts (CAI average 6)

Sample MM-1 (Stone Canyon Limestone, 5 m above base)

Bispathodus utahensis

Eotaphrus sp. cf. E. bultyncki

Gnathodus cuneiformis

Pseudopolygnathus nudus morphotype 1

Zone: Upper typicus

Age: middle Osagean 

Sample MM-2 (Stone Canyon Limestone, 50 m above base)

Bispathodus utahensis

Gnathodus cuneiformis

Hindeodus crassidentatus

Hindeodus penescitulus

Polygnathus communis communis

Pseudopolygnathus nudus morphotype 1

Zone: Upper typicus

Age: middle Osagean

LOCALITY 18 FUNERAL MOUNTAINS SOUTH

Conodonts (CAI average 4)

Sample FMS-3 (Tin Mountain Limestone, 42.7 m below top; fossils

are listed in appendix table 2) 

Zone: isosticha-Upper crenulata 

Age: late Kinderhookian

LOCALITY 20a INDIAN SPRINGS

Conodonts (CAI average 4)

Sample ISS-6 (West Range Limestone, 5 m below top)

Mehlina strigosa

Palmatolepis glabra acuta

Palmatolepis glabra pectinata

Palmatolepis glabra

Palmatolepis marginifera marginifera

Palmatolepis quadrantinodosa inflexoidea

Palmatolepis sp.

Pelekysgnathus inclinatus

Polygnathus sp. cf. P. inornatus

Polygnathus semicostatus

Polylophodonta sp.

Zone: Early marginifera

Age: middle Famennian 

Sample ISS-11 (Dawn Limestone, 0.1 m below top)

Bispathodus utahensis

Gnathodus cuneiformis

Polygnathus communis communis

Vogelgnathus n. sp. NLC

Vogelgnathus n. sp. ISS

Zone: Lower typicus(!)

Age: early Osagean 

Sample ISS-12 (Anchor Limestone, 24 m above base)

"Polygnathus " mehli

Bactrognathus n. sp. LSZ

Bispathodus utahensis

Doliognathus latus

Eotaphrus burlingtonensis

Eotaphrus burlingtonensis (tr. Dollymae hassi)

Polygnathus communis communis

Polygnathus communis (with nodose margins)

Zone: anchoralis-latus

Age: middle Osagean 

Sample ISB-AN-1B (Anchor Limestone, 220 m above base)

Taphrognathus varians

Zone: meW/-Lower texanus

Age: late Osagean

LOCALITY 20b INDIAN SPRINGS EAST

Conodonts (CAI average 4)

Sample ISS-26 (Bullion Limestone, 1 m above base)

Bispathodus utahensis

Taphrognathus varians (late form)

Zone: me////-Lower texanus

Age: late Osagean 

Sample IST-BU-1 (Bullion Limestone, 4 m below top)

Taphrognathus varians

Zone: homopunctatus-Upper texanus

Age: early Meramecian 

Sample ISS-31 (Yellowpine Limestone, 1 m below top)

Bispathodus sp.

Cavusgnathus sp.

Hindeodus sp.

Age: Meramecian 

Corals

Sample ISDC-1 (Dawn Limestone, lower part)

"Thysanophyllum" cf. "T." astreiformis

Age: nondiagnostic
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J33

Sample IST-1 (Bullion Limestone, 20 m above base)

Stelechophyllum birdi(1)

Siphonodendron aff. 5. oculinum

Zone: probably IIIA (equivalent to foraminiferal zone 10 or 11)

Age: late Osagean 

Samples IST-2, IST-3, IST-4, BU-2 (Bullion Limestone, uppermost

40m) 

Siphonodendron aff. S. oculinum

Stelechophyllum aff. S. birdi

Age: probably late Osagean

Sample ISD-1, ISD-2, ISD-3 (Yellowpine Limestone, about 18 m 

below top)

Petalaxis tabulates

Zone: HID or IV (equivalent to foraminiferal zone 13, 14, or 15)

Age: Meramecian

LOCALITY 21 LEE CANYON

Conodonts (CAI average 4)

Sample LC-AN-1 (Anchor Limestone, 2 m below top)

Eotaphrus burlingtonensis (early form)

Hindeodus sp. cf. H. crassidentatus

Polygnathus communis communis

Zone: anchoralis-latus or younger

Age: middle Osagean or younger 

Sample LC-BU-8 (Bullion Limestone, 1 m above base)

Bactrognathus n. sp. LSZ

Eotaphrus burlingtonensis (early form)

Polygnathus communis communis

Zone: anchoralis-latus

Age: middle Osagean 

Sample LC-YP-3 (Yellowpine Limestone, 7 m below top)

Cavusgnathus unicornis

Zone: Lower Cavusgnathus

Age: late Meramecian

LOCALITY 22 TROUGH SPRING

Conodonts (CAI average 4.5)

Sample TS-AN-14 (Anchor Limestone, 12 m above base)

Gnathodus cuneiformis

Gnathodus typicus

Hindeodus sp.

Polygnathus communis communis

Pseudopolygnathus nudus morphotype 1

Zone: Upper typicus

Age: middle Osagean 

Corals

Sample DCF-1 (Dawn Limestone, near top)

Stelechophyllum micrum

"Thysanophyllum" sp.

Zone: II (equivalent to foraminiferal zone 7, 8, or 9)

Age: early or middle Osagean

LOCALITY 23 LAST CHANCE RANGE EAST (NEVADA)

Conodonts (CAI average 4.5)

Sample LAS-5 (West Range Limestone, 12 m below top)

Mehlina sp.

Palmatolepis marginifera

Polygnathus planirostratus

Polygnathus procerus

Polylophodonta concentrica

Zone: Early marginifera(7)

Age: middle Famennian 

Sample LAS-6 (Lost Burro(?) Formation, near top)

Bispathodus stabilis

Palmatolepis perlobata postera

Palmatolepis perlobata schindewolfi

Polygnathus sp. cf. P. inornatus

Polygnathus homoirregularis (early form)

Polygnathus perplexus

Polygnathus procerus

Polygnathus semicostatus

Polygnathus subirregularis

Zone: Early postera(1)

Age: late Famennian

LOCALITY 24 MOUNTAIN SPRINGS PASS

Conodonts (CAI average 2)

Sample SM-12 (Anchor Limestone, 0.6 m above base)

Bispathodus utahensis

Hindeodus penescitulus

Polygnathus communis communis

Vogelgnathus n. sp. NLC

Zone: Lower typicus(l)

Age: early Osagean 

Corals

Sample YPC-4 (Yellowpine Limestone, 15 m below top)

Siphonodendron "whitneyi"

Zone: HID or IV (equivalent to foraminiferal zone 13, 14, or 15)

Age: Meramecian

LOCALITY 25 POTOSI MINE

Conodonts (CAI average 3)

Sample PO-5 (Arrowhead Member of Yellowpine Limestone) 

"Polygnathus" mehli 

Bispathodus utahensis 

Hindeodus sp. cf. H. crassidentatus 

Hindeodus cristulus 

Zone: me/i/i-Lower texanus 

Age: late Osagean
Appendix table 1. Occurrence of conodonts in biostratigraphically significant samples in the Upper Devonian and Mississippian sequence in V

Inyo Mountains, California.

[Yields are given only for samples processed by Sandberg. Asterisk (*) indicates reworked]

Conodont Zone

Sample number

Formation

Member

Unit

Meters from base (top)

Conodont biofacies

Yield (conodonts/kg)

Palmatolepis gracilis gracilis

Pa. gracilis sigmoidalis

Pa. perlobata poster a

Pa. rugosa n. subsp.

Polygnathus procerus

Apatella sp.

Branmehla sp.

Mehlina sp.

Siphonodella crenulata

S. sulcata

Siphonodella sp.

Polygnathus c. communis

Bispathodus sp.

Cavusgnathus unicornis

C. altus

Cavusgnathus sp.

Gnathodus texanus

G. texanus EARLY FORM

G. texanus LATE FORM

G. semiglaber

G. bilineatus

Hindeodus cristulus

Hindeodus sp.

Paragnathodus girtyi?

Pa. homopunctatus

Lochriea commutata

Vogelgnathus campbelli

Reworked Famennian sp.

Icriodus sp.

Polygnathus hassi?

Pol. cf. marginvolutus

Palmatolepis minuta

TOTAL Pa elements

postera

VGI-1

Squares Tunnel

-

-

?

Palmatolepidpolygnathid

76

1

7

6

1

13

1

2

10

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

41

Lower crenulata

VGI-2

Kearsarge

Bee

-

1

Siphonodellid

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

3

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1*

0

0

0

9

Lower Cavusgnathus

VGI-7

Kearsarge

Snowcaps

1

?

-

-

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

9

Lower Cavusgnathus

VGI-3

Kearsarge

Snowcaps

4

(6)

Cavusgnathid

11

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

13

0

19

0

2

1

6

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

1*

0

0

43

Lower Cavusgnathus

VGI-3A

Kearsarge

Snowcaps

4

(~3)

Mixed

-

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1*

0

2

0

4

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

11

bilin

Upper Ca

VG

Kear

Snow

(

M

-

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

7

1
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J35

Appendix table 2. Occurrence of conodonts in biostratigraphically significant samples in the Mississippian sequence in Quartz 

Spring (QS)-Rest Spring (RSC) area of Cottonwood Mountains, Inyo County, California.

[Samples from Tin Mountain Limestone in Lost Burro Gap (LBG) and at south end of Funeral Mountains (FMS) are also included. Localities shown in figure 

1. Yields are given only for samples processed by Sandberg. Asterisk (*) indicates reworked]

Conodont Zone

Sample number

sandbergi

LBG-4

isostichaUpper

crenulata

FMS-3

Lower typicus

QS-1 QS-2

Tin Mountain Limestone

Formation

Meters from base (top)

Conodont biofacies

Yield (conodonts/kg)

Pinacognathus prqfitndus

Polygnathus spp.

Pol. longiposticus

Siphonodella cooperi Morphotype 2

S. duplicata sensu Hass

S. quadruplicata

S. obsoleta

S. sandbergi

Siphonodella spp.

S. isosticha-obsoleta

Gnathodus punctatus

G. cuneiformis

Pseudopolygnathus multistriatus

Gnathodus semiglaber

G. subbilineatus

Gnathodus spp.

Bactrognathus n. sp.

Doliognathus latus

Eotaphrus burlingtonensis

Gnathodus texanus

G. pseudosemiglaber

Taphrognathus varicms

Vogelgnathus deftexus

Paragnathodus homopunctatus

Para, girtyi girtyi

Cavusgnathus unicornis

Lochriea commutata

Para, girtyi collinsoni

Vogelgnathus campbelli

Gnathodus bilineatus

Bispathodus stabilis

B. utahensis

Hindeodus penescitulus

H. cristulus

Polygnathus communis communis

TOTAL Pa elements

1?

Siphonodellid

404

1

78

5

11

18

1

2

2

1,114

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

0

1

0

7

1,246

(-42.7)

Siphonodellidgnathodid

51

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

12

21

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

7

0

0

31

71

(-1)

Gnathodid

-

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

21

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

4

0

0

2

33

0.1

-

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

18

4

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

25

anchoralis- mehlilatus

QS-20

Lower texanus

QS-25 QS-49

Leaning Rock Formation

27

Bactrognathid

419

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

2

4

70

6

17

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

134

0

0

364

599

43 96

Mixed Gnathodid

-

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

3

5

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

26

3

1

0

47

-

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2*

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

14

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

10

0

0

0

0

27

bilineatusLower Upper

Cavusgnathus Cavusgnathus

QS-94

Mexican

Spring

Formation

(-9)

Mixed

-

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

9

0

0

0

7

1

3

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

23

RSC-1 RSC-3

Rest Soring Shale

0.1

Mixed

9

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

3

0

0

0

12

0

0

0

0

7

10

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

34

3

Gnathodid

19

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

13

2

7

16

3

8

0

0

0

0

0

49
J36 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

Appendix table 3. Conodont collections arranged by Conodont Zone or approximate age in terms of Mississippian

provincial series.

[Localities shown by number in figure 1]

Conodont Zone or series Locality (number) Sample number ;

Conodont color

alteration index (CAI

FAMENN1AN

Early marginifera

Early marginifera (?)

Early trachytera

Early posteraC?)

Early poster a (1)

postera

Middle expansa

Indian Springs (20a)

Last Chance Range East (23)

Lost Burro Gap (lOb)

Last Chance Range East (23)

Lost Burro Gap (lOb)

Vaughn Gulch (6)

Lost Burro Gap (lOb)

ISS-6

LAS-5

LBG-1

LAS-6

LBG-2

VGI-1

LBG-3

4

4

4.5

4.5

5

6

4.5

KINDERHOOKIAN

sandbergi

Lower crenulata

isosticha-Vpper crenulata

Lost Burro Gap (lOb)

Vaughn Gulch (6)

Funeral Mountains South (18)

LBG-^J

VGI-2

FMS-3

5

6

4

OSAGEAN

Lower typicus

Lower typicus

Lower typicus

Lower typicus (?)

Lower typicus (?)

Upper typicus

Upper typicus

Upper typicus

Upper typicus

Osagean

Osagean

anchoralis-latus

anchoralis-latus

anchoralis-latus

anchoralis latus

anchoralis-latus

anchoralis-latus

anchoralis-latus

mehli-Lower texanus

mehli-Lower texanus

mehli-Lower texanus

mehli-Lower texanus

mehli-Lower texanus

mehli-Lower texanus

mehli-Lower texanus

mehli-Lower texanus (?)

mehli-Lower texanus (?)

Quartz Spring area (lOa)

Quartz Spring area (lOa)

Santa Rosa Hills South (13)

Indian Springs (20a)

Mountain Springs Pass (24)

Cottonwood Canyon (14a)

Stone Canyon (16)

Stone Canyon (16)

Trough Spring (22)

Quartz Spring area (lOa)

Quartz Spring area (lOa)

Cottonwood Canyon (14a)

Cottonwood Canyon (14a)

Indian Springs (20a)

Lee Canyon (21)

Lee Canyon (21)

Quartz Spring area (lOa)

Santa Rosa Hills South (13)

Bighorn Gap (lOc)

Indian Springs (20a)

Indian Springs East (20b)

Lee Flat West (7)

Potosi Mine (25)

Quartz Spring area (lOa)

Quartz Spring area (lOa)

Quartz Spring area (lOa)

Cottonwood Canyon (14a)

QS-1

QS-2

SRA-22

ISS-11

SM-12

PI>-17

MM-1

MM-2

TS-AN-14

QS-1 5

QS-29

CC-1

CC-4

ISS-12

LC-AN-1

LC-BU-8

QS-20

SRA-1

BG-108

AN-1B

ISS-26

LF-19

PO-5

QS-25

QS-49

QS-37

CC-6

4

4

5.5

3.5

2

5

5.5

8

4.5

4

4

5

5.5

4

4

4

4.5

6

4.5

4

4

5

3

4

4

4

6

MERAMEC1AN

homopunctatus-Upper texanus

homopunctatus-Uppet texanus

homopunctatus-Vpper texanus (?)

homopunctatus-Upper texanus (?)

Meramecian

Lower Cavusgnathus

Lower Cavusgnathus

Lower Cavusgnathus

Lower Cavusgnathus

Lower Cavusgnathus

Lower Cavusgnathus

Lower Cavusgnathus

Lower Cavusgnathus

Marble Canyon (14b)

Tinemaha Reservoir (1)

Quartz Spring area (lOa)

Indian Springs East (20b)

Indian Springs East (20b)

Lee Canyon (21)

Lee Flat West (7)

Quartz Spring area (lOa)

Rest Spring (lOa)

Talc City Hills (12)

Vaughn Gulch (6)

Vaughn Gulch (6)

Vaughn Gulch (6)

MC-1, MC-1-1

TR-1

QS-59

BU-1

ISS-31

LC-YP-3

LF-23

QS-94

RSC-1

TCH-1

VGI-7

VGI-3

VGI-3A

5.5

5.5

4

4

4

4

5

4

4

5

5.5

5.5

5.5

CHESTERIAN

bilineatus-Vpper Cavusgnathus

bilineatus-Upper Cavusgnathus

bilineatus-Upper Cavusgnathus (?)

Rest Spring (lOa)

Vaughn Gulch (6)

Vaughn Gulch (6)

RSC-3

VGI-19

VGI-20

4

5.5

5.5
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J37

APPENDIX 2 

MEASURED SECTIONS

TYPE SECTION OF LEANING ROCK FORMATION

AND REFERENCE SECTION OF 

MEXICAN SPRING FORMATION (FIGS. 7,8)

Section measured by D. Klingman, 1987, near Rest Spring in Cottonwood Mountains, 

about 4 km east of mouth of Perdido Canyon, between elevations of 6,240 and 6,160 

ft, in northwest corner sec. 31, T. 13 S., R. 42 E., lat 36°45'30" N., long 117°26'27" W., 

White Top Mountain 7.5-minute quadrangle, Inyo County, California.

Thickness 

(meters)

Rest Spring Shale (Upper Mississippian): Thin-bedded, very fine 

grained, fossiliferous, phosphatic, dark-gray limestone overlain 

by black shale 

Conformable contact 

Mexican Spring Formation (Upper Mississippian):

8. Siltstone (70 percent), reddish-brown, calcareous, fairly 

massive, highly bioturbated, Nereites trace fossils. 

Interbedded limestone (fossiliferous lime packstone), 

thin- to thick-bedded, forming Ta, Tab, and Tb 

carbonate turbidites with sharp, erosive bases and 

planar to slightly undulose tops; normal grading of 

fossil debris and intraclasts, some amalgamation of 

beds; contains pelmatozoan, brachiopod, and gastropod 

debris, calcareous foraminiferans, sparse ooids, and 

intraclasts of lime mudstone and wackestone, chert, 

and siltstone...................................................................... 16.0

7. Conglomerate, pinkish-gray, massive, predominantly

matrix supported, channelized, containing intraclasts of 

lime packstone, wackestone, and grainstone, and 

siltstone, and micrite as much as 1.3 m across; clasts 

are mostly subrounded, some are tabular; matrix 

consists of fossil 

debris and silty micrite ..................................................

6. Siltstone, reddish-brown, calcareous, massive, highly

bioturbated.....................................................................

Fault (minor displacement?)

5. Siltstone (70 percent), reddish-brown, calcareous, fairly 

massive, highly bioturbated, Nereites trace fossils. 

Interbedded limestone (fossiliferous lime packstone), 

medium- to thick-bedded, forming Ta, Tab, and Tb 

carbonate turbidites with sharp, erosive bases and 

planar to slightly undulose tops; normal grading of 

fossil debris and intraclasts; some cobble-bearing 

gravels and deposits of surging turbidity currents, no 

amalgamation of beds; contains pelmatozoan, 

brachiopod, and gastropod debris, calcareous 

foraminifers, sparse ooids, and intraclasts of micrite 

and wackestone, chert, and siltstone ................................ 34.5

Fault (minor displacement?)

4. Siltstone (70 percent), reddish-brown, calcareous, fairly 

massive, highly bioturbated, Nereites trace fossils. 

Interbedded limestone (fossiliferous lime packstone), 

medium- to thick-bedded, forming Ta, Tab, and Tb 

carbonate turbidites with sharp, erosive bases and 

planar to slightly undulose tops; normal grading of 

fossil debris and intraclasts; some cobble-bearing 

gravels and deposits of surging turbidity currents, no 

amalgamation of beds; contains pelmatozoan, 

brachiopod, and gastropod debris, calcareous 

foraminifers, sparse ooids, and intraclasts of micrite, 

lime wackestone, chert, and siltstone............................... 5.3

6.5 

4.0

3. Siltstone, reddish-brown, calcareous, massive, highly

bioturbated........................................................................ 22.0

Section offset approximately 100 m northwest

2. Conglomerate, bluish-gray, predominantly matrix

supported; intraclasts are micrite and chert as much as

15 cm across; matrix is argillaceous micrite.................... 0.7

1. Siltstone (70 percent), reddish-brown, calcareous, fairly 

massive, highly bioturbated, Nereites trace fossils. 

Interbedded limestone (fossiliferous lime-packstone), 

medium- to thick-bedded, forming Ta, Tab, and Tb 

carbonate turbidites with sharp, erosive bases and 

planar to slightly undulose tops; normal grading of 

fossil debris and intraclasts; some cobble-bearing 

gravels and deposits of surging turbidity currents; no 

amalgamation of beds; contains pelmatozoan, 

brachiopod, and gastropod debris, calcareous 

foraminiferans, sparse ooids, and micrite, 

lime-wackestone, chert, and siltstone intraclasts ............ 8.0

Total thickness of Mexican Spring Formation ................................. 97.0

Fault repetition of 19.7 m of Leaning Rock Formation and 46 m 

of Mexican Spring Formation along the line of section

Conformable contact

Leaning Rock Formation (Mississippian)

Unit 2:

6. Limestone (micrite and lime wackestone), dark-gray, thinto medium-bedded, argillaceous; some beds silicified 

and orangish-brown-weathering; mostly massive, 

commonly thinly laminated. Chert beds, lenses, and 

nodules 20 cm thick. Interbedded Ta and Tab carbonate 

turbidites, 20-30 cm thick, with sharp erosive bases and 

almost planar tops; normally graded; some with internal 

laminations; contain fossil debris (mostly pelmatozoan 

ossicles) and intraclasts of micrite, lime wackestone, 

and chert .......................................................................... 14.0

5. Conglomerate, medium-gray, brownish-gray-weathering, 

both matrix-supported and clast-supported; contains 

clasts of micrite, chert, fossiliferous wackestone, 

packstone, and Stelechophyllum as much as 40 cm 

across; local crudely developed coarse-tail grading, 

slightly erosive base and irregular top with projecting 

clasts; matrix of dark-gray micrite and fossil debris ....... 2.5

4. Limestone (micrite and lime wackestone), dark-gray, thinto medium-bedded, argillaceous; some beds silicified 

and orangish-brown-weathering; mostly massive; 

bioturbated with vertical and horizontal burrows; 

contains minor pelmatozoan debris, horn corals, and 

brachiopod debris. Interbedded dark-gray chert, darkbrownish-gray- to grayish-black-weathering, in 

sequences as thick as 4 m; individual beds 5-20 cm 

thick, separated by thin partings of argillaceous 

limestone. Dark-gray chert lenses and nodules, darkbrown to almost black-weathering, as thick as 10 cm. 

Interbedded Ta and Tab carbonate turbidites as thick as 

50 cm; some amalgamated, with sharp, erosive bases, 

fairly planar tops, normally graded, some with 

internal laminations........................................................... 26.5

3. Limestone (micrite and lime wackestone), dark-gray; beds 

folded and contorted, as thick as 10 cm, some silicified; 

minor chert nodules as thick as 8 cm............................... 3.0

2. Mudstone, reddish-brown-weathering, flaggy, bioturbated. 

Interbedded Tab carbonate turbidite, 30 cm thick, sharp, 

erosive base (scours as deep as 10 cm) and fairly planar 

top, normally graded with pelmatozoan debris and 

intraclasts, imbricated N. 41° W., groove lineations on
J38 EVOLUTION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS EASTERN GREAT BASIN

base. Debris-flow conglomerate, 25 cm thick, dark-gray

clasts of micrite and chert, matrix-supported,

planar base and top........................................................... 14.0

1. Limestone (micrite and lime wackestone), dark-gray, three 

masses with folded and contorted beds; individual beds 

as thick as 10 cm, some silicified; minor chert beds as 

thick as 15 cm. Mudstone, reddish-gray, reddish-brownweathering, flaggy, bioturbated, slightly calcareous ........ 16.0

Total thickness of unit 2.................................................................... 76.0

Unit 1: Limestone (micrite and lime wackestone), dark-gray, 

yellowish-brown-weathering, thin- to medium-bedded, 

commonly silicified, sponge-spicule-rich. Interbedded with 

argillaceous micrite, medium- to dark-gray-weathering, thin- to 

medium-bedded. Contains chert nodules (most common in 

upper 3 m of unit) ........................................................................ 7.0

Total thickness of Leaning Rock Formation..................................... 83.0

Conformable contact

Tin Mountain Limestone (Lower Mississippian): Medium-gray to 

dark-gray limestone

TYPE SECTION OF MEXICAN SPRING FORMATION 

(FIG. 9)

Section measured by D. Klingman, 1987, near Mexican Spring, southern Inyo Mountains, approximately 7.2 km northwest of Cerro Gordo Mine, between elevations of 

about 8,920 and about 8,970 ft, in T. 15 S., R. 38 E., lat 36°35'48" N., long 117°26'34" 

W., New York Butte 15-minute quadrangle, Inyo County, California.

Thickness 

(meters)

Rest Spring Shale (Upper Mississippian): Black shale 

Conformable contact 

Mexican Spring Formation (Upper Mississippian):

1. Siltstone, grayish-brown, light-brown-weathering, massive,

calcareous, highly bioturbated; abundant trace fossils..... 37.0

Total thickness of Mexican Spring Formation...........................

Unconformable contact

Tin Mountain Limestone (Lower Mississippian): Medium- to 

dark-bluish-gray limestone

37.0

1. Limestone (micrite and lime wackestone), medium-blueishgray, mostly medium bedded, mostly massive; occasional 

laminations; vertical burrows present but rare. Approximately 25 percent of limestone is silicified and weathers 

medium brown to reddish brown. Sparse chert nodules as 

thick as 10 cm. Pelmatozoan calcarenite, medium-gray to 

light-gray; beds as thick as 25 cm are present both as 

diffuse lenticular accumulations as thick as 15 cm and as 

beds with sharp bases and gradational tops showing 

crude normal grading of pelmatozoan ossicles................ 27

Total thickness of unit 3.................................................................... 36

Unit 2:

2. Limestone (micrite and lime wackestone), mediumblueish-gray, thin- to medium-bedded, mostly massive;

scattered pelmatozoan debris; approximately 10 percent

of limestone is silicified and weathers orangish brown.

Chert, in nodules and discontinuous lenses as thick as

10 cm and 1.5 m across, constitutes about 20 percent

of unit................................................................................ 34

1. Limestone (micrite and lime wackestone), medium- to 

dark-blueish-gray, thin-bedded; a few beds faintly 

laminated with minute pelmatozoan debris; about 30 

percent of limestone is silicified and weathers medium 

brown to orangish brown. Chert, in nodules and 

discontinuous lenses as thick as 15 cm and 5 m across, 

weathers dark brown to almost black and constitutes 30 

percent of unit................................................................... 21

Total thickness of unit 2.................................................................... 55

Unit 1: Chert, dark-gray, weathering dark brown to almost black, 

in irregular beds and nodules as thick as 15 cm; constitutes 

about 45 percent of unit. Limestone (micrite and lime 

wackestone), dark-bluish-gray, thin- to medium-bedded, 

massive; occasional pelmatozoan debris; constitutes about 40 

percent of unit. Silicified limestone, dark-gray, weathering 

orangish brown, thin- to medium-bedded, sponge-spicule-rich; 

constitutes about 15 percent of unit............................................. 16

Total thickness of Stone Canyon Limestone..................................... 107

Conformable contact

Tin Mountain Limestone (Lower Mississippian): Medium-gray to 

dark-gray limestone

TYPE SECTION OF STONE CANYON LIMESTONE 

(FIGS. 10,11)

Section measured by D. Klingman, 1987, near Minnietta Mine along east flank of the 

Argus Range, approximately 500 m north of Stone Canyon, between elevations of 

about 3,440 and about 3,120 ft, in sees. 27 and 28, T. 19 S., R. 42 E., lat 36°15'13" N., 

long 117°26'28" W., Panamint Butte 15-minute quadrangle, Inyo County, California.

Thickness 

(meters) 

Santa Rosa Hills Limestone (Upper Mississippian): Light-gray

limestone and marble 

Conformable contact

Stone Canyon Limestone (Lower Mississippian) 

Unit 3:

2. Limestone (micrite and lime wackestone), medium-bluishgray, thin- to medium-bedded, massive to faintly 

laminated; some vertical burrows; sparse chert nodules as 

thick as 8 cm. Pelmatozoan calcarenite, medium- to 

light-gray, in beds as thick as 25 cm with sharp bases 

and gradational tops; crude normal grading of 

pelmatozoan ossicles; some beds display internal parallel 

laminations........................................................................ 9

TYPE SECTION OF KEARSARGE FORMATION 

(FIGS. 12,13)

Section measured by C. Stevens and P. Stone, August 1989, on ridge on south side of 

Vaughn Gulch, about 11.5 km east of Independence, NErc SErc sec. 8, T. 13 S., R. 36 

E., lat 36°49'36" N., long 118°04'24" W., Bee Springs Canyon 7.5-minute quadrangle, 

Inyo County, California.

Thickness 

(meters)

Rest Spring Shale (Upper Mississippian) Shale, black 

Conformable contact

Kearsarge Formation, Snowcaps Member (Upper Mississippian) 

Unit 5:

14. Limestone; lithology similar to bed 6; channel-form; 

thickness ranges from 30 cm to 2 m in distance of 

10 m .................................................................................. 1.5

13. Shale, black, fissile................................................................ 8.5

12. Limestone; lithology similar to bed 6................................... 0.5

11. Shale, black, fissile................................................................ 6.0

10. Limestone; lithology similar to bed 6................................... 1.0
MISSISSIPPIAN STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA J39

9. Shale, black, fissile; several thin, fine-grained,

medium-gray limestone beds near top ............................. 4.5

8. Limestone; similar to bed 6; thin, parallel laminations

at top ................................................................................. 1.0

7. Shale, black, fissile................................................................ 3.0

6. Limestone, medium- to dark-gray; forms a single, graded

bed with some pelmatozoan stems as long as 12 cm at

base; very fine grained at top ........................................... 1.5

Transfer around a small fold

5. Shale, black, fissile; many horizontal trace fossils............... 5.5

4. Conglomerate, mostly dark-gray and black siliceous or

chert clasts, as large as 1.5 cm, in matrix of

medium-gray, fine-grained limestone............................... 0.5

3. Shale, black, fissile; 30-cm-thick bed of

fine-grained, medium-gray limestone near base .............. 9.0

2. Conglomerate; clasts, as large as 8 cm, composed of chert,

limestone, and rarely sandstone, in matrix of

medium-gray, fine-grained limestone............................... 1.5

1. Shale, black, fissile ............................................................... 3.0

Total thickness of unit 5.................................................................... 47.0

Unit 4: Limestone, mostly medium to fine grained, in beds mostly 

as thick as 1 m, some having a coarse-grained basal part with 

clasts as large as 3 mm. All beds generally fine upward and are 

capped by laminated silty limestone or calcareous siltstone; most 

beds are partly or completely laminated; highest bed is a single 

conglomeratic turbidite 2.5 m thick............................................. 32.5

Unit 3: Shale, black, fissile; abundant horizontal trace fossils ...... 29.0

Unit 2: Siltstone, quartzose; gray on fresh surfaces, light-reddishbrown on weathered surfaces; poorly exposed but beds 

probably about 30 cm thick ......................................................... 18.0

Unit 1:

2. Limestone, bioclastic, medium-gray, coarse-grained with

clasts as large as 4 mm, generally graded normally........ 7.0

1. Limestone, medium-gray, medium-grained, interbedded 

with limestone conglomerate, some graded coarse to 

fine; conglomerate with large pelmatozoan columnals 

and limestone, sandstone, and uncommon black chert 

clasts. Fine-grained laminated limestone 60 cm thick 

at top................................................................................. 6.5

Total thickness of unit 1.................................................................... 13.5

Total thickness of Snowcaps Member............................................... 140.0

Kearsarge Formation, Bee Member (Lower Mississippian):

1. Megabreccia; blocks as large as 10 m of quartzite,

limestone, and chert (in decreasing order of abundance)

in fine-grained, medium-gray limestone matrix. Largest

limestone blocks contain pelmatozoan ossicles that

have a dilumen central canal ........................................... 13.5

Total thickness of Bee Member......................................................... 13.5

Total thickness of Kearsarge Formation............................................ 153.5

Unconformable contact

Squares Tunnel Formation (Upper Devonian): Black chert

TYPE SECTION OF SQUARES TUNNEL FORMATION 

(FIGS. 12,13)

Section measured by C. Stevens and P. Stone, August 1989, in Mazourka Canyon in 

western Inyo Mountains, 0.9 km north-northeast of Squares Tunnel and about 13 km 

northeast of Independence, in SJ sec. 8, T. 12 S., R. 36 E., lat 36°52'12" N., long 

118°04'54" W., Bee Springs Canyon 7.5-minute quadrangle, Inyo County, California.

Thickness 

(meters)

Kearsarge Formation (Mississippian): Megabreccia 

Unconformable contact 

Squares Tunnel Formation (Upper Devonian): 

Unit 2: Limestone, altered, bleached light gray; 20-cm-thick 

chert-pebble conglomerate in lower part, altered limestone 

pebbles in upper part. Laterally contains many clasts 

reworked from underlying unit 1 ................................................ 7.0

Unit 1:

2. Interbedded chert and siliceous argillite, black, blocky

weathering, generally thin bedded. Some beds in upper 

part weather reddish brown. Chert commonly contains 

phosphatic light-gray stringers and beds as thick 

as 1 cm ............................................................................. 62.5

1. Pebble conglomerate, containing clasts of altered

limestone and black chert mostly 6 cm and rarely 20

cm across in medium-gray limestone matrix................... 0.5

Total thickness of unit 1.................................................................... 63.0

Total thickness of Squares Tunnel Formation................................... 70.0

Unconformable contact

Vaughn Gulch Limestone (Lower Devonian? and Silurian): 

Limestone, medium-gray, fine-grained, thin-bedded

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1996 - 774-045 / 20019 REGION NO.

SELECTED SERIES OF U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PUBLICATIONS

periodicals

Earthquakes & Volcanoes (issued bimonthly). 

Preliminary Determination of Epicenters (issued monthly).

echnical Books and Reports

Professional Papers are mainly comprehensive scientific reports 

f wide and lasting interest and importance to professional scientists and 

ngineers. Included are reports on the results of resource studies and of 

opographic, hydrologic, and geologic investigations. They also include 

ollections of related papers addressing different aspects of a single sci- 

:ntific topic.

Bulletins contain significant data and interpretations that are of 

asting scientific interest but are generally more limited in scope or geo- 

;raphic coverage than Professional Papers. They include the results of 

esource studies and of geologic and topographic investigations; as well 

is collections of short papers related to a specific topic.

Water-Supply Papers are comprehensive reports that present siglificant interpretive results of hydrologic investigations of wide interest 

o professional geologists, hydrologists, and engineers. The series covers 

nvestigations in all phases of hydrology, including hydrology, availabilty of water, quality of water, and use of water.

Circulars present administrative information or important scientifc information of wide popular interest in a format designed for distribuion at no cost to the public. Information is usually of short-term interest.

Water-Resources Investigations Reports are papers of an interactive nature made available to the public outside the formal USGS pubications series. Copies are reproduced on request unlike formal USGS 

mblications, and they are also available for public inspection at deposiories indicated in USGS catalogs.

Open-File Reports include unpublished manuscript reports, maps, 

md other material that are made available for public consultation at dejositories. They are a nonpermanent form of publication that may be citjd in other publications as sources of information.

Maps

Geologic Quadrangle Maps are multicolor geologic maps on topographic bases in 7 1/2- or 15-minute quadrangle formats (scales mainly 1:24,000 or 1:62,500) showing bedrock, surficial, or engineering 

geology. Maps generally include brief texts; some maps include structure 

md columnar sections only.

Geophysical Investigations Maps are on topographic or planimetric bases at various scales, they show results of surveys using geophysical techniques, such as gravity, magnetic, seismic, or radioactivity, which 

reflect subsurface structures that are of economic or geologic significance. Many maps include correlations with the geology.

Miscellaneous Investigations Series Maps are on planimetric or 

topographic bases of regular and irregular areas at various scales; they 

present a wide variety of format and subject matter. The series also includes 7 1/2-minute quadrangle photogeologic maps on planimetric 

bases which show geology as interpreted from aerial photographs. The 

series also includes maps of Mars and the Moon.

Coal Investigations Maps are geologic maps on topographic or 

planimetric bases at various scales showing bedrock or surficial geology, 

stratigraphy, and structural relations in certain coal-resource areas.

Oil and Gas Investigations Charts show stratigraphic information for certain oil and gas fields and other areas having petroleum potential.

Miscellaneous Field Studies Maps are multicolor or black-andwhite maps on topographic or planimetric bases on quadrangle or irregular areas at various scales. Pre-1971 maps show bedrock geology in relation to specific mining or mineral-deposit problems; post-1971 maps 

are primarily black-and-white maps on various subjects such as environmental studies or wilderness mineral investigations.

Hydrologic Investigations Atlases are multicolored or black-andwhite maps on topographic or planimetric bases presenting a wide range 

of geohydrologic data of both regular and irregular areas; the principal 

scale is 1:24,000, and regional studies are at 1:250,000 scale or smaller.

Catalogs

Permanent catalogs, as well as some others, giving comprehensive 

listings of U.S. Geological Survey publications are available under the 

conditions indicated below from USGS Map Distribution, Box 25286, 

Building 810, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225. (See latest 

Price and Availability List.)

"Publications of the Geological Survey, 1879-1961" may be purchased by mail and over the counter in paperback book form and as a set 

microfiche.

"Publications of the Geological Survey, 1962-1970" may be purchased by mail and over the counter in paperback book form and as a set 

of microfiche.

"Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey, 1971-1981" may be 

purchased by mail and over the counter in paperback book form (two 

volumes, publications listing and index) and as a set of microfiche.

Supplements for 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, and for subsequent years since the last permanent catalog may be purchased by mail 

and over the counter in paperback book form.

State catalogs, "List of U.S. Geological Survey Geologic and Water-Supply Reports and Maps For (State)," may be purchased by mail and 

over the counter in paperback booklet form only.

"Price and Availability List of U.S. Geological Survey Publications," issued annually, is available free of charge in paperback booklet 

form only.

Selected copies of a monthly catalog "New Publications of the 

U.S. Geological Survey" is available free of charge by mail or may be obtained over the counter in paperback booklet form only. Those wishing a 

free subscription to the monthly catalog "New Publications of the U.S. 

Geological Survey" should write to the U.S. Geological Survey, 582 National Center, Reston, VA 22092.

Note.-Prices of Government publications listed in older catalogs, 

announcements, and publications may be incorrect. Therefore, the prices 

charged may differ from the prices in catalogs, announcements, and publications.