Queen Formation

Queen Formation
Stratigraphic range: Guadalupian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Formation
Unit of	Artesia Group
Underlies	Seven Rivers Formation
Overlies	San Andres Formation
Thickness	500 feet (150 m)
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone
Other	dolomite, anhydrite
Location
Coordinates	32.191°N 104.755°W / 32.191; -104.755
Region	New Mexico
Country	United States
Type section
Named for	Queen Post Office
Named by	Blanchard and Davis
Year defined	1929
Queen Formation (the United States) Show map of the United States Queen Formation (New Mexico) Show map of New Mexico

The Queen Formation is a geologic formation in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. It preserves fossils dating back to the late Guadalupian Epoch of the Permian period.[1][2]

Description

The formation consists of up to 500 feet (150 m)[3] of mostly sandstone, with some interbedded dolomite and anhydrite. It rests on the San Andres Formation, from which it is separated by an erosional surface showing karst features.[4] The Queen Formation is overlain by the Seven Rivers Formation. The Queen Formation is part of the Artesia Group, which is interpreted as a sequence of shelf rocks of the Capitan reef.[1][5]

History of investigation

The unit was first named as the Queen sandstone of the upper San Andres Formation by Grant Blanchard and Morgan Davis in 1929.[3] In 1937, W.B. Lang assigned the Seven Rivers Member to the (now abandoned) Chalk Bluff Formation.[6] The unit was promoted to formation rank and assigned to the Whitehorse Group by Ronald DeFord and Russell Lloyd in 1940.[7] The formation was assigned to the Artesia Group by D.B. Tait and coinvestigators in 1962.[1]

See also

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in New Mexico
• Paleontology in New Mexico

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Footnotes

1. Tait, Motts & Spitler 1962.
2. Kues & Giles 2004, p. 100.
3. Blanchard & Davis 1929.
4. Kues & Giles 2004, pp. 124–128.
5. Kues 2006.
6. Lang 1937.
7. DeFord & Lloyd 1940.

References

• Blanchard, W. Grant; Davis, Morgan J. (1929). "Permian Stratigraphy and Structure of Parts of Southeastern New Mexico and Southwestern Texas". AAPG Bulletin. 13 (8): 957–995. doi:10.1306/3D93286E-16B1-11D7-8645000102C1865D.
• DeFord, Ronald K.; Lloyd, E. Russell (1940). "West Texas-New Mexico Symposium: Part I Editorial Introduction". AAPG Bulletin. 24. doi:10.1306/3D933188-16B1-11D7-8645000102C1865D.
• Kues, Barry S. (2006). "Geological studies of the Guadalupe Mountains area, New Mexico and West Texas, to 1928" (PDF). New Mexico Geological Society Field Conference Series. 57: 127–144. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
• Kues, B.S.; Giles, K.A. (2004). "The late Paleozoic Ancestral Rocky Mountain system in New Mexico". In Mack, G.H.; Giles, K.A. (eds.). The geology of New Mexico. A geologic history: New Mexico Geological Society Special Volume 11. pp. 95–136. ISBN 9781585460106.
• Lang, W.B. (1937). "The Permian formations of the Pecos Valley of New Mexico and Texas". American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin. 21 (7): 833–898. doi:10.1306/3D932EDE-16B1-11D7-8645000102C1865D.
• Tait, D.B.; Motts, W.S.; Spitler, M.E. (1962). "Artesia Group of New Mexico and West Texas". American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin. 46 (4): 504–517. doi:10.1306/BC74383B-16BE-11D7-8645000102C1865D.