Ochoan (Upper Permian) Stratigraphy and Age Determinations, Southeastern New Mexico and West Texas: ABSTRACT

Abstract

Upper Permian strata, which are the stratotype of the Ochoan State (Series), have an extensive subsurface distribution and limited outcrop area in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. The oldest strata are alternating laminae of anhydrite and calcite of the Castile Formation and are as much as 700 m thick. The closely related and overlying Salado Formation is a much as 600 m thick and is mostly halite and argillaceous halite with minor anhydrite. The overlying Rustler Formation is as much as 150 m thick and consists of anhydrite, red silty shale and magnesian limestone. Overlying red beds are the Quartermaster Formation (Dewey Lake Formation is a synonym, as is the term Pierce Canyon red beds), which is as much as 106 m thick and consist of fine sandstones, siltstones, and minor gypsum. The Castile rests disconformably on the Capitanian (middle Permian) Lamar Limestone Member of the Bell Canyon Formation and its equivalent, the Tansill Formation of the Artesia Group. Counting of Castile-Salado laminae and their posited relationship to astronomical cycles suggests that Castile-Salado deposition took only 200,000-300,000 yr. Limited assemblages of brachiopods and conodonts from the Rustler Formation indicate a Late Permian age, but are no more precise agemore » indicators. A small assemblage of bivalves, K-Ar ages and magnetostratigraphy indicate a late Permian age for the Quartermaster Formation. There is no evidence to support a Triassic age assignment for the Quarter-master; it is disconformably overlain by the Upper Triassic (Carnian) Chinle group. Most workers us the Ochoan as a Late Permian Stage-Age, although its typical strata generally lack good age indicators and may represent relatively short and sporadic intervals of the Late Permian. We prefer recognition of the Ochoan as a lithostratigraphic unit (group) without regional or global geochronologial significance.« less