Precambrian stratigraphy of Manzanita and north Manzano Mountains, New Mexico
— William J. Cavin, James R. Connolly, Lee A. Woodward, Duncan L. Edwards, and Mark Parchman

The most complete Precambrian stratigraphic sequence in central New Mexico is present in the Manzano and Manzanita mountains. This sequence, however, is complicated because of intense penetrative deormation, unconformities, faults, and younger intrusions. These complications result in uncertainties concerning correlations of two major greenstone belts, one in Tijeras Canyon and the other in Hell Canyon (figs. 1 and 2), and correlations of metasedimentary units in the North Manzano Mountains. Reiche (1949) was the first to study the Precambrian geology of the entire North Manzano Mountains and to establish a stratigraphic sequence.

 

This paper is based on four University of New Mexico master's theses, from north to south, by Connolly (1981, Tijeras Canyon), Cavin (in progress, Kirtland Air Force Base), Parchman (1980, Hell Canyon area), and Edwards (1978, Bosque Peak area), that were supervised by L. A. Woodward. The New Mexico Geological Society provided partial financial support for the field work.