Mineralization in Precambrian rocks in the Manzanita-north Manzano Mountains, central New Mexico
— Michael S. Fulp, William J. Cavin, James R. Connolly, and Lee A. Woodward

Proterozoic supracrustal rocks of the Manzanita and North Manzano mountains include Cibola gneiss, Sevilleta metarhyolite, metaclastic rocks, Tijeras Canyon greenstone, Hell Canyon greenstone, and Lacorocah metatuff. These units are intruded by rocks of granitic composition including Sandia granite and Ojito quartz monzonite (Reiche, 1949). Precambrian rocks are unconformably overlain by Pennsylvanian sediments. The Proterozoic supracrustal rocks and some granitic rocks have been subjected to at least two episodes of deformation and middle greenschist to lower amphibolite facies metamorphism. Despite recent detailed studies, stratigraphic relations among the supracrustal units are not completely understood due to complex deformation (Cavin and others, this guidebook; Connolly, this guidebook).

In this paper we locate and describe the major prospects and mines of the Tijeras Canyon, Coyote Canyon, and Hell Canyon districts, interpret the origin and genesis of the deposits, and comment on their economic potential. The deposits are divided into those of Precambrian age and post-Precambrian age. Several mines have produced in the past but none are producing today, although exploration, development, and small-scale production have occurred sporadically in the Hell Canyon and Tijeras Canyon districts in the past few years (Woodward and others, 1978).

Figure 1 is a generalized geologic map of the Manzanita and North Manzano mountains with prospects located by number and keyed to descriptions in the text. Most of the deposits are on patented claims, Kirtland Air Force Base, or Isleta Pueblo lands, and permission should be obtained to examine them.