Stratigraphy and mineralization of Hell Canyon greenstone belt (Precambrian), New Mexico
— Lee A. Woodward, M. A. Parchman, D. L. Edwards, and J. W. Husler

Precambrian greenstone belts long have been known to be associated with gold deposits, and in fact, most of the world's largest primary gold deposits are associated closely with greenstone belts (Anhaeusser and others, 1969). Other metals and minerals also are associated commonly with greenstone, including silver, chrome, nickel, asbestos, talc and magnesite. In view of the recent mining of gold near Hell Canyon (Woodward and others, 1978), a detailed investigation of this greenstone belt was undertaken, with emphasis on stratigraphy, petrology and mineralization.

 

Mapping for this project was at a scale of 1:8,000. Parchman mapped the northern half of the belt and performed some of the whole-rock chemical analyses for specimens from that area. Edwards mapped the southern half of the belt. Atomic absorption spectrophotometric analyses and some of the whole-rock analyses were performed by Husler. Stratigraphic sections were measured by Parchman and Woodward, and Edwards and Woodward in the northern and southern parts of the belt, respectively. The mineralization was studied by Woodward and this report written by him.

 

Previous work includes reconnaissance mapping by Reiche (1949) at 1:63,360 scale and generalized discussion of some of the rock units. Maps by Myers and McKay (1970, 1971) at 1:24,000 scale are similar to Reiche's map, but more generalized. A detailed description of the Milagros mine in the Hell Canyon district was presented by Woodward and others (1978).