Geochronology of basement and recent intrusive rocks from the Cuervo area, east-central New Mexico
— Jeremy R. D. Setter and John A. S. Adams

The basement and intrusive rocks of the Cuervo area received scant geologic attention until 1982-83, when wildcat drilling by Yates Petroleum Corporation and Trans-Pecos Resources resulted in the first significant hydrocarbon discoveries in the Tucumcari basin (Fig. 1). Detailed geologic investigations of the basement lithologies, tectonics and kinematics were deemed vital for any future commercial hydrocarbon exploitation of the Tucumcari basin. We present eight new potassiu — argon radiometric-age determinations, together with several representative whole-rock chemical analyses. Although our interpretations of the basement of the Cuervo area are largely empirical and based almost exclusively on proprietary data, we seek to stimulate more long-term research in the geology of the Tucumcari basin.