Origin and Evolution of the Sierra Nevada and Walker Lane themed issue

Synvolcanic crustal extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite

flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico: Evidence
from the Guazapares Mining District region, western Chihuahua

Bryan P. Murray1, Cathy J. Busby1, Luca Ferrari2, and Luigi A. Solari2

1
Department of Earth Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, Webb Hall, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9630, USA
2
Centro de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, México

ABSTRACT basaltic andesite province that were intermit- INTRODUCTION

tently erupted across all of the northern Sierra
The timing and spatial extent of mid-Ceno- Madre Occidental toward the end of and fol- Silicic large igneous provinces are signifi-
zoic ignimbrite flare-up volcanism of the Sierra lowing the Early Oligocene ignimbrite pulse; cant in the geologic record due to their unusu-
Madre Occidental silicic large igneous prov- and (3) the initiation of explosive and effusive ally extensive areal coverage (>100,000 km2),
ince of Mexico in relation to crustal extension silicic fissure magmatism in the study area large volumes (>250,000 km3), and potential to
is relatively unknown. Extension in the Sierra during the Early Miocene pulse of the mid- induce environmental change (e.g., Bryan, 2007;
Madre Occidental has been variably inter- Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up. Cather et al., 2009; Jicha et al., 2009; Bryan and
preted to have preceded, postdated, or begun The main geologic structures identified Ferrari, 2013). Compositions within silicic large
during Early Oligocene flare-up volcanism of in the Guazapares Mining District region igneous provinces range from basalt to high-
the silicic large igneous province. New geologic are NNW–trending normal faults, with an silica rhyolite, but are volumetrically dominated
mapping, zircon U-Pb laser ablation–induc- estimated minimum of 20% total horizontal (>80%) by dacite-rhyolite compositions, with
tively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry extension. Normal faults were active during >75% of the total magmatic volume emplaced
dating, modal analysis, and geochemical data deposition of all three formations (Parajes, during short duration (~1–5 Myr) pulses over a
from the Guazapares Mining District region Témoris, and Sierra Guazapares), and bound maximum province lifespan of ~50 Myr (Bryan,
along the western edge of the northern Sierra half-graben basins that show evidence of syn- 2007; Bryan and Ernst, 2008). Previous studies
Madre Occidental silicic large igneous prov- volcanic extension (e.g., growth strata) dur- suggest that silicic large igneous provinces may
ince have identified three informal synexten- ing deposition. Normal faulting began by ca. be characteristic of continental regions undergo-
sional formations. The ca. 27.5 Ma Parajes 27.5 Ma during deposition of the youngest ing broad lithospheric extension and typically
formation is an ~1-km-thick succession com- ignimbrites of the Parajes formation, concur- initiate as prerifting magmatic events (Bryan
posed primarily of welded to nonwelded rent with the end of the Early Oligocene silicic et al., 2002; Bryan, 2007; Best et al., 2013;
silicic outflow ignimbrite sheets erupted from ignimbrite pulse to the east and before mag- Bryan and Ferrari, 2013). Therefore, determin-
distant sources. The 27–24.5 Ma Témoris for- matism began in the study area. In addition, ing the timing of extensional deformation in
mation is interpreted as an andesitic volcanic preexisting normal faults localized andesitic relation to magmatism is an important consider-
center composed of locally erupted mafic to volcanic vents of the Témoris formation and ation toward understanding silicic large igneous
intermediate composition lavas and associated silicic vents of the Sierra Guazapares forma- province processes, as crustal extension is sug-
intrusions, with interbedded andesite-clast tion, and some faults were reactivated during, gested as one mechanism that favors the genera-
fluvial and debris flow deposits, and an upper as well as after, deposition of these formations. tion of large silicic magma volumes (Hildreth,
section of thin distal silicic outflow ignim- We interpret extensional faulting and mag- 1981; Wark, 1991; Hanson and Glazner, 1995)
brites. The 24.5–23 Ma Sierra Guazapares matism in the Guazapares Mining District as well as very large magnitude explosive
formation is composed of silicic vent facies region to be part of a regional-scale Middle silicic eruptions (Aguirre-Díaz and Labarthe-
ignimbrites to proximal ignimbrites, lavas, Eocene to Early Miocene southwestward Hernández, 2003; Costa et al., 2011).
plugs, dome-collapse deposits, and fluvially migration of active volcanism and crustal The Sierra Madre Occidental of western
or debris flow–reworked equivalents. These extension in the northern Sierra Madre Occi- Mexico is the third largest silicic large igneous
three formations record (1) the accumula- dental. We show that extension accompanied province of the Phanerozoic and is the largest
tion of outflow ignimbrite sheets, presumably silicic volcanism in the Guazapares region, and best-preserved of the Cenozoic (Fig. 1;
erupted from calderas mapped ~50–100 km and overlapped with the peak of mid-Ceno- Bryan, 2007; Ferrari et al., 2007). It extends
east of the study area that were active during zoic ignimbrite flare-up in the Sierra Madre for ~1200 km south from the U.S.-Mexico bor-
the Early Oligocene pulse of the mid-Cenozoic Occidental; this supports the interpretation der to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, form-
ignimbrite flare-up; (2) development of an that there is a relationship between litho- ing a high plateau with an average elevation
andesitic volcanic field in the study area, likely spheric extension and silicic large igneous >2000 m, consisting primarily of Oligocene
related to rocks of the Southern Cordillera province magmatism. to Early Miocene ignimbrites that cover an

Geosphere; October 2013; v. 9; no. 5; p. 1201–1235; doi:10.1130/GES00862.1; 15 figures; 3 tables; 5 supplemental files.
Received 21 August 2012 ♦ Revision received 19 June 2013 ♦ Accepted 14 August 2013 ♦ Published online 13 September 2013

For permission to copy, contact editing@[Link]

1201
© 2013 Geological Society of America
 Murray et al.

main highway 1991; McDowell and Mauger, 1994; Albrecht

Tuscon
El Paso railroad
and Goldstein, 2000; Swanson et al., 2006;
McDowell, 2007; McDowell and McIntosh,
SMO
2012) (Fig. 1). As a result, the age relation-
TMVB ships between ignimbrite flare-up volcanism
30°N and crustal extension remain unclear. Previous
studies have suggested that significant crustal
extension in the region did not occur until after

U.
Hermosillo

S.
the peak of large volume ignimbrite flare-up

A.
M
Tomóchic volcanism, which was inferred to have occurred

ex
Chihuahua
Gu

ico
between ca. 32 and 28 Ma (Early Oligocene;
lf o

Basaseachic San Juanito e.g., McDowell and Clabaugh, 1979; Wark et al.,
fC

Fig. 2 Creel
1990; McDowell and Mauger, 1994; Gans, 1997;
ali

Divisadero unextended
for

core of the SMO Grijalva-Noriega and Roldán-Quintana, 1998).

a ni

However, other studies have inferred that initial

regional extension is recorded by the onset of
Los Mochis large volume Early Oligocene ignimbrite flare-
up volcanism (e.g., Aguirre-Díaz and McDowell,
La Paz 1993), or that extensional deformation began
Durango before the flare-up (e.g., Dreier, 1984; Ferrari
et al., 2007). Uncertainty regarding the timing
of extension relative to ignimbrite flare-up vol-
Mazatlán
canism is also a problem in the Basin and Range
of the western U.S., where previous studies have
0 400 km Mesa Central
inferred that extension preceded, postdated, or
began during ignimbrite flare-up volcanism (e.g.,
0 200 mi
Gans et al., 1989; Best and Christiansen, 1991;
Guadalajara
N TMVB Axen et al., 1993; Best et al., 2013).
20°N The Guazapares Mining District region of
110°W 100°W western Chihuahua, Mexico, is located ~250 km
southwest of Chihuahua City in the northern
Figure 1. Generalized map of western Mexico showing the extent of the Sierra Madre Occi- Sierra Madre Occidental (Fig. 1). The excellent
dental (SMO) silicic large igneous province (light yellow) and the relatively unextended core rock exposure and topographic relief in this pre-
(dark gray) of the SMO (after Henry and Aranda-Gómez, 2000; Ferrari et al., 2002; Bryan viously unmapped area make it ideal for study-
et al., 2013). The location of the Guazapares Mining District region (Fig. 2) is indicated. ing the relationships between silicic large igne-
TMVB—Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. ous province volcanism and crustal extension. In
this paper we show that extension preceded the
onset of magmatism in the study area. We dem-
estimated area of 300,000–400,000 km2 with proper (Fig. 1) to the Mesa Central and parts of onstrate that extension was active in the study
an average thickness of 1 km (McDowell and the southern Basin and Range in eastern Chi- area during deposition of ca. 27.5 Ma outflow
Keizer, 1977; McDowell and Clabaugh, 1979; huahua and Durango (Gunderson et al., 1986; ignimbrites, presumably derived from calderas
Aguirre-Díaz and Labarthe-Hernández, 2003). Aguirre-Díaz and McDowell, 1991, 1993), as of similar ages identified to the north and east
The volcanism of the Sierra Madre Occidental well as southwesternmost mainland Mexico and by other workers. Extension continued during
silicic large igneous province is contemporane- Baja California Sur (Umhoefer et al., 2001; Fer- growth of a ca. 27–24.5 Ma andesitic volcanic
ous with, and is considered part of, the extensive rari et al., 2002). center in the study area, followed by continued
mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up that affected A large part of the Sierra Madre Occidental extension during ca. 24.5–23 Ma silicic flare-up
much of the southwestern North American Cor- remains unmapped and undated (>90%; Swan- magmatism in the study area. This study shows
dillera from the Middle Eocene to Late Mio- son et al., 2006). Previous work in the Sierra how extensional structures controlled the siting
cene (e.g., Coney, 1978; Armstrong and Ward, Madre Occidental has been primarily restricted of the andesitic and silicic volcanic vents and
1991; Ward, 1991; Ferrari et al., 2002; Lipman, to the southern region of the igneous province shallow-level intrusions. This study also shows
2007; Cather et al., 2009; Henry et al., 2010; (e.g., Nieto-Samaniego et al., 1999; Ferrari et al., that the onset of extension in the study area
Best et al., 2013). The core of the Sierra Madre 2002), the vicinity of the Mazatlán–Durango overlaps with the end of peak Oligocene silicic
Occidental is relatively unextended in com- highway in the central region (e.g., McDowell magmatism to the east, and that extension in the
parison to the surrounding Late Oligocene to and Keizer, 1977; McDowell and Clabaugh, study area preceded and coincided with a sec-
Miocene extensional belts of the southern Basin 1979; Henry and Fredrikson, 1987), and the ond peak of magmatism in the Miocene, which
and Range to the east and the Gulf Extensional areas around the Hermosillo–Chihuahua City is represented in the study area. Last, we show
Province to the west (Fig. 1; Nieto-Samaniego highway and the Tomóchic–Creel road in the that our data support the interpretation that silicic
et al., 1999; Henry and Aranda-Gómez, 2000). northern region (e.g., Swanson, 1977; Swan- flare-up magmatism swept southwestward with
Rocks related to the silicic large igneous prov- son and McDowell, 1984, 1985; Wark et al., time, due to rollback and/or removal of the slab
ince extend beyond the Sierra Madre Occidental 1990; Cochemé and Demant, 1991; Wark, that was subducting beneath western Mexico.

1202 Geosphere, October 2013

 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

GEOLOGIC SETTING more mafic compositions, in the north (Ferrari Oligocene ignimbrite pulse, based on the orienta-
et al., 2002, 2007; Bryan et al., 2013). The Early tion and age of epithermal vein deposits (Dreier,
Previous regional-scale studies in the Sierra Oligocene pulse is estimated to have contributed 1984) and a moderate angular unconformity
Madre Occidental subdivided volcanic rocks at least half to three-quarters (>200,000 km3) of between the Lower Volcanic Complex and Upper
into: (1) the Late Cretaceous to Eocene Lower the erupted volume of the Upper Volcanic Super- Volcanic Supergroup (e.g., Ferrari et al., 2007).
Volcanic Complex of dominantly andesitic com- group, but at least 50,000–100,000 km3 was Direct evidence of Early Eocene (pre–Upper
position; (2) the Eocene to Early Miocene Upper erupted during the Early Miocene pulse (Cather Volcanic Supergroup) extensional faulting is
Volcanic Supergroup of dominantly silicic com- et al., 2009; Bryan et al., 2013). McDowell and observed in the Mesa Central region to the east of
position; and (3) the Early Oligocene to Early McIntosh (2012) suggested that most ignim- the core of the southern Sierra Madre Occidental
Miocene basaltic andesite volcanic rocks of the brites in the northern and central Sierra Madre and includes a moderate angular unconformity
Southern Cordillera basaltic andesite province Occidental were erupted during discrete time within continental clastic and andesitic volcanic
(McDowell and Keizer, 1977; Cameron et al., intervals (36–33.5 Ma and 31.5–28 Ma). In addi- sequences and subvolcanic intrusions along nor-
1989; Ferrari et al., 2007). The Lower Volcanic tion, an older Eocene pulse of ignimbrite erup- mal faults (Aranda-Gómez and McDowell, 1998;
Complex is believed to underlie most of the tions between 46 and 42 Ma is only recognized Aguillón-Robles et al., 2009; Tristán-González
Upper Volcanic Supergroup (Aguirre-Díaz and along the eastern margin of the Sierra Madre et al., 2009), as well as ca. 32 Ma synvolcanic
McDowell, 1991; Ferrari et al., 2007), although Occidental, and an interval of ca. 24 Ma ignim- normal faults that were active until ca. 24 Ma
the thick ignimbrite cover of the Upper Volcanic brite eruptions that coincides with the Early (Aguirre-Díaz and McDowell, 1993; Luhr et al.,
Supergroup obscures much of the geologic Miocene pulse of Ferrari et al. (2002, 2007) is 2001). However, Eocene-age extensional fault-
relationships between these two subdivisions observed in the western regions of the igneous ing has not been documented in the Sierra Madre
in most areas. The volcanic rocks of the Lower province (McDowell and McIntosh, 2012), west Occidental proper.
Volcanic Complex generally consist of interme- of our study area. The Guazapares Mining District of western
diate composition lavas and lesser silicic tuffs, During the final stages of and after each silicic Chihuahua is located at the western edge of
and are interpreted as the products of normal ignimbrite pulse of the Upper Volcanic Super- the relatively unextended core of the northern
steady-state (i.e., non–flare-up-style) conti- group, basaltic andesite lavas were intermittently Sierra Madre Occidental, at the boundary with
nental subduction-related magmatism broadly erupted across all of the northern Sierra Madre the highly extended Gulf Extensional Prov-
contemporaneous with the Laramide orogeny in Occidental (Ferrari et al., 2007). In the northern ince (Fig. 1). Previous geologic studies in this
western North America (McDowell and Keizer, part of the Sierra Madre Occidental these rocks ~300 km2 region were restricted to regional
1977; McDowell et al., 2001). were generally considered part of the Southern 1:50,000 and 1:250,000 geologic mapping by
The ~1-km-thick Upper Volcanic Supergroup Cordillera basaltic andesite province (Cam- the Mexican Geological Survey (Minjárez Sosa
broadly refers to the products of large-volume eron et al., 1989) with ages ranging from 33 to et al., 2002; Ramírez Tello and Garcia Peralta,
flare-up–style (i.e., high output rate and large 17.6 Ma, although they mostly are Oligocene 2004) and mining company reports (e.g., Roy
eruptive volumes) silicic magmatism, also (Cameron et al., 1989, and references therein; et al., 2008; Wood and Durgin, 2009; Gustin,
known as the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up, Ferrari et al., 2007). The rocks of the Southern 2011, 2012). On these maps and reports,
and defines the extent of the Sierra Madre Occi- Cordillera basaltic andesite province have been Paleocene–Eocene Lower Volcanic Complex
dental silicic large igneous province (McDowell interpreted as magmatism recording the initia- andesitic rocks were inferred to underlie the
and Keizer, 1977; Bryan, 2007; Ferrari et al., tion of crustal extension across the region (e.g., Oligocene Upper Volcanic Supergroup silicic
2007). The Upper Volcanic Supergroup is com- Cameron et al., 1989; Cochemé and Demant, ignimbrites, but we show here that these rocks
posed of Eocene to Early Miocene silicic ignim- 1991; Gans, 1997; McDowell et al., 1997; (which we informally refer to as the Témoris
brites, lavas, and intrusions, and lesser intermedi- González León et al., 2000; Ferrari et al., 2007). formation) are both underlain and overlain by
ate to mafic lavas (McDowell and Keizer, 1977; Several prior studies recognized significant silicic ignimbrites, and therefore cannot be
McDowell and Clabaugh, 1979; Aguirre-Díaz crustal extension in the Sierra Madre Occiden- assigned to the Lower Volcanic Complex. Prior
and McDowell, 1991, 1993; Ferrari et al., 2002, tal immediately following the Early Oligocene to this study there were no geochronologi-
2007; McDowell, 2007). The large volume of ignimbrite pulse of the Upper Volcanic Super- cal data from the Guazapares Mining District
silicic ignimbrites and high output rate suggest group (e.g., McDowell and Clabaugh, 1979; region and the closest reported dates were from
multiple caldera and fissure sources for these Wark et al., 1990; McDowell and Mauger, 1994; Upper Volcanic Supergroup ignimbrites ~50 km
volcanic deposits (e.g., Swanson and McDowell, Gans, 1997; Grijalva-Noriega and Roldán-Quin- to the northeast near Divisadero (ca. 30 Ma;
1984; Aguirre-Díaz and Labarthe-Hernández, tana, 1998). The earliest evidence of extensional Swanson et al., 2006).
2003; Swanson et al., 2006; McDowell, 2007). faulting in the northern Sierra Madre Occiden-
Ferrari et al. (2002, 2007) proposed that there tal is found in central Chihuahua (younger than LITHOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY
were at least two main pulses of large volume 29 Ma), immediately following the Early Oligo-
silicic ignimbrite flare-up volcanism in the Sierra cene ignimbrite pulse (McDowell and Mauger, New geologic mapping in the Guazapares
Madre Occidental during the mid-Cenozoic, 1994). In east-central Sonora, the earliest age Mining District region (Figs. 2, 3, and 4; Sup-
one during the Early Oligocene (ca. 32–28 Ma) of crustal extension is possibly as old as 27 Ma plemental Figure 11) provides the basis for the
and another during the Early Miocene (ca. and synvolcanic deposition in many normal-fault
24–20 Ma). The Early Oligocene ignimbrite basins was active by 24 Ma, following the peak 1
Supplemental Figure 1. Geologic map of Guaza-
pulse is inferred to have occurred throughout of Early Oligocene ignimbrite flare-up volcanism pares Mining District region, northern Sierra Madre
the Sierra Madre Occidental, while the Early (Gans, 1997; McDowell et al., 1997; Gans Occidental, Chihuahua, Mexico. If you are viewing
the PDF of this paper or reading it offline, please
Miocene ignimbrite pulse was inferred to be et al., 2003). However, extension in the Sierra visit [Link] or the
volumetrically more significant in the southern Madre Occidental may have begun as early as full-text article on [Link] to view Supple-
Sierra Madre Occidental and less abundant, with the Eocene, prior to the eruption of the Early mental Figure 1.

Geosphere, October 2013 1203

 Murray et al.

108°15'W 108°10'W

Fig. 3B
Sierra Guazapares formation (intrusions)
27°25'N

20 strike and dip symbols

3035000N
Sierra Guazapares formation 15
17 11
Témoris formation compaction
bedding flow banding

1500
foliation
12 Gu
aza Parajes formation
par
15 16
00 21
32
es

64
32 Fig. 3A
fa

20 6
14

Pie
ult

dra
zon

Bo
e

150

la
20

fau
0
00
33

lt
26 32 66 15

La

3030000N
Santiago fault
Es

Rancho de
ca
ler
10

a
15

fa
23 66 16

ul
14

t
22
La P

Pu
Ar rto
ro Bl
e
alm

yo an
H co
era

10

on fa
150

do ul
faul

- t
0

1500
12 10
t

20
15 00
13
27°20'N

Ch
ap
ot
13

ill
20

of

3025000N
23 8

au
lt
20 17
36 24
Ag

11 8
uje

N
ra

10
do
Er

fau
ici

15
lt
cu

17
ch
La
15

if
00

Pal

au
lt
mer

17
a fa
ult
1500

Contour interval = 100 m

Témoris 55
62 3020000N
0 0.5 1 2 3 km

765000E 770000E 775000E 780000E

Figure 2. Simplified geologic map of the Guazapares Mining District region, showing the extents of the three formations discussed herein
(see Fig. 5) and the locations of major faults. Boxes indicate the locations of the detailed geologic maps of Figure 3. See Supplemental Figure
1 (see footnote 1) for more detailed geologic mapping of the study area. Coordinates in black are Universal Transverse Mercator, North
American Datum 1927.

subdivision of three informally named forma- sions; and (3) the Sierra Guazapares formation, Sigurdsson et al. (2000). Following Fisher and
tions described in the following (from oldest to consisting of silicic vent-proximal ignimbrites, Schmincke (1984), volcaniclastic refers to all
youngest): (1) the Parajes formation, consisting lavas, and subvolcanic intrusions (Fig. 5). fragmental rocks made dominantly of volcanic
mainly of silicic outflow ignimbrites; (2) the The volcanic and volcaniclastic terminolo- detritus; these include (1) pyroclastic fragmental
Témoris formation, composed mainly of mafic gies used in this paper are those of Fisher and deposits, inferred to have been directly fed from
to intermediate composition lavas and intru- Schmincke (1984), Fisher and Smith (1991), and an eruption, e.g., pyroclastic fall, ignimbrites,

1204 Geosphere, October 2013

 108°14′W 108°12′W 108°10'W
66 67
72 Figure 3A
Ttba Ttss 25
13
Ttss Ttba Ttba
Ttss 0 0.5 1 2 3
20
14
Ttb 16 20
17 Tpr Tsl
60
Tpr km
64
9
Ttb 17 Ttss 15
Ttss 43 Contour interval = 20 m
3032000N

Tst 11 14
75
Tst Tpr Map datum: NAD27 UTM 24 zone 12

69
64
43
65 Ttba 41
14
Tsi Tst 10
Ttda 67 Ttda Ttba Tt
Ttda
Tp
30
Tpr
Ttdi
10 Ttss

Ch
a
Tst
15

po
t
Tst Ttba
Ttba 34

illo

La
Ttss 10
Ttdt Ttba

fa
56 24

Es
ult
Ttda 13 22

ca
Tt C′′

ler
Ttt

a
Tpr 5 Tpk
Tpb

fau
3030000N

23 Tpr 15

lt
Tpb 37
Rancho Tpr
Tpr

27°22 ′N
Tt de Santiago 55 50 20
52 Tpr
55 T
16
fault 5 Tpb
Ttss 39
24 43
14 43
Tpr
26

Geosphere, October 2013

Tsti 22 Tpb Tpb Tpr
Ttba Ttdt 15 28
Tpr Ttai 16
Tsti 20 Ttba
Ttda 25
9
19 Tpb
Tpk
Rancho de Santiago

Ttss 60
Ar
ro

Tpr 67 12
yo

Ttss 18 Ttba
Ho
n

Ts Tsti Ttss Tpr Tps

29
do
3028000N

-
Pu

25 Ttda Tpt
e

Tpe 62 43
rto

Tprr
Ttba 60
Bl

Ttai
an

Tpk
co

11 31
fa

14 B′
ul
t

Tpp Ttss Tpb Tp

Tpb
Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

10 21
C Tst
57
4 56

Figure 3 (on this and following four pages). Geologic maps of portions of the Guazapares Mining District region. Topographic base map is from Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geo-
grafía e Informática (INEGI); original 1:50,000 scale ITRF92 (International Terrestrial Reference Frame 1992) datum projected to NAD27 UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator,
North American Datum 1927) zone 12. The entire geologic map for the study area is presented in Supplemental Figure 1 (see footnote 1). (A) Geologic map of the southeastern portion

1205
of the Guazapares Mining District region between Puerto La Cruz and Rancho de Santiago, east of Témoris. The locations of cross-sections A–A′, B–B′, and C–C′ (Fig. 4) are indicated.
 Ttss 22

1206
Tpr Tp
Tpe
Ts 13 9 Tps
Ttda
Ttds
Ts Tpe

27°20 ′N
Tstb
3026000N

25
Ttss

La
Tta 20
Tpc

Es
Tsti 13 16

c
Ttds

ale
3 Tpe

ra
Tsl 60
8

fa
Tsti 9

Ag
Tt Tsti 57

ult
27

u
Tpe

jer
17 25 Tpk
Tsi

a
17

Ch
24 Ttss 16

do
75

f
Ttba

ap
36 7
Ttda

oti

au
80

lt
19 24
Ttba Tpp

llo
Tta
20 36
70
15

fau
lt
Tsxi Tt

E
Ttss
8
Ttba

ricic
Tpc
Tsl

uc
B Tpp
Tta Ttda Ttss
3024000N

hi fa
23 8 Ttda 9

ult
26
Tsxi 10 Tpe
Tsi 14 Tpe
Tti 28
A′′ Tpe
17 52

20
Tpp
14 Tst Ttba Ttba
15
Murray et al.

17 Ttds Tpp
13
Tta Tpp
11

Geosphere, October 2013

20
15
A Tpp
Puerto

L
La Cruz Ttda

a Pa

27°18 ′N
lm
Ttba Tpp

era
3022000N

faul
17

t
Tta Tp

12

10
Ttv Tp

Tsi
774000E 776000E 778000E 780000E

Figure 3A (continued).
 108°18 ′W 108°16 ′W 108°14 ′W
Ttds
11
Monte Tsl
3036000N

4
Cristo 46 14 Ttb 13
60

Sa
19

n
Tt Tsi

gr
Tsv Tp

e
Ttb

de
Tsiw
Tst

Cr
Ttba

is
Ttba

to
Tsi Ts

fa
ult
Tsiw Ttba
Tsi Ttss
Tsiw Tsiw
Ttss Ttba
Tti Ts
12 Tsv 66 Tsi
24
Tst
Ch

Ba
Ttba Ttsa
3034000N

35 24 Tt

tos@
apot

Ttba

eg
Ttsa

a
Ttsa

Gu
illo f

23

ch@
i
Ttsa Tsiw

27°24 ′N
11
ault

Ttba

za
Tsi Tta

fau
p
Ttsa

lt
79 32

@
Tsv Ttba
Tt 65 16 Tsi 60

are
Ttsa 24

s
Tp 28 17 67
Tsxi 66

@
Tsiw 6 Tta

fa
25 32 24
13 Ttda
20 20 25 Ttss

ult

@
Ts 24 Tsti Ttb

z
64 12 Tsi Tsi
Ttt Ttba Ttba Ttss

on

@
Ttsa 27 San Tsl 6 Ttss

Ta
e

ho
Antonio 8 3 Ttb

ni
Ttb

t
Ts

@
20

Geosphere, October 2013

as
Tsxi 22 Tsi
3032000N

Tst

fa
Qa

ul
Tsiw

t
Tsl
Ttba Tta Tsxi
74
Tst Tsi Tst
Ttba Ttat
Ttsa Tsi
Ttss Tta
Tta Tta Tt
25 33
Tta 29
26 66 Tst
27 66 Tsl
47 32 Ttsa Ttat Tst
Ttss 16 Ttss 15 30 Tsxi
Tti
La

18 Ttss 9
26 28
E

Tt 72
La Palm

63
sc

16
a

Tsi 80
Guazapares
ler

Ttss
a

51 Tsl
era fau

34
lt
fau
3030000N

lt

Tt Tsxi
Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

10

27°22 ′N
Tta Tt
Tsxi
Tta Tti Tst 35
Tsi 66
60 24 60 Tst 17
24 15
23 12
@

28
25

Figure 3 (continued). (B) Geologic map of the Guazapares fault zone between Témoris and Monte Cristo.

1207
 @
25 Tta

1208
55 Ttat Tsl
7 17
25 35
Tsi Tsti

La P
Ttds

a
Tsxi 10 16
Ttss 17 Tsi Ts Ts
Tti Ttds

lmera
58
14

@
3 9
Ttss 14
Tsi
Tsl

fault
35
3028000N

Tsl
10
Tt Ts

Gu
70

a
Ttss Tsi
50

z
8 Tt Tst
19 Tsxi

ap
Tti 15 51

a
35 Tsl

re
6 35

s
13 13
Tst

fa
Ttss 12

ul
Tst Tst Tsxi 18

tz
o
15 Tsl
Tsxi

ne
Ttss Tst Tsl
Tst
11 Tta 17
Tsxi Ttss Ts
Tsi

27°20 ′N
Tt
3026000N

Tsl 18 Tt
10
13 Tstb
20
17
Ttds 7
13
23 Tst Tt
22 Ttda Tsi
Murray et al.

Tta Tta Tsti

La

21

Geosphere, October 2013

Pa

Tsl 11
Tst
lm

Ttds Tsl
era

Ttds Tt
fau

11
lt

Tsi 23 Tsxi Tsxi

Tst
18 Tst
3024000N

Tsi
5
Tta Tsib Tst 26
Tta Tti Tta
22
17 52
Ttda
@

14 20
Figure 3B Tt 24 Tst
17 Ttds
13
@

Ttba
0 0.5 1 2 3 Puerto 11
La Cruz 15
@

km
25
@

Contour interval = 20 m

27°18 ′N
Map datum: NAD27 UTM zone 12 Tta Ttba Ttda
3022000N

766000E 768000E 770000E 772000E 774000E

Figure 3B (continued).
 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

Qa Quaternary alluvium
unconformity
Sierra Guazapares formation
Tsiw
Tsv
high-silica
rhyolite silicic Tsl Tsi
intrusion volcaniclastic Ts
& fluvial- rhyolite
rhyolite Tstb
lacustrine intrusion Tst Tsxi
deposit lava Tsti
Tsibmassive (Tsti) to very
stratified (Tstb) large scale
silicic rhyolite cross-bedded Sierra
brecciated ignimbrite rhyolitic Guazapares
intrusion ignimbrite formation
(undiff.)
unconformity
Témoris formation
Tti
rhyolite Tta Ttds
ignimbrite Ttat
& andesite debris flow Ttb
deposits: Ttss Ttsa Tt
reworked lava andesite
basaltic Ttda Ttv Ttai
tuff intermediate/ lapilli-tuff
silicic volcanic fluvial trachy- Ttba Ttdt Ttt
debris
fragments sandstone: andesite flow Ttdi
intermediate lava deposits: talus & silicic debris
fluvial sandstone: volcanic andesitic basalt to debris tuff flow andesitic andesitic Témoris
intermediate/silicic fragments volcanic andesite flow deposits: volcanic intrusion formation
volcanic fragments fragments lava deposits welded center (undiff.)
ignimbrite
fragments
unconformity
Parajes formation
Tpt
Traza Tpk
ignimbrite
KM Tpr
ignimbrite Tps
Rancho de Tpb
Santiago Tp
ignimbrite Puerto Blanco
ignimbrite
Tpp
Portero Tpe fluvial
ignimbrite deposits:
Ericicuchi Tpc
ignimbrite sandstone,
Chepe conglomerate, Parajes
ignimbrite & reworked formation
tuff (undiff.)

Contacts & Faults Symbology

Contact Strike and dip of inclined bedding
Contact - Approximately located Approximate strike and dip of inclined bedding
Contact - Inferred from aerial photography Strike and dip of inclined foliation and flow banding in igneous rock
Fault Strike and dip of inclined compaction foliation in ash-flow tuff
Fault - Approximately located Estimated strike and dip of inclined bedding
Fault - Approximately located, queried Estimated strike and dip of inclined foliation in ash-flow tuff
Fault - Inferred from aerial photography Horizontal bedding
Fault - Concealed Horizontal compaction foliation in ash-flow tuff
Normal fault - tick mark on hanging wall Strike of vertical foliation and flow banding in igneous rock
Strike and dip of inclined joint
Strike of vertical joint
Fault dip direction
Trend and plunge of slip lineation on fault surface

Zone of heavy alteration

Figure 3 (continued). (C) Geologic map key, with lithostratigraphic correlation chart for the map units of the Guazapares Mining District
region, based on depositional relationships and geochronology presented in this study. The lithology of the map units is described in Table 1.

Geosphere, October 2013 1209

 Murray et al.

2000

Tps 1800

1600

1400

1200
autoclastic flow breccias; (2) reworked fragmen-
B′ tal deposits, inferred to result from downslope

Tpk
reworking of unconsolidated eruption-fed
fragmental deposits, e.g., block-and-ash-flow
Tpr deposits commonly pass downslope into debris
flow and fluvial deposits; and (3) epiclastic

2000

1800

1600

1400

1200

Figure 4. Geologic cross sections for the area between Puerto La Cruz and east of Rancho de Santiago (Fig. 3A), showing major normal
faults and the synvolcanic half-graben basins bounded by the La Palmera, Agujerado, Rancho de Santiago, and Arroyo Hondo–Puerto
Blanco faults. Sections are same scale as Figure 3A, with no horizontal or vertical exaggeration. Rock units inferred above topography are
deposits, made of volcanic fragments inferred to

C′
Tpb

have been derived from erosion of preexisting

Ttba
Piedra Bola

Ttss
rock. When the distinctions cannot be made, the

fault

Ttt
general term volcaniclastic is applied. Delicate

Ttba

indicated by subdued color shades, and bedding orientation is shown by tick marks. See Figure 3C for rock unit abbreviations.
pyroclastic detritus such as pumice, shards, or

Tpb
Chapotillo

Tpr
fault

euhedral crystals cannot be derived from ero-

Tpr
sion of preexisting rock, so their presence in
Tpp

Tpc
Tpe

Tpb
La Escalera

Tpt
fluvial or debris flow deposits indicates that at

Tpk
fault

Tpr
least some of the deposit consists of reworked

Tpb
pyroclastic material, indicating broadly coeval
explosive volcanism. Similarly, if a debris flow
Tpk

deposit is dominated by one volcanic clast

Tpt
Ts

type, it can be inferred to record reworking of

Tpe
Ttss

a block-and-ash-flow deposit or flow breccia.

Tsti

Tpb

However, the presence of a broad range of vol-

Agujerado

Tpr
Tpp
fault

Ttds

canic clast types is not proof of an epiclastic

origin, because a wide variety of volcanic clast
Tta

Tpk?

types can become incorporated into an eruption-

Hondo-Puerto
Blanco fault
Tpr

triggered debris flow; in that case, a distinction

Arroyo
Ttds

Tpb

between reworked and epiclastic cannot be

Tpt
Tpe

made, and the deposit is simply a volcaniclastic

Tpk
Tpp
Ts

debris flow deposit. Debris-flow deposits with

Tps
Ttss

blocks of welded ignimbrite, however, cannot

Santiago (E)
Rancho de

be derived by any downslope reworking process

Tsti

Tpb
Tpr
fault
Ericicuchi
fault

known in outflow ignimbrite fields, and instead

Tpe

likely record erosion of preexisting rocks, so

those can be classified as epiclastic (note that
Santiago (W)
Rancho de

Tpb
Tt

intracaldera ignimbrites commonly have blocks

fault
Tta

of welded ignimbrite cannibalized from the cal-

Ttdt
Tsti

Ttba

dera wall during ongoing collapse; see discus-

Tstb

Ttba
Ts

sion in Schermer and Busby, 1994).

Tpp

Tpr
Tpb
Ttda

The three formations in the Guazapares Min-

Ttss

ing District region are subdivided into 30 distinct

Ttss

Ttba
Ttba

Tpb

lithologic units by outcrop and thin section char-

B

acteristics, mineralogy, chemical composition,

Ttss
A′ 2000

Tpr
1800

1600

1400

1200

and inferred volcanic or sedimentary processes

Tst
La Escalera Chapotillo

(Fig. 3C; Table 1). These lithologic units include

Ttss

fault
Ttba

Tpp

volcanic rocks (e.g., lavas, ignimbrites), vol-

Tst

caniclastic rocks (e.g., sandstone, conglomerate,

Ttss
Tsti

Tpe
Tta

Ttda

Ts
Ttba

breccia), and hypabyssal intrusions (e.g., plugs,

fault
Tpp

dikes). Modal point-count analyses were carried

Tsxi
La Palmera

Tpp?

out for 39 samples, chosen to represent most of

Tsti
Ttda
Ttba
fault

Ttss

the volcanic and hypabyssal map units (Fig. 6).

Tpp
Ts

Reconnaissance whole-rock geochemical analy-

Agujerado
Ttds
Tst

Tpe
Tta

fault

ses were performed on 15 relatively unaltered

Tpc
Ttds
Tti

samples of volcanic rock and hypabyssal intru-

2000 Tsti
Ts
C

sions from the Témoris and Sierra Guazapares

1800

1400

1200
1600
Tsl

formations (Fig. 7; Table 2).

Ttba

Ttv

elevation (m)

Parajes Formation
Ttda
A

The Parajes formation is primarily exposed

1800

1600

1400

1200

in the eastern part of the study area; continuous

elevation (m)
stratigraphic sequences are found in the vicinity

1210 Geosphere, October 2013

 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

tite phenocrysts to 2 mm in diameter. The Erici-

Sierra Guazapares formation: Sierra Guazapares formation:
vent facies: rhyolite lavas and cuchi ignimbrite (Tpe) has dark gray fiamme
proximal facies: welded to
plugs, rhyolitic cross-bedded nonwelded massive & bedded to 1 cm in length, typically with orange rims,
ignimbrites, co-ignimbrite lag rhyolite ignimbrites with local and it has a mafic phenocryst assemblage that
breccias, dome collapse fluvial reworking includes pyroxene, hornblende, and biotite. The
breccia
Portero ignimbrite (Tpp) is characterized by a
Témoris formation: pink groundmass with eutaxitic texture in the
upper section: distal rhyolite
ignimbrites, reworked tuff to densely welded lower portion, dark reddish-
Témoris formation: lapilli-tuff, conglomerates, gray fiamme to 30 cm in length, and trace quartz
middle section: andesite lavas breccias, & sandstones phenocrysts.
(plagioclase+pyroxene),
conglomerates, breccias, & The Puerto Blanco, Rancho de Santiago,
sandstones KM, and Traza ignimbrites form a second,
younger continuous stratigraphic sequence
Témoris formation:
lower section: amygdaloidal
that is only found on the northeast (hanging
basalt to andesite lavas and wall) side of the Chapotillo fault (Fig. 3A); the
autoclastic flow breccias depositional relationship between the two strati-
(plagioclase+pyroxene±olivine), graphic sequences on either side of the fault is
mafic-andesitic hypabyssal
intrusions, conglomerates,
not known, but is considered younger than the
breccias, & sandstones Parajes formation: previously described sequence on the footwall
welded to nonwelded based on the sense of fault offset (Fig. 4) and
outflow ignimbrite sheets,
reworked tuff, sandstones inferred regional correlations (described in the
& conglomerates Discussion following). The base of the Puerto
Blanco ignimbrite (Tpb) is not exposed; how-
ever, the exposed portion of its lower part, as
well as its upper part, are nonwelded, with a
welded middle. The Puerto Blanco ignimbrite
(Tpb) has the greatest amount and size of lithic
fragments (10%–40%, to 5 cm) compared to
the other ignimbrites of the Parajes formation,
with normal coarse-tail grading and upsec-
Figure 5. Generalized stratigraphic column of the Guazapares Mining District region,
tion decrease in lithic fragments (from ~40%
depicting the characteristics and depositional relationships between the Parajes formation,
to 10%); it also shows an upsection increase in
Témoris formation, and the Sierra Guazapares formation.
phenocrysts (from <5% to 20%) and an upsec-
tion increase in fiamme, which are distinctively
yellow. The Rancho de Santiago ignimbrite
of Rancho de Santiago (Fig. 3A). The base of (no chemical analyses were done) consisting (Tpr) is similar in appearance and composition
this formation is not exposed in the study area. primarily of plagioclase and pyroxene pheno- to the Portero ignimbrite (Tpp) described above,
The formation is composed of seven lithologi- crysts, with minor amounts of hornblende, bio- but has gray fiamme with dark gray rims (Fig.
cally distinct silicic ignimbrites, with lesser tite, and quartz in some ignimbrites; sanidine is 8B); these are generally 3 cm (to 1 m) in length.
locally interbedded sandstone, conglomerate, lacking in all of the ignimbrites of the Parajes It has a 2-m-thick basal vitrophyre at the con-
and reworked tuff (Figs. 6 and 8; Table 1). Indi- formation (Fig. 6). The thickness of individual tact with the underlying Puerto Blanco ignim-
vidual ignimbrites are informally named in this ignimbrites range from ~20 to ~210 m; the total brite. The KM ignimbrite (Tpk) is similar to
study, and are distinguished based on pheno- thickness of the Parajes formation is ~1 km the underlying Rancho de Santiago ignimbrite
cryst assemblages and outcrop characteristics (Table 1). Some ignimbrites appear to thicken (Tpr), but is distinguished by the presence of a
such as degree of welding, weathering style, due to ponding in paleotopographic lows (e.g., brownish-red, ~10-m-thick, crystal-poor (<5%)
color, and percentage and type of pumice and/or Rancho de Santiago [Tpr] and KM [Tpk] ignim- lower welded section and an overall lower lithic
fiamme and lithic fragments (Fig. 6; Table 1). brites); ponded thicknesses are 2.5 times greater fragment content (5%–10%). The youngest unit
than nonponded parts of the same ignimbrite of the Parajes formation is the Traza ignimbrite
Description (Figs. 3A and 4; Table 1). (Tpt), which is similar in appearance to both the
Each ignimbrite of the Parajes formation has Each ignimbrite of the Parajes formation has Chepe and Puerto Blanco ignimbrites, but is dis-
a densely welded to partially welded lower part distinguishing outcrop and/or compositional tinguished by having gray fiamme and a moder-
that passes upward into a less welded to non- characteristics, described in ascending strati- ate crystal content (20%) with trace quartz and
welded top (Fig. 8A), forming a single cooling graphic order (Fig. 6; Table 1). The Chepe, no biotite.
unit, as well as a single flow unit with normal Ericicuchi, and Portero ignimbrites form the Sedimentary rocks occur locally between
coarse-tail grading of lithic fragments and oldest continuous stratigraphic sequence, which ignimbrite units. An ~150-m-thick sequence of
inverse coarse-tail grading of pumice. Where the is only found on the southwest (footwall) side of reworked tuff and cross-bedded sandstone with
bases of ignimbrites are exposed, 0.5–2-m-thick the Chapotillo fault in the Guazapares Mining fragments of tuff and pumice (Tps) is between
basal vitrophyres are present. The ignimbrites District region (Fig. 3A). The Chepe ignimbrite the Rancho de Santiago ignimbrite (Tpr) and
are generally crystal poor to crystal moderate (Tpc) is the only crystal-rich (~30%) ignimbrite KM ignimbrite (Tpk) southwest of the Arroyo
(<20%), with a dacitic phenocryst assemblage in the study area, with embayed quartz and bio- Hondo–Puerto Blanco fault (Figs. 3A and 4).

Geosphere, October 2013 1211

 Murray et al.

TABLE 1. LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONS OF THE MAP UNITS OF THE GUAZAPARES MINING DISTRICT
Map unit* Lithology Description
Qa Alluvium Unconsolidated very poorly sorted debris flow deposits. Gray to light gray; boulders to 5 m. Derived primarily from the Sierra
Guazapares formation.
Tsiw High-silica rhyolite intrusion Hypabyssal intrusions (dikes and plugs). White to light pink; aphyric to 10% phenocrysts (to 1 mm): plagioclase, biotite, trace
quartz. Subvertical flow banding. In Monte Cristo region (text Fig. 3B), intruded into gray andesitic feldspar porphyry (likely
part of Témoris formation). Similar in appearance to rhyolitic dome collapse breccia (Tsv).
Tsv Silicic volcaniclastic and fluvial- Volcaniclastic lithofacies (too small to show at map scale of text Fig. 3; Supplemental Fig. 1 [see text footnote 1]).
lacustrine deposits† Rhyolitic dome-collapse breccia: clast-supported rhyolitic block to lapilli breccia; white to light orange; primarily monomictic;
angular lapilli to blocks (>2 m) with some flow banding. Aphyric to trace quartz and plagioclase phenocrysts. Contains zones
of as much as to 20% andesitic blocks that are as large as 1.5 m. Block breccia transitions laterally into lapilli breccia, with
the block fragment size decreasing northeastward away from the Sangre de Cristo fault (text Fig. 3B) from >2 m blocks to
lapilli-sized fragments supported in an ash matrix of same composition.
Massive to bedded silicic lapilli-tuff: nonwelded lapilli-tuff, light red to gray; <5% phenocrysts; plagioclase, biotite; trace to 20%
lithic fragments (intermediate volcanic). Slight fluvial reworking (planar lamination, sorting, cut-and-fill structures), bedding to
5 m thick. Local white reworked ash layers and red very fine grained thinly bedded sandstone.
Lacustrine deposits: fine- to medium-grained sandstone with graded bedding (Bouma Sequences A, B) and small-scale basal
scouring; mudstone with planar lamination to very thinly bedded; water-lain ash layers. Tan to white. Soft sediment slumping
and folding.
Fluvial sandstone: medium- to coarse-grained sandstone; white to light gray; moderate to poor sorting; subangular silicic
volcanic lithic fragments; massive with faint laminations, cut-and-fill and trough cross-bedding structures. Minor clast-
supported breccia with subangular cobble to boulder silicic lapilli-tuff fragments interpreted as hyperconcentrated debris
flows of reworked silicic volcanic material.
Tsi Rhyolite intrusion Hypabyssal intrusions (plugs and dikes). Light red to pink, typically with light pink subvertical flow banding; aphanitic
groundmass with 5%–20% phenocrysts: plagioclase (to 3 mm), biotite (1 mm), trace quartz. Likely source for rhyolite lavas
(Tsl).
Tsib Silicic brecciated intrusion Hypabyssal intrusion. White to light gray; silicic blocks (to 20 cm) supported in crystal-rich aphanitic groundmass with 40%
phenocrysts: plagioclase, hornblende, quartz; locally massive and nonbrecciated.
Tsl Rhyolite lava Lava flows. Light gray to reddish-gray, with light pink banding; 5%–20% phenocrysts: plagioclase (to 4 mm), biotite (to 2 mm),
quartz. Lavas consist of a 3–15-m-thick autoclastic breccia base of flow-banded blocks, a coherent middle portion (at least
30 m thick) with well-developed to minor flow banding, and a flow-top autoclastic breccia with flow-banded blocks and
sediment infilling the spaces between blocks. Spherulites and quartz-filled vugs are common, and thundereggs are typically
found within the top portion of a lava. An ~4-m-thick, basal block and ash flow is locally observed. Rhyolite hypabyssal
intrusions (Tsi) are likely the source for these lavas.
Tst Massive to stratified rhyolite Nonwelded to partially welded tuff to lapilli tuff. Light pink, tan, or white groundmass; 5%–25% phenocrysts (to 2 mm):
ignimbrite plagioclase, biotite; trace to 25% (locally 40%–50%) yellow-white long-tube pumice fragments (to 15 mm); <5%–40% lithic
fragments (red, orange, gray intermediate volcanic, trace white silicic volcanic; to 20 mm). Crudely to well stratified; thickly
to very thickly bedded (<1 m to ~10 m thick); mild to intense fluvial reworking locally observed (clast rounding, sorting,
cross-bedding, and cut-and-fill structures). Tstb: more fluvially reworked and more thinly bedded than Tsti. Tsti: primary silicic
nonwelded ignimbrite with thicker massive bedding and less intense reworked sections.
Tsxi Very large scale cross-bedded Nonwelded lapilli-tuff to tuff-breccia. Light pink, tan, or white groundmass; 5%–10% phenocrysts (<1 mm): plagioclase,
rhyolitic ignimbrite biotite, quartz; 5%–10% (locally to 50%) tan to white long-tube pumice fragments (to 20 mm); alternating lithic-rich (>50%)
and lithic-poor (<30%) stratification with ~0.5–50 cm lithic fragments (gray and red intermediate volcanic and white silicic
volcanic). Cross-bedding with ~5-m-thick sets (to ~20 m thick).
Tti Rhyolite ignimbrite and Nonwelded to partially welded lapilli-tuff and fluvially reworked tuff/lapilli-tuff. Light pink to white groundmass; 5%–10%
reworked tuff phenocrysts: plagioclase, biotite (to 2 mm), trace quartz, trace K-feldspar; <5-50% white and tan long-tube pumice fragments
(5–10 mm); 5%–30% lithic fragments (gray and red intermediate volcanic; <5 mm to 30 mm). Individual ignimbrites are
generally 5–10 m thick with compaction foliation. Reworked tuffs and lapilli-tuffs are well to crudely stratified, very thin to
medium bedded; contain well to very poorly sorted, subangular to subrounded intermediate and silicic volcanic clasts.
Tta Andesite lava Nonvesicular lava flows. Gray; 5%–10% phenocrysts (typically weathered out): plagioclase, clinopyroxene. Average lava flow
thickness ~15 m; lavas generally have flow-top and bottom autoclastic breccias and resistant flow-banded coherent interior.
Ttat Andesite lapilli-tuff Lapilli-tuff. Gray groundmass; trace phenocrysts: plagioclase; 15%–30% intermediate volcanic and silicic tuff lithic fragments
(to 4 mm).
Ttb Basaltic trachyandesite lava Amygdaloidal lava flows. Dark gray to brick red; 5%–20% phenocrysts: plagioclase (some flow-alignment of laths), olivine
(altered to iddingsite), clinopyroxene; zeolite amygdules. Average lava flow thickness ~2 m, lavas have vesicular top and
bottom, locally with coherent flow interior. Local multilobed flows with blocky autoclastic flow breccia (text Fig. 9D).
Ttba Basalt to andesite lava Predominantly amygdaloidal lava flows. Gray to dark gray with local red hematitic and green propylitic alteration; 5%–25%
phenocrysts: plagioclase (some flow alignment of laths), clinopyroxene; zeolite amygdules. Average lava flow thickness
~5 m, lavas are typically brecciated and vesicular with secondary zeolite infilling vesicles and autoclastic flow breccia
interstices fragments, with lesser flow-banded and nonvesicular lavas with flow-top and bottom autoclastic breccias.
Ttv Andesitic volcanic center Complexly intruded hematite-stained basalt to andesite lavas (Ttba, Tta), andesitic block and ash flows, aphyric basaltic
(lavas, dikes, hypabyssal andesite hypabyssal intrusions with quartz veinlets, and andesitic dikes or intrusions with subvertical flow banding and to
intrusions) 10% phenocrysts (plagioclase, clinopyroxene). Dark gray to reddish-gray.
Ttai Andesitic intrusions Hypabyssal intrusions (dikes and sills). Dark gray with local red hematitic and green propylitic alteration; aphanitic groundmass
with 5%–10% phenocrysts: plagioclase, clinopyroxene.
Ttt Silicic tuff Nonwelded to partially welded tuff. White to light tan groundmass; trace to 10% phenocrysts (<1 mm): plagioclase, biotite, ±
hornblende, ± quartz; trace to 25% lapilli-sized lithic fragments (red intermediate volcanic).
(continued)

1212 Geosphere, October 2013

 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

TABLE 1. LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONS OF THE MAP UNITS OF THE GUAZAPARES MINING DISTRICT (continued)
Map unit* Lithology Description
Ttss Fluvial sandstone: intermediate Feldspathic litharenite. Tan to red; moderately to poorly sorted, subrounded to subangular, predominantly fine to medium
and silicic volcanic fragments grained, to very coarse grained. Clasts consist of feldspar and intermediate and silicic volcanic lithic fragments with trace
biotite. Contains very thin layers of matrix-supported granule to pebble pumice and silicic tuff fragments. Thinly to thickly
bedded, with horizontal bedding and trough cross-bedding. Local red siltstone and clast-supported granule to pebble
conglomerates with silicic tuff and intermediate volcanic fragments.
Ttds Debris flow deposits: Matrix-supported polymictic breccia and conglomerate. Tan to red; massive to medium to very thickly bedded, average bed
intermediate and silicic thickness ~5 m; subangular to angular pebble to large cobble intermediate volcanic and lesser silicic tuff clasts, fine- to
volcanic fragments medium-grained sand matrix (locally silicic ash rich with quartz and biotite crystals). Channel cut and scour surfaces
between individual beds; interbedded with sandstone (Ttss) lenses.
Ttsa Fluvial sandstone: intermediate Feldspathic litharenite. Dark tan to reddish-purple; moderately to poorly sorted, subrounded to subangular, medium- to
volcanic fragments coarse-grained with trace granules. Clasts consist of feldspar and intermediate volcanic lithic fragments. Contains lenses of
clast-supported pebble conglomerates and matrix-supported pebble to cobble breccia with intermediate volcanic fragments.
Thinly to thickly bedded.
Ttda Debris flow deposits: Matrix-supported breccia and conglomerate. Tan; massive to very thickly bedded, nongraded, average bed thickness ~10 m;
intermediate volcanic angular to subrounded pebble to boulder (to 1.5 m) intermediate volcanic clasts, medium-grained sand matrix. Channel cut
fragments and scour surfaces between individual beds.
Ttdt Talus and debris flow deposits Debris flows: matrix-supported breccia; tan to gray; massive to very crudely stratified; angular pebble to boulder intermediate
volcanic clasts (mostly small boulder, <0.5 m to 2 m), with welded silicic ignimbrite clasts found upsection (to 5 m), fine- to
medium-grained sand matrix. Talus: clast-supported monolithic breccia; tan to gray; massive; angular cobble to boulder
intermediate volcanic clasts (most >0.5 m, to 4 m), limited fine- to-medium-grained sand matrix. Localized slide blocks of
bedded sandstone to 15 m thick (text Fig. 9B).
Ttdi Debris flow deposits with Matrix-supported polymictic breccia. Tan to red; massive; primarily subangular to angular cobble to boulder silicic welded
welded silicic ignimbrite ignimbrite clasts, lesser pebble intermediate volcanic clasts, fine- to medium-grained sand to silt matrix. Larger (1–2 m)
fragments ignimbrite boulders weather to form small hoodoos (text Fig. 9A).
Tpt Traza ignimbrite Welded to nonwelded lapilli-tuff. Dark tan (welded) to white (nonwelded) groundmass; 20% phenocrysts: plagioclase,
pyroxene, trace quartz; gray fiamme; 30% lithic fragments (red intermediate volcanic, gray silicic volcanic and welded tuff; to
50 mm). Thickness >40 m. Basal 1-m-thick vitrophyre, transitions upsection from welded to nonwelded, top not exposed.
Tpk KM ignimbrite Densely welded to nonwelded lapilli-tuff. Brownish-red (welded) and white to light gray (nonwelded) groundmass; <5%
phenocrysts: plagioclase, trace quartz; 30% gray fiamme (to 30 mm); 5%–10% lithic fragments (red and gray intermediate
volcanic). Thickness ~40–100 m. Basal 0.5-m-thick black vitrophyre below an ~10-m-thick red densely welded lower portion
that transitions upsection into a white partially welded to nonwelded top. Weathered-out pumice lenses (to 10 cm) near top.
Tpr Rancho de Santiago ignimbrite Welded to nonwelded lapilli-tuff. Welded portion: red to pinkish-gray groundmass; weak eutaxitic texture; 5%–20%
phenocrysts: plagioclase (to 3 mm), pyroxene, ± hornblende, ± quartz; 10%–20% gray fiamme with dark gray rims
(altered to pink with orange rims near faults), typically to 30 mm, maximum 1 m length; trace to 5% lithic fragments (red
intermediate volcanic and gray silicic volcanic). Nonwelded portion: white to tan groundmass; <5% phenocrysts: plagioclase,
clinopyroxene, hornblende; noncompacted pumice fragments (to 35 mm); 10%–25% lithic fragments (red and brown
intermediate volcanic and gray silicic volcanic). Thickness ~80 to 200 m. Basal 2-m-thick vitrophyre unit with 2 black
vitrophyres separated by ~0.5-m-thick welded tuff. Transitions upsection from welded to nonwelded top. Weathered-out
pumice lenses (to 25 mm) in upper middle portion of unit. Fewer phenocrysts upsection. Larger size of lithic fragments and
fiamme found in easternmost exposures.
Tpb Puerto Blanco ignimbrite Welded to nonwelded lapilli-tuff. Nonwelded lower portion: tan to white groundmass; <5% phenocrysts: plagioclase, with
trace biotite, hornblende, pyroxene, quartz; 15% white pumice fragments (to 30 mm); 30%–40% lithic fragments (red and
gray intermediate volcanic, to 50 mm). Welded portion: tan groundmass; 10%–15% phenocrysts: plagioclase, biotite, with
trace hornblende, quartz; 5% yellow fiamme (to 10 cm), mostly occur as weathered-out lenses in outcrop; 15%–20% lithic
fragments (red and gray intermediate volcanic, to 30 mm). Nonwelded top: white to light pink groundmass; 15%–20%
phenocrysts: plagioclase, biotite; 10%–15% yellowish-white long-tube pumice fragments; 10% lithic fragments (red and gray
intermediate volcanic; to 15 mm). More than 190 m thick, base not exposed.
Tpp Portero ignimbrite Densely welded to welded lapilli-tuff. Pink groundmass; eutaxitic texture; trace to 25% phenocrysts: plagioclase, pyroxene, ±
hornblende, trace quartz; 20% dark reddish-gray fiamme (to 30 cm); trace to 10% lithic fragments (red and gray volcanic; to
15 mm). Thickness ~20 to 180 m. Basal 1-m-thick vitrophyre, top eroded. Increased amount of phenocrysts, lithic fragments,
and vapor-phase alteration upsection.
Tpe Ericicuchi ignimbrite Welded to nonwelded lapilli-tuff. Reddish-gray (welded) to light gray or white (nonwelded) groundmass; compaction foliation;
5%–15% phenocrysts: plagioclase, pyroxene, ± biotite, ± hornblende, trace quartz; 5%–10% dark gray fiamme with orange
rims (to 10 mm), noncompacted white to brown pumice in nonwelded portion; trace to 10% (locally to 30%) lithic fragments
(red, purple, and orange intermediate and gray silicic volcanic; to 2 mm, locally to 30 mm). Thickness ~210 m. Base located
in inaccessible cliff exposures, transitions upsection from welded interior to nonwelded top.
Tpc Chepe ignimbrite Densely welded lapilli-tuff. Light red groundmass; eutaxitic texture; 30% phenocrysts: quartz (embayed), plagioclase, biotite (to
2 mm), hornblende; 15% pink-orange fiamme. More than 140 m thick, base not exposed. Likely correlative to the Divisadero
tuff of Swanson et al. (2006) (see text).
Tps Fluvial reworked tuff, Reworked tuff: white; white pumice fragments; 5%–10% crystal fragments: plagioclase, biotite, hornblende; <5% lithic
sandstone, and fragments (~1 cm), thinly to thickly bedded. Sandstone: orange to tan; moderately well to poorly sorted, fine- to medium-
conglomerate grained, white pumice and tuff fragments; cross-bedding and graded bedding; local well-sorted pumice-rich granule lenses.
Conglomerate: reddish-orange; matrix-supported; massive; monomictic; subrounded pebble to cobble silicic ignimbrite
(welded to nonwelded) clasts, fine- to medium-grained sand matrix.
*Text Figure 3; Supplemental Figure 1 (see text footnote 1).
†
Further descriptions of the silicic volcaniclastic and fluvial-lacustrine deposits (Tsv) are given in the Supplemental Data File (see text footnote 3).

Geosphere, October 2013 1213

 Murray et al.

silicic
lapilli-tuff BM080716-3
& breccia
Sierra Guazapares formation

(Tsv) BM080913-2
rhy. plug (Tsiw) BM081108-2
Oxide
rhyolite plug BM081030-2
(Tsi) BM080717-2 Plagioclase
rhyolite BM081106-2 K-feldspar
lava BM081109-3
(Tsl) Quartz
BM080915-1
BM080714-5 Olivine (iddingsite)
ignimbrite
(Tst) BM081106-3 Clinopyroxene
BM081109-2
cross-bedded Orthopyroxene
ignimbrite BM080917-3
(Tsxi) BM080720-5B
Pyroxene (altered)

distal ign. BM080914-5 Hornblende

(Tti) BM080720-1A Biotite
Témoris formation

int. lava BM081111-4

(Tta) BM080914-4
int. tuff (Ttat) BM080624-3
int. lava (Ttb) BM080623-2
int. lava (Ttba) BM080914-1
intrusion (Ttai) BM100308-2
andesitic BM080714-1
volcanic center
BM081215-2
lava & intrusion
(Ttv) BM080714-2
silicic tuff (Ttt) BM100311-2
Traza (Tpt) BM100317-1
Parajes formation ignimbrites

KM (Tpk) BM100311-1
BM081206-3
Rancho
de BM081102-1
Santiago BM081213-1
(Tpr)
BM100310-1
BM100308-1
Puerto
Blanco BM100310-2
(Tpb)
BM100306-6
Portero (Tpp) BM081031-4B
Ericicuchi BM081031-3
(Tpe) BM100317-2
Chepe (Tpc) BM100309-1
Divisadero BM-DIV-2
tuff
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
% phenocrysts

Figure 6. Modal point-count analyses of representative volcanic and intrusive rocks from the three formations of the Guazapares Mining
District region showing the percentage of phenocrysts in each sample. Map unit symbols correspond to Figure 3 and Table 1. DIV-2 is a
sample of the upper Divisadero tuff (e.g., Swanson et al., 2006) collected from Divisadero, ~50 km ENE of the Guazapares Mining District
region, and analyzed during this study for compositional comparison with welded ignimbrites of the Parajes formation. One thin section
was analyzed per sample, with 1000 point counts per thin section. Global positioning system coordinates of the samples and details of indi-
vidual modal point-count analyses, including the proportions of lithic, pumice, and volcanic glass fragments in each sample, are shown in
Supplemental Table 1 (see footnote 2).

1214 Geosphere, October 2013

 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

14
Sierra Guazapares formation
Témoris formation (upper)

12 Témoris formation (middle)

Témoris formation (lower) Trachyte

10
Trachy- Rhyolite
N a 2O + K 2O (w t % )

andesite
Trachydacite
8 Basaltic BM080717-2
trachyandesite BM081106-2
BM080716-6
BM080623-2 BM081215-2
6 Trachy-
BM080914-4
basalt BM080914-1
BM081106-3
BM081111-4
BM080714-2
BM080624-3 BM080720-1A
4 BM080714-1

Dacite BM080917-2
Basaltic
2 Basalt andesite Andesite
BM080714-5

0
45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80
S iO 2 (w t % )

Figure 7. Total alkali-silica classification diagram (after Le Bas et al., 1986) for selected volcanic rocks of the Guazapares Mining District
region. The boundary between the alkaline and subalkaline fields (thicker line) is after Irvine and Baragar (1971). Samples were analyzed
from the Témoris formation and the Sierra Guazapares formation. Details of each analysis and global positioning system coordinates of
samples are given in Table 2 and sample locations are plotted in Supplemental Figure 1 (see footnote 1). The field of the Southern Cordillera
basaltic andesites, based on Figure 5 of McDowell et al. (1997), is included here for comparison (dashed line).

Also present at this stratigraphic interval in the lithofacies have been identified for these outflow 8C, 8D). The debris flow deposits are massive,
Mesa de Cristal area east of Rancho de Santi- ignimbrites, so the locations of their sources poorly sorted matrix-supported conglomerates,
ago (Supplemental Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]) is a are not known. However, lithic fragments and while fluvial sandstones and fluvially reworked
monomictic matrix-supported pebble to cobble fiamme within in the Rancho de Santiago ignim- tuffs have trough cross-bedding, normal grad-
conglomerate with welded ignimbrite clasts brite (Tpr) increase in size eastward, suggesting ing, and well-sorted granule conglomerate
similar in appearance to ignimbrites of the that the source for this ignimbrite is located lenses. The clasts in these sedimentary rocks
Parajes formation (Fig. 8C). In addition, a thin toward this direction. Based on flow thicknesses are predominantly silicic volcanic fragments,
(<1 m) layer of fine- to medium-grained sand- and degree of welding relative to distance from including welded and nonwelded tuff and pum-
stone is present along the contact between the the source recorded in large-volume silicic ice (e.g., Fig. 8C); there are no andesitic volcanic
Ericicuchi ignimbrite (Tpe) and Portero ignim- ignimbrites in the western U.S. (e.g., Smith, fragments in these rocks. This suggests that the
brites (Tpp) (Fig. 8D). 1960; Lipman, 2007), the ignimbrites of the Parajes formation ignimbrites were uplifted and
Parajes formation were likely erupted from cal- partly eroded prior to deposition of overlying
Interpretation deras located within 50–100 km. The large size andesitic rocks of the Témoris formation.
The Parajes formation represents medial and concentration of lithic fragments within the
facies of silicic outflow ignimbrite sheets, based Puerto Blanco ignimbrite (Tpb) are suggestive Témoris Formation
on the sheet-like geometry of the flow units, of a somewhat closer source.
the moderate thicknesses of flow units (each Sedimentary rocks (Tps) interbedded with The Témoris formation overlies the Parajes
<~200 m thick, locally thicker where ponded by the ignimbrites of the Parajes formation record formation in angular unconformity, and is best
paleotopography), the presence of welding tex- both erosion of welded units and reworking of exposed in the central and western portions
tures and vitrophyres, and the lack of associated unconsolidated pyroclastic debris, with deposi- of the study area in the vicinity of Puerto La
lithic lag breccias. No caldera or vent-proximal tion by fluvial and debris flow processes (Figs. Cruz and Guazapares (Fig. 3). This formation

Geosphere, October 2013 1215

 TABLE 2. WHOLE-ROCK GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSES FROM VOLCANIC ROCKS AND INTRUSIONS

1216
Sample Map unit Formation SiO2 TiO2 Al2O3 FeO MnO MgO CaO Na2O K2O P2O5 Rock name UTM (E) UTM (N)
BM080716–6 Tsiw Sierra Guazapares 79.00 0.15 13.32 0.82 0.03 0.45 0.11 2.37 3.73 0.02 high-silica rhyolite 767384 3035292
BM080717–2 Tsi Sierra Guazapares 75.47 0.18 14.27 0.75 0.05 0.33 0.65 4.18 4.08 0.03 rhyolite 770929 3030949
BM081106–2 Tsl Sierra Guazapares 72.18 0.39 15.35 2.00 0.07 0.63 1.69 3.64 3.93 0.12 rhyolite 769571 3028001
BM080917–2 Tsl Sierra Guazapares 77.84 0.21 13.20 0.96 0.06 1.22 3.64 0.42 2.41 0.02 rhyolite (altered)* 772612 3023830
BM081106–3 Tst Sierra Guazapares 75.67 0.25 13.58 1.34 0.03 0.61 2.63 1.29 4.56 0.04 rhyolite 769700 3028097
BM080714–5 Tst Sierra Guazapares 77.36 0.25 13.51 1.14 0.06 1.06 4.19 0.67 1.75 0.00 rhyolite (altered)* 773778 3023239
BM080720–1A Tti Témoris (upper) 77.50 0.24 13.28 1.25 0.09 1.16 2.77 0.54 3.16 0.01 rhyolite (altered)* 768484 3027285
BM081111–4 Tta Témoris (middle) 59.44 0.98 18.82 5.96 0.12 2.27 6.84 3.69 1.55 0.33 andesite 775962 3025047
BM080914–4 Tta Témoris (middle) 60.28 0.98 17.82 6.68 0.09 2.14 5.71 3.84 2.15 0.31 andesite 773279 3023255
BM081215–2 Ttv Témoris (middle) 60.42 1.29 16.68 6.92 0.20 2.27 5.44 4.33 1.89 0.56 andesite 772106 3020880
BM080624–3 Ttat Témoris (lower) 57.49 1.02 16.93 7.55 0.15 4.92 7.19 3.26 1.22 0.27 andesite 770411 3028744
BM080623–2 Ttb Témoris (lower) 51.29 1.88 17.85 10.40 0.15 4.68 6.98 3.50 2.21 1.08 basaltic trachyandesite 769959 3035621
BM080914–1 Ttba Témoris (lower) 58.00 1.00 19.27 6.40 0.15 2.31 6.95 3.79 1.80 0.33 andesite 773051 3023001
BM080714–1 Ttv Témoris (lower) 51.30 1.38 20.09 9.40 0.20 3.65 9.30 3.36 0.93 0.38 basalt 771758 3021619
BM080714–2 Ttv Témoris (lower) 54.76 1.13 19.50 7.85 0.12 3.56 7.72 3.65 1.37 0.33 basaltic andesite 771841 3021629
Note: Calculated on anhydrous basis, normalized to 100%. Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM; E—east, N—north) coordinates are based on the North American Datum 1927 (NAD27) zone 12. Map unit labels
correspond to Table 1. Locations of the samples are shown on Supplemental Figure 1 (see text footnote 1).
*Na2O and K2O leaching, likely due to hydrothermal alteration of albite and orthoclase.

(arrow).
Murray et al.

contact between the two units

sandstone is observed along the
of fine- to medium-grained
vitrophyre (Tpp-v) at 775567E
(Tpp) with basal ~1-m-thick
portion the Portero ignimbrite
the Ericicuchi ignimbrite (Tpe)
the nonwelded upper portion of
(D) Depositional contact between
mental Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]).
(777551E 3033189N; Supple-
(Tpr) near Mesa de Cristal
Rancho de Santiago ignimbrite
ate (Tps) deposited above the
pebble to cobble conglomer-
monomictic matrix-supported
the Parajes formation, in a
~12.5 cm), likely derived from
(ign) below hammer (head is
clast with eutaxitic texture
rounded welded ignimbrite
hammer is ~12.5 cm. (C) Sub-
780913E 3028802N. Head of
gray fiamme (e.g., arrow) at
(Tpr), with large dark-rimmed
Rancho de Santiago ignimbrite
ignimbrite near the base of the
sandstone (Tps). (B) Welded
separated by an ~150-m-thick
de Santiago ignimbrite (Tpr)
ignimbrite (Tpk) and Rancho
welded portions of the KM
Fig. 3A), with the cliff-forming
Chapotillo (777340E 3027305N;
toward Cordón Bairomico from
as in Table 1. (A) View east
zone 12). Unit abbreviations
coordinates (NAD27 UTM
North American Datum 1927
Universal Transverse Mercator,
locations of photos are given in
graphs of the Parajes formation;
Figure 8. Representative photo-

sequence of reworked tuff and

3024552N. A thin (<1 m) layer

and the densely welded lower

Geosphere, October 2013

N

C
A

Tpe
~100 m

Tpp-v
ign

Tpp
Tpr
Tps
Tpk

S
 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

is primarily composed of mafic to intermediate deposits contain detritus similar in composi- heavily hematite stained and are complexly
composition lavas (flow-banded and/or vesicu- tion to the interstratified lavas and ignimbrites: intruded by numerous andesitic dikes and
lar) and hypabyssal intrusions, intercalated amygdaloidal and flow-banded basaltic andesite aphyric hypabyssal rocks (Ttv; Table 1).
conglomerates, breccias, and sandstones domi- to andesite clasts dominate the lower and middle
nated by mafic to intermediate volcanic lithic sections of the Témoris formation (Ttda, Ttsa, Interpretation
fragments, and lesser thin silicic nonwelded Ttdt), while the upper section of the Témoris for- The rocks of the Témoris formation are
ignimbrites and reworked silicic tuff (Figs. 6, mation has mixed mafic-intermediate and silicic interpreted as the products of vent to proximal
7, and 9; Tables 1 and 2). This formation has volcanic clasts, including pumice fragments in mafic to intermediate composition magmatism
undergone mild hematitic and propylitic altera- tuffaceous sandstones and tuffaceous conglom- and distal silicic ignimbrite volcanism. Depo-
tion, with infilling of vesicles and autoclastic erates (Ttss, Ttds, Tti). Lavas and autoclastic sition in a terrestrial environment, likely part
flow breccia interstices with zeolite minerals; flow breccias locally infill channels incised into of alluvial fan systems (e.g., Kelly and Olsen,
the most intense alteration is in the rocks within the underlying sedimentary rock (Fig. 9E), and 1993; Blair and McPherson, 1994; Hamp-
the Guazapares fault zone (Fig. 3B). wet sediment-magma interactions (peperitic) are ton and Horton, 2007; Murray et al., 2010), is
locally observed where lavas were apparently indicated by interstratified matrix-supported
Description emplaced over wet sand (Fig. 9L). debris flow breccias and conglomerates (Ttda,
The basal deposits of the Témoris formation In the area around Témoris, the Témoris for- Ttds, Ttdi), clast-supported avalanche and/or
consist of sandstones with silicic tuff fragments mation thickens from ~100–400 m to >700 m talus breccias (Ttdt), well-sorted stratified and
(Ttss), matrix- to clast-supported breccias with (Fig. 3; Supplemental Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]). cross-bedded fluvial sandstones and conglomer-
welded silicic ignimbrite boulders (Ttdi, Ttdt; There, basalt to andesite lavas of the lower and ates (Ttas, Ttss), and some lavas infilling fluvial
Figs. 9A, 9B), and lesser interbedded silicic middle sections of the Témoris formation are channels and forming peperites within them
tuffs (Ttt). The welded ignimbrite clasts were
derived from the underlying Parajes formation,
indicating continued erosion of this forma-
tion. One ignimbrite of the Parajes formation Figure 9 (on following two pages). Representative photographs of the Témoris formation;
(Portero ignimbrite, Tpp), located east of Erici- locations of photos are given in Universal Transverse Mercator, North American Datum 1927
cuchi near 12R 775504E 3024974N (Univer- coordinates (NAD27 UTM zone 12). Unit abbreviations as in Table 1. (A) Matrix-supported
sal Transverse Mercator coordinates, North polymictic breccia with cobble- to boulder-sized welded silicic ignimbrite clasts (ign) and
American Datum 1927; Fig. 3A), contains clas- lesser pebble-sized mafic to intermediate volcanic clasts (below ign boulder) from the basal
tic dikes directly below the Parajes–Témoris section of the Témoris formation (Ttdi), weathering to form a small hoodoo in the Rancho de
formation contact. These dikes are composed Santiago area (776990E 3031055N). The large (1–2 m) welded ignimbrite boulders (ign) were
of overlying Témoris formation sandstone that likely derived from the Parajes formation. (B) Clast-supported monolithic breccia of angu-
infills fissures formed in the top of the Portero lar intermediate volcanic cobble- to boulder-sized clasts (Ttdt), which includes a 15-m-thick
ignimbrite. slide block of bedded sandstone (ss), in the Rancho de Santiago half-graben basin adjacent
The Témoris formation is subdivided into to the Rancho de Santiago fault (777781E 3028522N; Fig. 3A). (C) Autoclastic flow breccia
three sections based on volcanic rock compo- on top of andesitic lava (Ttba) at 769403E 3032339N. (D) Blocky autoclastic flow breccia in
sitions and types (Figs. 6, 7, and 10; Tables 1 basaltic trachyandesite lavas (Ttb) at 771976E 3032195N. (E) Andesite lava (Tta) with basal
and 2; Supplemental Table 12). These subdivi- autoclastic flow breccia infilling a channel (arrow) incised into underlying reddish orange
sions have gradational contacts and consist of sandstone (Ttsa) and debris flow deposits (Ttda) in the middle section of the Témoris for-
(1) a lower section of pyroxene-plagioclase ± mation in the Puerto La Cruz area (773685E 3022996N). (F) Lithic-rich 2–3-m-thick ignim-
olivine-bearing amygdaloidal basalt, basaltic brite deposit (Tti), with ~30% mafic-intermediate and silicic volcanic lithic fragments to
andesite, and andesite lavas and autoclastic flow 3 cm, deposited over medium-bedded sandstone (Ttss) at 768484E 3027278N. (G) Medium-
breccias (Ttba, Ttb; Figs. 9C, 9D); (2) a middle bedded matrix-supported tuffaceous conglomerate (reworked tuff) from the upper section
section of pyroxene-plagioclase–bearing flow- of the Témoris formation (Ttds), with subangular to subrounded mafic-intermediate and
banded andesite lavas (Tta; Fig. 9E); and (3) an silicic volcanic clasts. Located in the Puerto La Cruz measured section (~25 m; Fig. 10D)
upper section of several thin (<5-m-thick) primary at 773391E 3023300N. Head of hammer is ~12.5 cm. (H) Sandstone (Ttsa) filling in depres-
and reworked rhyolite ignimbrites (Tti; Figs. 9F, sion on top of amygdaloidal basalt lava (Ttba) at 771675E 3021604N. (I) Matrix-supported
9G); this upper section is only locally preserved polymictic conglomerate with subangular to subrounded mafic-intermediate and silicic vol-
beneath the angular unconformity with the over- canic clasts (Ttds), interbedded fine- to medium-grained sandstone (Ttss), located in the
lying Sierra Guazapares formation. Conglomer- half-graben basin adjacent to the Agujerado fault (776328E 3025345N; Fig. 3A). A white
ates, breccias, and sandstones with well-sorted pumice-rich lens (wht) is located near base of the 33-cm-long hammer, and a thin (~1 cm)
gravel lenses and trough cross-bedding are siltstone layer is located directly above the head of hammer (arrow). (J) Matrix-supported
interbedded with and laterally interfinger with polymictic breccia from the upper section of the Témoris formation (775590E 3025137N),
all of the volcanic rocks listed above (Figs. 9B, with subangular to subrounded mafic-intermediate volcanic and silicic ignimbrite clasts
9F–9K, and 10; Table 1). These volcaniclastic (Ttds). Breccia grades upsection into sandstone with a thin white pumice-rich lens located
below the head of the 38-cm-long hammer (arrow). (K) Downdip view of sandstone from
the upper section of the Témoris formation (Ttss), with trough cross-bedding (e.g., arrow)
2
Supplemental Table 1. Modal point-count analy- and lenses of white pumice and tuff fragments at 767952E 3027759N. Hammer in photo is
ses. If you are viewing the PDF of this paper or read-
38 cm long. (L) Wet sediment–lava intermixing (peperitic) along the depositional contact
ing it offline, please visit [Link]
/GES00862.S2 or the full-text article on [Link] between orange-tan sandstone (Ttss) and reddish-gray basaltic andesite (Ttba) at 776571E
.org to view Supplemental Table 1. 3032292N. Hammer in photo is 38 cm long.

Geosphere, October 2013 1217

 Murray et al.

A D
ign

B E
Tta

Ttsa

ss
Ttda

F
C

Tti

Ttss

Figure 9.

1218 Geosphere, October 2013

 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

G J

H K
Ttsa

Ttba

I
Ttds
L Ttss

Ttss Ttba

Ttss

Ttds

Ttss

wht

Figure 9 (continued).

Geosphere, October 2013 1219

 EXPLANATION C 120

1220
LITHOLOGY (TABLE 1) STRUCTURES

Basaltic to andesitic lava flows (Ttba) Autoclastic flow breccia D

110 90
Andesite lava flow/dike (Tta) Flow banding

Rhyolite ignimbrites (Tti) Amygdaloidal BM080915-1,

100
BM100305-2
Reworked rhyolite ignimbrites (Tti) Vesicular/small amygdules 80 23.92 ± 0.29 Ma
Vertically stretched
Matrix supported breccia with andesite clasts (Ttda) amygdules

Matrix supported breccia with andesite and silicic volcanic clasts (Ttds) 90 70
GRAIN SIZE
Massive sandstone (Ttss & Ttsa) cl - clay
s - silt
Vertical scale in meters L - lava
Rhyolite lava flow (Tsl)
vf - very fine 80 60
f - fine
Rhyolite ignimbrite (Tst) 0 m - medium sand/
cl s L vf f m c vc g p cb b c - coarse ash
No exposure/covered vc - very coarse Sierra
g - granule/lapilli BM080914-4
p - pebble/lapilli 70 50 Guazapares
sample location formation
cb - cobble/block
b - boulder/block

Témoris
B 60 formation 60 40
(middle)

Témoris
formation
50 50 (middle) 30
Murray et al.

Geosphere, October 2013

40 40 40 20 Témoris
formation
(upper)

30 30 30 10
Témoris BM100305-1
formation 24.14 ± 0.25 Ma
(lower)

m
20 Témoris 20 20 0
Témoris
formation
formation
(lower) cl s L vf f m c vc g p cb b
(middle)

?
10 10 10

0
BM080914-1 0 0

cl s L vf f m c vc g p cb b cl s L vf f m c vc g p cb b cl s L vf f m c vc g p cb b

Figure 10. Four continuous measured stratigraphic sections (A–D) of the Témoris formation to Sierra Guazapares formation in the Puerto La Cruz area, east
of Témoris (see Fig. 3A), with lithologies, depositional structures, and stratigraphic positions of analyzed samples (Figs. 6 and 13; Tables 2 and 3; Supplemental
Table 2 [see footnote 4]). The three subdivisions of the Témoris formation and the boundary between the Témoris and Sierra Guazapares formations are indicated.
 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

(Fig. 9). The composition of fragments in the Very large scale cross-bedded rhyolitic ignim- sal intrusions (Fig. 11F) are typically plugs with
fluvial and debris flow deposits is similar to that brites (Tsxi) form a distinctive lithofacies of the related dikes that intrude the ignimbrites (Tst,
of the interstratified volcanic rocks, indicating Sierra Guazapares formation (Fig. 11C, 11D; Tsxi) of the Sierra Guazapares formation, and
intrabasinal reworking of eruptive products. Table 1). These deposits are mainly restricted to some of the plugs pass continuously upward into
The upper section of rhyolite ignimbrites in the a linear belt ~11 km long and 3 km wide within rhyolite lavas (Tsl) (Fig. 12B). The rhyolite lavas
Témoris formation likely erupted from distal and immediately adjacent to the Guazapares typically overlie the ignimbrites, but are locally
sources, because they are thin and nonwelded, fault zone–La Palmera fault (Fig. 3B), and later- interstratified (Fig. 11G).
with a high proportion of interstratified fluvially ally grade away from this linear belt into mas- In addition to silicic ignimbrites, lavas, and
reworked tuff (Tti; Figs. 9F, 9G; Table 1). sive to stratified ignimbrites (Tst; Figs. 3 and 5; plugs, the Sierra Guazapares formation also
We interpret the Témoris area to be the site Supplemental Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]). The very includes a volcaniclastic unit (Tsv) in the Monte
of an andesitic volcanic center in the Témoris large scale cross-bedded ignimbrites have aver- Cristo area (Fig. 3B). This unit includes a rhyo-
formation, based on dramatic thickening of age set heights of ~5 m; some are as great as litic dome-collapse breccia associated with a
the lava section, abundant plugs and dikes, and ~20 m (Figs. 11C, 11D). The cross-bedding rhyolite dome complex (Tsiw) that overlies and
increased alteration (Fig. 3; Supplemental Fig. 1 in these ignimbrites is defined by alternat- interfingers with normal graded sandstones,
[see footnote 1]). This andesitic volcanic center, ing lithic-rich (>50%) and lithic-poor (<30%) mudstones with soft-sediment deformation
roughly defined by map unit Ttv, greatly thick- layers (Fig. 11D). The lithic fragments are very features, and moderately to poorly sorted sand-
ens toward its subvolcanic intrusion–dominated coarse grained, with blocks to 50 cm in diameter; stone with trough cross-bedding and cut-and-fill
core located along the ridge east of Témoris, these are dominantly mafic to intermediate vol- structures (Table 1; Supplemental Data File3).
with a minimum volume of 9 km3 based on the canic rocks likely derived from the underlying
mapped area and exposed thickness (Fig. 3; Témoris formation (Fig. 11E). The matrix of the Interpretation
Supplemental Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]). A feeder very large scale cross-bedded ignimbrites is an We interpret the very large scale cross-bed-
dike emanating from the volcanic center can unsorted mixture of angular pumice, euhedral ded ignimbrites to be vent-proximal lag breccias
be traced upward into an andesitic lava flow in crystals, and glass shards, and the very large deposited from energetic, turbulent pyroclastic
the Puerto La Cruz area (Fig. 10). In addition, scale cross-beds lack internal laminations, sort- density currents erupted during several events
andesitic dikes crosscut rocks of the Témoris ing, or other fine-scale sedimentary structures from a major fissure vent along the Guazapares
formation away from the volcanic center, locally indicative of reworking by water. fault zone–La Palmera fault (Figs. 2 and 3).
along faults. Rhyolite lavas (Tsl) and hypabyssal intrusions Their linear map distribution indicates they
(Tsi, Tsiw, Tsib) occur in the same linear belt
3
Sierra Guazapares Formation along the Guazapares fault zone–La Palmera fault Supplemental Data File. Mining claims of the
as the very large scale cross-bedded ignimbrites, Guazapares fault zone. If you are viewing the PDF
of this paper or reading it offline, please visit http://
The Sierra Guazapares formation comprises and also occur along additional NNW–striking [Link]/10.1130/GES00862.S3 or the full-text
much of the central and northwestern part of the faults in the region (Figs. 2 and 3; Supplemen- article on [Link] to view the Supplemen-
study area, with best exposures located along the tal Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]). The silicic hypabys- tal Data File.
NS–trending ridge east of Guazapares (Fig. 3;
Supplemental Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]). This
formation is composed of plagioclase-biotite ±
quartz ± sanidine–bearing rhyolitic ignimbrites, Figure 11 (on following page). Representative photographs of the Sierra Guazapares forma-
rhyolite lavas, flow-banded rhyolite hypabys- tion; locations of photos are given in Universal Transverse Mercator, North American Datum
sal intrusions, and lesser silicic volcaniclastic 1927 coordinates (NAD27 UTM zone 12). Unit abbreviations as in Table 1. (A) Massive to
deposits (Figs. 3, 6, 7, and 11; Table 1). The stratified rhyolite ignimbrites (Tsti) forming prominent cliff north of Ericicuchi. Photo taken
Sierra Guazapares formation is flat-lying to gen- from 775509E 3024976N. (B) Tuffaceous sandstone (reworked tuff) with cross-bedding
tly dipping (<10°) and overlies the Témoris for- (arrow) in stratified rhyolite ignimbrite unit (Tst); very fine to medium grained, well to mod-
mation in low to moderate angular unconformity erately sorted, subrounded. Head of hammer is 12.5 cm (771650E 3031928N). (C) View west
(Fig. 12A). The Sierra Guazapares formation is from 769131E 3028438N at very large scale cross-bedded rhyolitic ignimbrite unit (Tsxi)
>200 m thick; it is not known how much of the forming an ~30-m-tall cliff face (arrow) at Cerro San Miguel on west side of Guazapares
formation is preserved, because the top is eroded. fault zone (Fig. 3B). (D) Very large scale cross-bedded rhyolitic ignimbrite (Tsxi), with person
The formation locally infills lows cut into older (outlined) standing on set boundary. The orientation of cross-stratification is emphasized by
stratigraphic units, recording paleotopography black dashed lines. Dark colored band to left of person (arrow) is a lithic-rich layer with ~50%
produced by erosion or faulting. lithic fragments (part E); lighter colored bands contain ~10%–20% lithic fragments (771904E
3026715N). (E) Close-up of lithic-rich layer in silicic surge-like ignimbrite (Tsxi) in part D,
Description with reddish mafic-intermediate volcanic fragments (e.g., arrow), likely derived in part from
The dominant lithofacies of the Sierra Guaza- the Témoris formation, having diameters ranging from 0.5 to 50 cm. White pumice and crystal
pares formation is massive to stratified non- fragments are present in an ash matrix (771904E 3026715N). (F) Subvertically flow-banded
welded to partially welded rhyolite ignimbrites crystal-poor to aphyric rhyolitic hypabyssal intrusion (Tsi), Cerro Salitrera plug (770909E
(Tst; Fig. 11A; Table 1). Locally, these ignim- 3030955N; Fig. 3B). Red dashed lines emphasize orientation of flow banding. (G) Depositional
brites show evidence of reworking, including contact between a rhyolite lava (Tsl; lower right) and overlying very large scale cross-bedded
sorting and rounding of lithic, pumice, and rhyolitic ignimbrite (Tsxi; upper left). Map board (~30 cm in length) is located along the con-
crystal fragments, stratification and cut-and-fill tact. The top of the rhyolite lava consists of an autoclastic flow breccia that has a red sandy
structures, and small- to medium-scale cross- matrix surrounding the flow-banded blocks, interpreted as sand infilling in the top of the lava
lamination (Fig. 11B). prior to eruption of the rhyolitic ignimbrite (772569E 3023871N).

Geosphere, October 2013 1221

 Murray et al.

A E

~10 m

B
3 cm

Tsxi
S N

Tsl

Figure 11.

1222 Geosphere, October 2013

 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

sification (e.g., Fisher and Schmincke, 1984;

W 5°
E Branney and Kokelaar, 2002). The abundant
unconformity very coarse-grained lithic layers in these cross-
Tst bedded ignimbrites are similar to lithic lag
20° breccias described from other vent to proximal
ignimbrites (e.g., Fisher and Schmincke, 1984;
Carey, 1991; Freundt et al., 2000; Branney and
Kokelaar, 2002). The angularity of the lithic
components and their derivation from the under-
Tta
lying Témoris formation suggests that they were
fragmented and incorporated into the pumice-
rich pyroclastic material as it ascended through
the vent. However, the very large scale cross-
Ttda stratification is unusual for ignimbrite lithic lag
breccias. Very large scale cross-bedding has
been described in vent to proximal ignimbrites
in other localities, including Mount St. Helens
~25 m (e.g., Rowley et al., 1985), Tenerife (e.g., Brown
A Ttba and Branney, 2004), Santorini (e.g., Gertisser
et al., 2009), and Volcán Villarrica, Chile (e.g.,
NW SE Silva Parejas et al., 2010); however, these cross-
bedded ignimbrites are generally dominated by
ash- to lapilli-sized material and do not con-
Tsl tain the large lithic blocks such as in the very
large scale cross-bedded ignimbrite (Tsxi)
Tst described here.
unconfo
rmity Given their coarse-grained nature and large-
scale cross-stratification, the very large scale
Tsi
cross-bedded ignimbrites (Tsxi) suggest depo-
Tt
sition from highly energetic low-concentration
Tt pyroclastic flows in a vent to proximal setting,
~100 m due to the high amount of turbulent energy
required to produce these very large bedforms
while transporting the large lithic fragments
(e.g., Wright et al., 1981; Carey, 1991; Bran-
ney and Kokelaar, 2002). The gradational lateral
transition from very large scale cross-bedded
ignimbrites (Tsxi) into massive to stratified
B ignimbrites (Tst) within 1–2 km of the Guaza-
pares fault zone–La Palmera fault (Fig. 3;
Figure 12. Interpreted photographs of depositional relationships between the Témoris for- Supplemental Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]) suggests
mation and the Sierra Guazapares formation; locations of photos are given in Universal decreased turbulence and an increased pyroclas-
Transverse Mercator, North American Datum 1927 coordinates (NAD27 UTM zone 12). tic sedimentation rate farther from the vent.
Unit abbreviations as in Table 1. (A) Angular unconformity between gently dipping (~5°° NE)
massive and stratified rhyolite ignimbrites of the Sierra Guazapares formation (Tst) and Lithostratigraphic Summary
the underlying moderately dipping (~20° E) lavas (Ttba, Tta) and debris flow deposits
(Ttda) of the Témoris formation. View is north toward Cerro Cuadro Blanco (Fig. 3B) from The three informal formations defined in the
772093E 3022247N. (B) View northeast from 772915E 3021769N toward silicic plug (Tsi) Guazapares Mining District region represent
that intrudes the La Palmera fault and is the source for the silicic lava (Tsl) that flowed to three distinct volcanic episodes:
the northwest over silicic ignimbrites of the Sierra Guazapares formation (Tst) and tilted 1. The Parajes formation consists of welded
rocks of the Témoris formation (Tt). The dip of flow banding (thin red lines) in the lava to nonwelded silicic outflow ignimbrite sheets
increases in proximity to the plug, where the flow banding is subvertical. that were erupted from caldera sources within
50–100 km of the study area, with intercalated
volcaniclastic rocks derived from erosion of
were erupted from fissure vents, rather than a pares fault zone–La Palmera fault controlled the these ignimbrites.
central vent, and likely formed coarse-grained siting of an 11-km-long silicic fissure vent. 2. The lower and middle Témoris formation
ramparts. Interstratified silicic lavas and plugs The very large scale cross-bedded ignim- consists dominantly of locally erupted mafic
are concentrated along either side of the same brites (Tsxi) represent a gradation between to intermediate composition lavas and associ-
fault zone, in the same linear map distribution, the pyroclastic surge and pyroclastic flow end ated subvolcanic intrusions, including an ande-
supporting the interpretation that the Guaza- members of pyroclastic density current clas- sitic center in the area around Témoris, as well

Geosphere, October 2013 1223

 Murray et al.

as fault-controlled dikes that likely fed flows zone were reactivated many times, and cut all fingers basinward with finer grained sandstone
outside the main center. The lower and middle formations (Figs. 2 and 5), making their earlier and siltstone (Ttss; Figs. 3A and 4B).
Témoris formation also contains interstratified history more difficult to document. The largest of the three synvolcanic half-
volcaniclastic fluvial and debris flow deposits. grabens of the Témoris formation is the Rancho
Detritus at the base of the formation that was Synvolcanic Half-Graben Basins de Santiago basin, which is unique in that it
derived from the underlying Parajes formation developed as a half-graben bounded by two
silicic ignimbrites records erosion of that forma- Several normal faults bound half-graben west-dipping normal faults on the eastern side
tion, perhaps along fault scarps. In contrast, the basins in the Guazapares Mining District region, of the basin; the southernmost fault is the NNE–
andesitic detritus that dominates higher in the including the NNW–striking, west-dipping striking Rancho de Santiago fault, which is
section could record resedimentation of primary Arroyo Hondo–Puerto Blanco, La Palmera, and crosscut on the north end by the NNW–striking
eruptive products, such as the collapsing fronts Agujerado faults; the NNE–striking, west-dip- Arroyo Hondo–Puerto Blanco fault (Fig. 3A). In
of lavas, or block-and-ash flows or tephras, ping Rancho de Santiago fault; and the NNW– this basin, a clast-supported breccia (Ttdt) con-
although erosion of constructional volcanic striking, east-dipping Sangre de Cristo fault taining large (to 4 m) intermediate volcanic and
features or fault scarps is also probable, par- (Figs. 3 and 4). In general, these half-graben lesser silicic ignimbrite rock fragments, as well
ticularly for polymictic deposits. The distal thin basins contain sedimentary and volcanic depos- as slide blocks of fractured but intact sedimen-
nonwelded silicic ignimbrites and sedimentary its that thicken and/or coarsen toward basin- tary strata to 15 m thick and 20 m long, is adja-
rocks of the upper section of the Témoris forma- bounding normal faults, which either terminate cent to the Rancho de Santiago fault (Figs. 3A,
tion record waning of local mafic to intermedi- at the fault or thin onto the footwall, indicating 4C, and 9B; Table 1). This breccia is interpreted
ate volcanism prior to the onset of local silicic synextensional deposition (Fig. 4). Angular as talus and avalanche deposits that were shed
volcanism, and indicate continuing or recurring unconformities occur between each of the for- from the uplifted footwall fault scarps directly
silicic ignimbrite-forming eruptions from dis- mations, and fanning dips (e.g., Fig. 12A) indi- into the half-graben basin to the west.
tant sources. cate synextensional deposition, with the Parajes Synvolcanic extension during emplacement
3. The Sierra Guazapares formation records and Témoris formations dipping more steeply of the Sierra Guazapares formation is recorded
the local eruption of silicic volcanic rocks than the gently dipping to flat-lying Sierra by silicic dome-collapse deposits, reworked
within the Guazapares Mining District region. Guazapares formation. tuffs, and fluvial-lacustrine deposits (Tsv) pre-
These include ignimbrites with vent facies The upper part of the Parajes formation served within the half-graben basin bounded by
lithic lag breccias that formed very large scale (younger than the Puerto Blanco ignimbrite the Sangre de Cristo fault in the Monte Cristo
cross-beds along either side of an 11-km-long [Tpb]) was likely deposited into synvolcanic mining claim at the northern mapped end of the
fault-controlled fissure, which also controlled extensional basins, based on the variable thick- Guazapares fault zone (Fig. 3B; Table 1; Supple-
the emplacement of silicic plugs and eruption nesses of individual outflow ignimbrite sheets mental Data File [see footnote 3]). In this basin,
of silicic lavas. The Sierra Guazapares forma- and distribution of interbedded sedimentary a rhyolitic breccia thickens and coarsens toward
tion also includes silicic dome-collapse breccias rocks across faults. Evidence for synexten- the Sangre de Cristo fault and interfingers basin-
and interstratified silicic lavas and volcaniclas- sional deposition includes (1) the presence of ward with basal lacustrine sedimentary rocks.
tic rocks that interfinger with lacustrine deposits reworked tuff, sandstone, and conglomerate Additional evidence of synvolcanic extension
preserved in a half-graben basin. (Tps) above the Rancho de Santiago ignimbrite in this basin includes the development of a
(Tpr) within the half-graben basin adjacent to normal fault within the hanging-wall block of
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES AND Arroyo Hondo–Puerto Blanco fault and in the the Sangre de Cristo fault that provided a con-
BASIN DEVELOPMENT Mesa de Cristal area, which thicken toward duit for a small silicic plug and coulee (Tsl) to
and terminate at faults and are not present on intrude and flow over the actively depositing
The main geologic structures in the Guaza- the footwall blocks, and (2) thickening of the volcaniclastic unit (Tsv; Fig. 3B; Supplemental
pares Mining District region are primarily Rancho de Santiago ignimbrite (Tpr) within Data File [see footnote 3]).
NNW–trending normal faults, including the the half-graben basin bounded by the Arroyo
Guazapares fault zone and faults to the north- Hondo–Puerto Blanco fault (~200 m thick), Relative Timing and Amount of
east of Témoris (Figs. 2, 3, and 4; Supplemen- relative to the ~80 m thickness on the footwall Extensional Deformation
tal Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]). The Guazapares block (Figs. 3A, 4, and 8C; Supplemental Fig. 1
fault zone extends from Témoris northward to [see footnote 1]). Extensional deformation in the Guazapares
the Monte Cristo mining claim, and is a com- Synextensional deposition of the Témoris Mining District region was concurrent with
plex system of NNW–striking normal faults formation is evident in the three half-graben deposition of at least the upper part of the
with numerous splays that dip both east and basins bounded by the La Palmera, Agujerado, Parajes formation, the Témoris formation, and
west, with several changes of fault dip polar- and Rancho de Santiago–Arroyo Hondo–Puerto the Sierra Guazapares formation, with contin-
ity along strike (Fig. 3B; Supplemental Fig. 1 Blanco faults (Figs. 3A and 4). In these basins, ued extension following deposition of the Sierra
[see footnote 1]; Supplemental Data File [see the Témoris formation is deposited in angu- Guazapares formation. Pre–Sierra Guazapares
footnote 3]). This fault zone hosts the major- lar unconformity on the more steeply dipping formation extension is suggested by the low to
ity of mineralization within the mining district Parajes formation, and the thickness and aver- moderate angular unconformities between the
(e.g., Gustin, 2012). The normal faults located age grain size of sedimentary deposits increases Témoris formation and the underlying Parajes
northeast of Témoris have significant vertical dramatically eastward toward each of the formation and the overlying Sierra Guazapares
offset and bound half-graben basins (Figs. 3A basin-bounding normal faults (Fig. 4). In the formation (Fig. 12A). Older normal faults that
and 4). Although many of the half graben faults half-graben bounded by the Agujerado fault, offset the Parajes and Témoris formations local-
die out upsection, making them relatively easy a coarse-grained debris flow (Ttds) deposited ized the vents and silicic plugs of the Sierra
to recognize, faults of the Guazapares fault proximal to the basin-bounding fault inter- Guazapares formation, which utilized these

1224 Geosphere, October 2013

 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

preexisting structures as pathways for magma and 4); the underlying Parajes formation has et al., 2008) was used as a bracketing standard,
accent (e.g., La Palmera and La Escalera faults, small-scale normal faulting to accommodate interdispersed and measured after every five
Guazapares fault zone; Figs. 2, 3, and 12B; this deformation. unknown zircons. The observed uncertainties of
Supplemental Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]). In addi- the 206Pb/238U, 207Pb/206Pb, and 208Pb/232Th ratios,
tion, unfaulted Sierra Guazapares formation AGE CONSTRAINTS during the different sessions in which the cur-
lavas bury some faults that offset the Parajes and rent samples were analyzed, as measured on the
Témoris formations (Figs. 2 and 3). Methodology Plešovice standard zircon, were 0.65%, 1.0%,
Further evidence of pre–Sierra Guazapares and 1.1%, respectively. These values are qua-
formation extension includes greater fault off- We report new U-Pb zircon ages from each dratically propagated to the quoted uncertainties
sets of the older formations compared to offset of the three informally defined formations, pro- of the unknown zircons, to take into account the
of the Sierra Guazapares formation (Figs. 3A viding constraints on the age of the previously heterogeneities of the natural standard zircon.
and 4). The minimum vertical displacement undated volcanic rocks of the Guazapares Min- A second standard (NIST 610) is used to recal-
of the base of the Témoris formation across ing District region. Laser ablation–inductively culate the elemental concentrations for each
the Ericicuchi fault is >300 m, ~110 m across coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA–ICP- zircon, measured together with the isotopes of
the Agujerado fault, and >450 m across the La MS) U-Pb analyses were performed at the interest for U-Pb geochronology. The common
Palmera fault (Fig. 4). In comparison, these Laboratorio de Estudios Isotópicos, Centro de Pb correction cannot be performed measuring
faults offset the Sierra Guazapares formation to Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma the 204Pb isotope with the current setup; com-
a lesser degree: the base of the Sierra Guaza- de México on zircons separated from 13 silicic mon Pb is evaluated using the 207Pb/206Pb ratio,
pares formation is only offset ~60 m across the rock samples (Fig. 13; Table 3; Supplemen- graphing the results using Tera-Wasserburg dia-
Ericicuchi fault, ~30 m across the Agujerado tal Table 24). The zircons were hand-picked grams (Tera and Wasserburg, 1972). If a correc-
fault, and ~100 m across the La Palmera fault under binocular microscope, mounted in an tion is needed, the algebraic method of Andersen
(Fig. 4). This shows that a significant amount of epoxy cast, polished, and imaged by cathodo- (2002) is used. Filters are then applied to reduce
extensional deformation (at least 350 m vertical luminescence (CL). The zircons selected for outliers: largely discordant analyses (e.g., >50%
displacement) occurred prior to the eruption of U-Pb geochronology were analyzed following discordant) and those with >4% 1σ error on the
the Sierra Guazapares formation. the procedure reported by Solari et al. (2010), corrected 206Pb/238U ratio are eliminated. A fur-
A minimum of 20% total horizontal exten- employing a Resonetics M050 excimer laser ther screening is applied to check for possible
sion is estimated in the Guazapares Mining ablation workstation coupled to a Thermo microscopic inclusions of minerals other than
District region (for the area shown in Fig. 4), XSeries II ICP-MS. Based on CL imaging, one zircons that could have been inadvertently hit
based on the vertical displacement of strati- ablation site was selected on each zircon ana- during the analysis. This screening is performed
graphic units across normal faults. This amount lyzed, located either in the middle, near rim, or during data reduction, employing a script writ-
of extension is significantly lower than that of core of the crystal (Supplemental Fig. 25). The ten in R ([Link]; Solari and Tanner, 2011).
the Gulf Extensional Province to the west in Plešovice standard zircon (ca. 337 Ma; Sláma Additional screenings are performed, checking
Sonora, where ~90% extension is estimated to for analyses with high P and light rare earth
have occurred (Gans, 1997). The structural style 4
Supplemental Table 2. Zircon U-Pb laser abla- elements, which could be indicative of apatite
also differs between these two areas; high-angle tion–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry inclusions, and those few analyses that pres-
normal faults are found in the Guazapares Min- analytical results. If you are viewing the PDF of this ent high concentrations of U and Th (generally
ing District region, while highly extended core paper or reading it offline, please visit [Link] >1000 ppm), which could yield to a Pb loss and
.org/10.1130/GES00862.S4 or the full-text article on
complexes are located in Sonora (e.g., Gans, [Link] to view Supplemental Table 2. a consequent discordant or, in any case, younger
1997; Wong et al., 2010). 5
Supplemental Figure 2. Cathodoluminescence and geologically meaningless ages.
Although not directly quantifiable, several images of zircons from U-Pb laser ablation–induc- Concordia plots, probability density distribu-
faults within the Guazapares Mining District tively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry analyses. tion and histogram plots, mean age, and age-
If you are viewing the PDF of this paper or read-
region appear to accommodate considerable ing it offline, please visit [Link]
error calculations were performed using Isoplot
amounts of deformation based solely on the jux- /GES00862.S5 or the full-text article on [Link] v. 3.70 (Ludwig, 2008). The mean 206Pb/238U
taposition of stratigraphic units. The La Palmera .org to view Supplemental Figure 2. age is especially useful for the Tertiary ages
fault has significant vertical offset (over 450 m)
based on the offset of the Parajes–Témoris for-
mation contact; the Parajes formation is exposed
on the footwall, but is not exposed in the hang- Figure 13 (on following two pages). Summary of zircon U-Pb laser ablation–inductively
ing wall, which suggests that it is deeply buried coupled plasma–mass spectrometry analyses for samples listed in Table 3; mean 206Pb/ 238U
beneath Témoris formation deposits there (Figs. ages of the youngest zircon population (interpreted emplacement age) for each sample is
2 and 4). A distinct lithologic boundary in the listed. Tera-Wasserburg concordia plots with inset probability density distribution plots
Parajes formation occurs across the Chapotillo are arranged by major stratigraphic division and lithologic unit. MSWD—mean square of
fault, as the younger outflow ignimbrite sheets weighted deviates. (A, B) Ericicuchi ignimbrite (Tpe), Parajes formation. (C) Puerto Blanco
in the hanging wall of this fault are not exposed ignimbrite (Tpb), Parajes formation. (D) Silicic tuff interbedded in sandstone from the
on the footwall to the southwest (Fig. 3A). Post- basal deposits of the Témoris formation. (E, F) Silicic ignimbrites (Tti) from near the top of
depositional drag folding related to normal fault the Témoris formation. (G) Very large scale cross-bedded rhyolitic ignimbrite (Tsxi), Sierra
deformation is observed in the Témoris forma- Guazapares formation. (H–J) Rhyolitic lavas (Tsl), Sierra Guazapares formation. (K, L)
tion adjacent to many of the NNW–striking Rhyolitic plugs (Tsi), Sierra Guazapares formation. (M) Rhyolitic dome-collapse breccia
faults with significant offset (e.g., La Palmera, from the Monte Cristo mining claim, Sierra Guazapares formation. Details on the experi-
Agujerado, and La Escalera faults; Figs. 3A ments and mean age plots are given in Supplemental Table 2 (see footnote 4).

Geosphere, October 2013 1225

 Murray et al.

data-point error ellipses are 2 data-point error ellipses are 2

0.12
A2 0 BM100306-1
0.16
B14 BM100306-3

R e la tive p ro b a b ility
206 238 206 238
Mean Pb/ U age Mean Pb/ U age

R e la tive p ro b a b ility
27.55 ± 0.33 Ma 27.04 ± 0.74 Ma

Num ber
15 10
Num ber
MSWD = 1.04 0.14 MSWD = 1.6
0.10
10 6
0.12
5

Pb/206Pb
2
Pb/206Pb

0 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
0.08 25 35 45 55 65 0.10
Ma Ma

207
207

0.08

0.06
0.06
60 40 20 100 60
80

0.04 0.04
80 120 160 200 240 280 40 80 120 160 200 240 280 320
238 U/206Pb 238 U/206Pb
data-point error ellipses are 2
data-point error ellipses are 2

C8 D1 0

R e la tive p ro b a b ility
BM100306-6 BM100305-4
R e la tive p ro b a b ility

0.14
0.14 Mean 206Pb/238U age 8 Mean 206Pb/238U age

Num ber
Num ber

6 27.58 ± 0.26 Ma
6
27.27 ± 0.33 Ma
MSWD = 2.6 MSWD = 1.7
4 4
0.12 0.12
2 2
0
207Pb/206Pb

0 24 26 28 30 32 34 36
0.10 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 207Pb/206Pb Ma
0.10
Ma

0.08
0.08

0.06
0.06
34 30 26
0.04
170 190 210 230 250 270 36 34 32 30 28 26 24
238U/206Pb 0.04
170 190 210 230 250 270
238U/206Pb

data-point error ellipses are 2 data-point error ellipses are 2

14 10
E F R e la tive p ro b a b ility
R e la tive p ro b a b ility

BM100304-5 8 BM100305-1
10
206 238
Mean Pb/ U age Mean 206Pb/238U age
Num ber
Num ber

24.58 ± 0.19 Ma
0.15
6 24.14 ± 0.25 Ma
0.12 MSWD = 0.96 MSWD = 0.49
6 4
0.13 2
2
0
0.10 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 20 22 24 26 28 30
207Pb/206Pb

Pb/206Pb

Ma 0.11 Ma
207

0.08 0.09

0.07
0.06
0.05
28 24 20
30 26
0.04 0.03
190 210 230 250 270 290 210 230 250 270 290 310 330
238U/206Pb
238 U/ 206Pb
data-point error ellipses are 2
data-point error ellipses are 2
0.20
G 180 BM100304-4 H8
R e la tive p ro b a b ility

BM100307-1
R e la tive p ro b a b ility

206 238
Mean Pb/ U age 0.18 Mean 206Pb/238U age
Num ber
Num ber

24.66 ± 0.24 Ma
6 6 23.72 ± 0.22 Ma
MSWD = 1.3
0.16 MSWD = 0.42
0.10 4 4
0.14
2 2
0.12
Pb/206Pb

21 23 25 27 29 31 33 0
207Pb/206Pb

Ma 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35
0.08
0.10 Ma
207

0.08

0.06
32 24
0.06
40
0.04

0.02
30 28 26 24 22
0.00
0.04 160 200 240 280 320
210 230 250 270 290
238 U/ 206 Pb
238U/206Pb

Figure 13.

1226 Geosphere, October 2013

 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

data-point error ellipses are 2σ data-point error ellipses are 2

0.20
10 14
I J

R e la tive p ro b a b ility
R e la tive p ro b a b ility
0.18 BM100305-2 BM100304-1
8 Mean 206Pb/238U age 0.18 Mean 206Pb/238U age
10
Num ber

Num ber
23.92 ± 0.29 Ma 22.94 ± 0.25 Ma
6
0.16 MSWD = 0.94 MSWD = 0.18
4 0.16 6
2
0.14 0.14 2
0
21 23 25 27 29 31 33

Pb/206Pb
20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34
Pb

Ma 0.12 Ma
206

0.12
Pb/

207
0.10
207

0.10
0.08

0.08
0.06
32 28 24
0.06 0.04
36 28 20
0.04 0.02
160 200 240 280 320 190 210 230 250 270 290 310
238 U/206Pb
238 206
U/ Pb
data-point error ellipses are 2 data-point error ellipses are 2
0.18
14 10
K L
R e la tive p ro b a b ility

R e la tive p ro b a b ility
0.18
BM080717-3 8 BM100305-3
10 Mean 206Pb/238U age Mean 206Pb/238U age

Num ber
Num ber

0.16 25.03 ± 0.31 Ma 0.16 6 24.61 ± 0.22 Ma

MSWD = 1.7 MSWD= 1.5
6 4
0.14 0.14
2 2

22 24 26 28 30 32 34
Pb/206Pb

20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34
Pb/206Pb

0.12
0.12
Ma Ma
0.10
207

207

0.10

0.08
0.08
0.06
32 28 24
0.06
0.04
32 28 24
0.04 0.02
180 200 220 240 260 280 300 190 210 230 250 270 290 310
238 U/206Pb 238 U/206Pb
data-point error ellipses are 2
0.16 10
M
R e la tive p ro b a b ility

8 BM100304-2
Mean 206Pb/238U age
Num ber

0.14 6 24.17 ± 0.17 Ma

MSWD = 1.6
4
2
0.12
0
2 3 .5 2 5 .5 2 7 .5
Pb/206Pb

Ma
0.10
207

0.08

0.06

28 26 24 22

0.04 Figure 13 (continued).

220 240 260 280 300
238 U/ Pb 206

presented here, because the 207Pb measurement to recognize possible different age components the host magma, while the younger mean
206
is problematic in these young zircons and the in samples that showed an initial MSWD of >3, Pb/238U age population represents the pheno-
consequent uncertainty on the 207Pb/206Pb ratio the deconvolution method, based on the mixture cryst crystallization age of the sample. This
is not a good indicator of geologically mean- modeling method of Sambridge and Compston youngest age population of each sample is inter-
ingful discordance. In Tertiary zircons, it is (1994), was implemented in Isoplot. preted as the preferred eruption or emplacement
also common to observe scattering of the mean When two mixture components are recog- age of the rock, as it is consistent (within error)
206
Pb/238U ages that yields MSWD (mean square nized, their respective mean 206Pb/238U ages are with stratigraphic relationships in the study
of weighted deviates) values that are largely plotted together with errors and recalculated area. Age results are presented in the follow-
>1, an indication that a mixed age population MSWD. The mean 206Pb/238U age of the older ing and summarized in Figure 13 and Table 3;
possibly exists. An example of this scenario mixture component in a sample represents the detailed analytical data are given in Supplemen-
was presented by Bryan et al. (2008). In order crystallization age of inherited zircons within tal Table 2 (see footnote 4).

Geosphere, October 2013 1227

 Murray et al.

TABLE 3. SUMMARY OF ZIRCON U-Pb LA-ICP-MS RESULTS defined; the oldest has a mean age of 26.07 ±
Map Age* ±2σ UTM UTM 0.25 Ma (n = 20, MSWD = 1.5), whereas the
Sample unit Lithology (Ma) (Ma) n MSWD (E) (N)
BM100304–2 Tsv rhyolite breccia 24.17 0.17 24 1.6 767557 3035421
youngest mean age is 24.58 ± 0.19 Ma (n = 12,
25.76 0.45 9 1.9 MSWD = 0.96). Sample BM100305–1 is from
BM100305–3 Tsi rhyolite plug 24.61 0.22 23 1.5 774042 3023376 the uppermost section of the Témoris formation
BM080717–3 Tsi rhyolite plug 25.03 0.31 18 1.7 770970 3030952
BM100304–1 Tsl rhyolitic lava flow 22.94 0.25 3 0.18 767453 3035862 (Tti), ~35 m below the Sierra Guazapares for-
25.07 0.24 22 1.5 mation contact (Figs. 10 and 13F). Its zircons
BM100305–2 Tsl rhyolite lava flow 23.92 0.29 8 0.94 773462 3023389 are also prismatic and very elongated, although
25.69 0.32 23 1.5
BM100307–1 Tsl rhyolite lava flow 23.72 0.22 5 0.97 771277 3030018 they are somewhat smaller (to 200 µm in length)
25.78 0.27 17 1.7 in this sample. Under CL, the zircons are also
BM100304–4 Tsxi cross-bedded ignimbrite 24.66 0.24 19 1.3 767878 3027817
BM100305–1 Tti rhyolite lapilli tuff 24.14 0.25 10 0.49 773365 3023281
characterized by darker cores surrounded by
25.58 0.29 17 1.6 bright zones. U-Pb analyses identified two zir-
BM100304–5 Tti rhyolite lapilli tuff 24.58 0.19 12 0.96 768511 3027340 con age populations in this sample; the oldest
26.07 0.25 20 1.5
BM100305–4 Ttss silicic tuff 27.27 0.33 18 1.7 776588 3031515 group yields a mean age of 25.58 ± 0.29 Ma (n =
29.73 0.70 11 2.1 17, MSWD = 1.6), whereas the youngest group
BM100306–6 Tpb nonwelded silicic ignimbrite 27.58 0.26 31 2.6 778205 3029101 yields a mean age of 24.14 ± 0.25 Ma (n = 10,
BM100306–3 Tpe nonwelded silicic ignimbrite 27.04 0.74 6 2.5 776541 3026289
29.01 0.32 16 1.6 MSWD = 0.49).
BM100306–1 Tpe nonwelded silicic ignimbrite 27.55 0.33 6 1.04 775513 3024576
29.59 0.33 22 1.6
Sierra Guazapares Formation
Note: LA-ICP-MS—laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. Ages in italics represent
the zircon antecryst (proposed by Charlier et al., 2004; crystals that predate crystallization and eruption of a Seven samples from the various lithologies
host magma, but formed during an earlier phase of related magmatism) age population in a given sample. The of the Sierra Guazapares formation were cho-
youngest age population of each sample is interpreted as the preferred eruption or emplacement age. n—number; sen for U-Pb geochronology (Figs. 13G–13M;
MSWD—mean square of weighted deviates. Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM; E—east, N—north) coordinates
are based on the North American Datum 1927 (NAD27) zone 12. Map unit labels correspond to Table 1. Details of Table 3). Sample BM100304–4 was collected
each analysis are given in Supplemental Table 1 (see text footnote 2). from the very large scale cross-bedded ignim-
*Mean 206Pb/ 238U age.
brite unit (Tsxi; Fig. 13G). It has somewhat
small (to 150 µm) euhedral zircons that range in
shape from prismatic to stubby and bipyramidal
Parajes Formation MSWD = 1.6) and a younger grouping with a morphologies. CL imaging is not different from
Three samples were dated from the Parajes mean age of 27.04 ± 0.74 Ma (n = 6, MSWD = the previously described samples, although
formation (Figs. 13A–13C; Table 1), includ- 2.5). The third sample of the Parajes forma- cores are not as evident as in other samples. The
ing two samples from the Ericicuchi ignimbrite tion is from the Puerto Blanco ignimbrite (Tpb; dated zircons define only one coherent group, in
(Tpe) and one sample from the Puerto Blanco sample BM100306–6; Fig. 13C). The zircons in which the mean age is 24.66 ± 0.24 Ma (n = 19,
ignimbrite (Tpb). Sample BM100306–1 is Erici- this sample are larger (to 260 µm in length) with MSWD = 1.3).
cuchi ignimbrite (Tpe), which has separated elongated shapes that are mostly prismatic with Three rhyolite lava (Tsl) samples were ana-
zircons that are bipyramidal to short and stubby, well-developed pyramids. Under CL they show lyzed. Sample BM100307–1 (Fig. 13H) is
and to 220 µm in length. Under CL, the zircons evident bright rims developed outside darker characterized by prismatic euhedral zircons
show uniform areas with limited luminescence; zones. The dated zircons define a homogeneous (to 300 µm in length) with the same CL char-
in a few cases, oscillatory zoning is present group with few outliers and have a mean age of acteristics as those previously described. Two
around possible inherited cores. The U-Pb geo- 27.58 ± 0.26 Ma (n = 31, MSWD = 2.6). zircon age groups are also defined; the oldest
chronological analysis, as well as the screening group yields a mean age of 25.78 ± 0.27 Ma
and filtering, shows the presence of inherited Témoris Formation (n = 17, MSWD = 1.7), whereas the mean age
cores that are slightly discordant but older than Three samples of silicic tuffs from basal of the youngest group is 23.72 ± 0.22 Ma (n = 5,
40 Ma. Most of the analyzed, nearly concordant and upper sections of the Témoris formation MSWD = 0.42). Sample BM100305–2 (Fig.
crystals range from ca. 26 Ma to 31 Ma (Fig. were dated (Figs. 13D–13F; Table 3). Sample 13I) also has prismatic zircons (to 200 µm in
13A). Two zircon age populations can be distin- BM100305–4 was collected from the basal sec- length) with most showing oscillatory zoning.
guished: the oldest population has a mean age of tion of the Témoris formation (Fig. 13D) and U-Pb zircon dating of this sample defines two
29.59 ± 0.33 Ma (n = 22, MSWD = 1.6), whereas has zircons to 300 µm in length that are pris- age populations; the oldest group with a mean
the youngest has a mean age of 27.55 ± 0.33 Ma matic and elongated. Under CL, the zircons are age of 25.69 ± 0.32 Ma (n = 23, MSWD = 1.5)
(n = 6, MSWD = 1.04). A second sample from characterized by darker cores surrounded by and the youngest group with a mean age of
the Ericicuchi ignimbrite (sample BM100306–3; bright zones. Despite similar crystal morpholo- 23.92 ± 0.29 Ma (n = 8, MSWD = 0.94). Sample
Fig. 13B) yielded fewer and smaller zircon crys- gies, two zircon age populations are identified; BM100304–1 (Fig. 13J) was collected from a
tals (to 180 µm in length) that are euhedral to the oldest group has a mean age of 29.73 ± small lava in the Monte Cristo area (Fig. 3B). It
subhedral with a prevalence of stubby morphol- 0.70 Ma (n = 11, MSWD = 2.1), whereas the also has prismatic zircons (to 180 µm in length),
ogies with short pyramidal terminations. These youngest mean age is 27.27 ± 0.33 Ma (n = 18, although in this sample they are somewhat more
zircons show bright CL zoning around darker MSWD = 1.7). Sample BM100304–5 was col- needle shaped. Two age populations are identi-
cores. The U-Pb geochronology for this sample lected from the upper section of the Témoris for- fied in this sample; the oldest has a mean age
also revealed the presence of inherited cores mation (Tti; Fig. 13E) and has zircons that are of 25.07 ± 0.24 Ma (n = 22, MSWD = 1.5),
of ca. 76, 50, and 38 Ma and two main zircon indistinguishable in size, morphology, and CL whereas a few grains define the youngest group
age populations consisting of an older grouping imaging from those of the previous sample. Two with a mean age of 22.94 ± 0.25 Ma (n = 3,
having a mean age of 29.01 ± 0.32 Ma (n = 16, well-constrained zircon age populations are also MSWD = 0.18).

1228 Geosphere, October 2013

 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

Two samples collected from rhyolite plugs in the zircon population. The probability density basins (Fig. 14B). Fluvial and debris flow
(Tsi) were analyzed. Sample BM080717–3 function curves tend to be positively skewed and processes developed alluvial fan systems that
(Fig. 13K) is characterized by stubby to bipyra- asymmetric, and several have broad or bimodal prograded into the half-grabens to become inter-
midal zircons (to 150 µm in length) that are peaks (Fig. 13; Supplemental Table 2 [see foot- bedded with andesitic lavas. At least some of
sector zoned under CL. Its U-Pb dating yields note 4]). The oldest zircon population in a sample these alluvial deposits were likely eroded from
only one age group, with a mean age of 25.03 ± represents the crystallization age of antecrysts, andesitic lavas exposed in uplifted normal fault
0.31 Ma (n = 18, MSWD = 1.7). The zircons which generally correspond to zircons with crys- footwall blocks, although some of the detritus
belonging to the sample BM100305–3 (Fig. tal core to middle ablation sites. In comparison, could also have been reworked from uncon-
13L) are prismatic and large (to 340 µm in the youngest zircon population indicates the age solidated primary volcanic fragmental eruptive
length). The U-Pb dating yields a homogeneous of phenocryst crystallization and typically repre- products (Fig. 14B). Normal faults in the study
age group, with a mean age of 24.61 ± 0.22 Ma sents the zircons with middle to near-rim abla- area control the siting of some vents of the
(n = 23, MSWD = 1.5). tion sites. The antecryst age populations in these Témoris formation, including andesitic feeder
Sample BM100304–2 was collected from a samples tend to be ~1.5–2 Myr older than the dikes along normal faults and the andesitic vol-
rhyolitic breccia locally exposed in the Monte phenocryst age populations (Table 3); antecryst canic center (Ttv) in the area around Témoris,
Cristo area (Tsv; Figs. 3B and 13M). Its zircons ages tend to cluster around 29.5 Ma for samples which is located at the southern projection of the
are prismatic and large (to 250 µm in length). from the Parajes formation and 25.5 Ma for Guazapares fault zone (Figs. 2 and 3; Supple-
Two age populations are recognized; the oldest samples from the overlying Témoris and Sierra mental Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]). The presence of
group has a mean age of 25.76 ± 0.45 Ma (n = 9, Guazapares formations. distal silicic ignimbrites (Tti) in the uppermost
MSWD = 1.9), whereas the youngest group part of the mafic to andesitic Témoris forma-
has a mean age of 24.17 ± 0.17 Ma (n = 24, DISCUSSION tion, below the silicic ignimbrite-dominated
MSWD = 1.6). Sierra Guazapares formation (Figs. 5, 10, and
Volcanic and Tectonic Evolution 12A) records a hiatus between local andesitic
Age Interpretations and silicic magmatism in the region, modified
The new geologic mapping and geochronol- by extension, tilting, and erosion, to produce an
Previous dating of silicic volcanic rocks in the ogy presented in this study show that the three angular unconformity.
Sierra Madre Occidental using zircon U-Pb LA- informal formations in the Guazapares Mining The ca. 24.5–23 Ma Sierra Guazapares for-
ICP-MS showed that zircon ages are occasion- District region (Fig. 5) record Late Oligocene to mation records the onset of silicic magmatism
ally older (to 1–4 Myr) than the ages obtained Early Miocene synextensional volcanic activity within the Guazapares Mining District region.
from the same rocks using K/Ar and 40Ar/39Ar during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in Based on composition and geochronology
dating methods (Bryan et al., 2008). The older the northern Sierra Madre Occidental: (1) the (Figs. 6, 7, and 13; Table 3), the vent to proxi-
zircon ages in their study are attributed to the synextensional deposition of outflow ignimbrite mal facies along the Guazapares fault zone–La
presence of antecrysts, a term proposed by sheets (Parajes formation) ca. 27.5 Ma, which Palmera fault records several eruption events of
Charlier et al. (2004) to describe crystals that were likely erupted from calderas ~50–100 km high-energy explosive volcanism that resulted
predate the crystallization and eruption of a host from the study area; these overlap in time with in deposition of very large scale cross-bedded
magma, but formed during an earlier phase of the end of peak ignimbrite flare-up volcanism ignimbrites with lag breccias (Tsxi) in a wedge
related magmatism. In a region of long-lived to the east; (2) synextensional growth of an that defines a linear, fault-controlled fissure-
magmatism like the Sierra Madre Occidental, andesitic volcanic center (Témoris formation) type vent system (Figs. 3 and 14C). The erup-
the antecryst ages could predate the phenocryst between ca. 27 Ma and ca. 24.5 Ma; and (3) syn- tive style of each event of the Sierra Guazapares
age by more than 10 Myr, making it difficult to extensional silicic fissure magmatism (Sierra formation likely transitioned into effusive vol-
distinguish antecrysts from xenocrysts (Bryan Guazapares formation), including vent facies canism, with the emplacement of rhyolite
et al., 2008). In addition, the occurrence of ante- ignimbrites, lavas, and intrusions, between ca. plugs along the fissures and the deposition of
crysts tends to be greater in the younger silicic 24.5 and ca. 23 Ma (Fig. 14). related rhyolite lavas over the ignimbrites (e.g.,
volcanic rocks of a sequence, when the proba- Stratigraphic and structural evidence show Fig. 12B). This sequence of fissure-fed ignim-
bility of remelting partially molten or solidified that the outflow ignimbrite sheets of the Parajes brites and effusive lava and plugs is similar to
upper crustal rocks formed during a preceding formation younger than the 27.58 ± 0.26 Ma the fissure ignimbrite eruption model proposed
magmatic phase is higher (Bryan et al., 2008). Puerto Blanco ignimbrite (Tpb) were depos- by Aguirre-Díaz and Labarthe-Hernández
The presence of antecrysts in a zircon popu- ited in a developing half-graben basin (Fig. (2003) to explain the origin of large volume
lation for a sample will tend to produce initial 14A). It is uncertain whether the older outflow silicic ignimbrites and related effusive volcanic
MSWD values much greater than unity and ignimbrite sheets in the formation (older than deposits in other extended regions of the Sierra
probability density function curves of zircon 27.5 Ma) were deposited in half-graben basins. Madre Occidental. Their model suggests that
ages that are positively skewed and asymmetric, The Parajes formation was tilted by extension during crustal extension, a volatile-rich silicic
and/or have broad, bimodal, or polymodal peaks. and partly eroded from normal fault footwalls magma chamber reaches high crustal levels
In comparison, a well-defined unimodal peak prior to and during deposition of the overlying and encounters preexisting normal faults that
likely indicates the crystallization age of pheno- Témoris formation (Figs. 4, 8C, and 9A). provide a conduit for magma ascent. Magma
crysts with limited antecrysts, which is a close The ca. 27–24.5 Ma Témoris formation decompression follows, resulting in an explo-
approximation to the eruption age of the host records the onset of magmatism in the area, sive eruption event with deposition of proximal
magma (Charlier et al., 2004; Bryan et al., 2008). which was primarily andesitic, with composi- pyroclastic volcanic facies adjacent to the fault-
The ages obtained for most of the samples tions ranging from basalt to andesite (Fig. 7). controlled vents; silicic lava domes and dikes
dated for this study in the Guazapares Mining Like the Parajes formation, the Témoris forma- follow the pyroclastic rocks and close the vents
District region suggest the presence of antecrysts tion was deposited in synvolcanic half-graben as the magma becomes depleted of volatiles

Geosphere, October 2013 1229

 Murray et al.

A Parajes formation (ca. 27.5 Ma)

Conglomerate, sandstone,
& reworked tuff
Figure 14. Schematic block diagrams illus-
Outflow ignimbrite sheets
trating the tectonic and volcanic evolution of
the three formations in Guazapares Mining
District region during the Late Oligocene
to Early Miocene. The colors correspond to
the geologic map units in Figure 3C. (A) By
ca. 27.5 Ma, outflow ignimbrite sheets of
the Parajes formation were erupted from ?
?
medial sources during the end of the Early
LVC?
Oligocene pulse of the mid-Cenozoic ignim- ?
brite flare-up in northern Mexico. The base ?
of this stratigraphic division is not exposed LVC?
?
in the field area; it is inferred that the
Parajes formation is deposited over the pre-
Oligocene Lower Volcanic Complex (LVC),
based on regional studies (e.g., Ferrari et al.,
2007). At least the upper part of the Parajes
B Témoris formation (ca. 27–24.5 Ma)
formation was deposited during crustal Talus/avalanche &
debris flow deposits Andesitic
extension, indicated by reworked tuffs, Alluvial fan deposits volcanic vents
cross-bedded sandstones, and pebble to (debris flows, sandstones)
cobble conglomerates with Parajes forma- Guazapares
tion ignimbrite clasts interbedded between fault zone
outflow ignimbrite sheets and thinning of
ignimbrites on normal fault footwall blocks.
Continued uplift and partial erosion of the
formation occurred prior to eruption of Andesitic
the Témoris formation. (B) Between ca. 27 and volcanic center
24.5 Ma, the Témoris formation was erupted
from an andesitic volcanic center sited ?

along the Guazapares fault zone and from

LVC?
smaller vents located along normal faults in
the region. Primary volcanic rocks and vol- ?
caniclastic rocks derived from intrabasinal
reworking of eruptive products were depos-
ited into alluvial fan systems in synvolcanic
half-graben basins. (C) Following a period
of waning locally erupted mafic to interme-
diate volcanism in the region marked by C Sierra Guazapares formation (ca. 24.5–23 Ma)
an increase in distal ignimbrite deposition
in the upper section of the Témoris forma- Rhyolite
Rhyolitic
La Palmera plug
tion, the Sierra Guazapares formation was dome collapse
fault
breccia
erupted during the Early Miocene ignim- Guazapares
brite pulse of the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite fault zone Rhyolite
Very large scale lava flow
flare-up, ca. 24.5–23 Ma. Fissure vents are cross-bedded
located along preexisting normal faults in ignimbrites
the Guazapares Mining District region;
there is a lateral volcanic facies transition
away from the faults, from vent (very large Massive/stratified
ignimbrites
scale cross-bedded ignimbrites, lavas, plugs)
distal ?
to proximal with slight fluvial reworking ignimbrites
(massive to stratified ignimbrites). Rhyo-
LVC?
litic plugs intrude normal faults and are the
source for many of the rhyolitic lavas.

1230 Geosphere, October 2013

 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

(e.g., Aguirre-Díaz and Labarthe-Hernández, phenocrysts) of mostly large (to 4 mm) grains spread, east of the area where rocks erupted dur-
2003). Each explosive and effusive volcanic of plagioclase and deeply embayed quartz. It ing this pulse were previously recognized in the
event of the Sierra Guazapares formation may is highly variable in thickness (~10–300 m) northern Sierra Madre Occidental.
have progressed in a fashion similar to this fis- and has multiple cooling units with densely
sure ignimbrite eruption model proposed by welded red-brown interiors that grade upward Regional Timing of Volcanism
Aguirre-Díaz and Labarthe-Hernández (2003), to poorly welded white tops (Swanson et al., and Extension
with several silicic magma chambers interacting 2006). We sampled the upper Divisadero tuff
at high crustal levels with the Guazapares fault near Divisadero, southwest of Creel (sample Previous studies have interpreted that a
zone–La Palmera fault to develop a fissure-vent DIV-2; Fig. 6), to compare it with the Chepe transition from andesitic arc magmatism in
system. Further mapping is needed in the region ignimbrite (Tpc) of this study. Both have a very a compressional (Laramide) stress regime
to determine whether the fissure continues to similar crystal-rich nature with large plagio- accompanying rapid plate convergence (Lower
the south of Témoris, where resistant silicic clase, biotite, and embayed quartz phenocrysts, Volcanic Complex) to silicic ignimbrite flare-
intrusions are obvious from a distance (Fig. 2; and the Chepe ignimbrite, like the Divisadero up magmatism in an extensional stress regime
Supplemental Fig. 1 [see footnote 1]). tuff, is densely welded. However, further inves- (Upper Volcanic Supergroup) was the result of
tigation is needed to confirm this regional cor- decreased convergence between the Farallon
Regional Correlations relation, such as pumice and zircon geochem- and North American plates beginning in the Late
istry, and U-Pb zircon geochronology on the Eocene ca. 40 Ma (Wark et al., 1990; Aguirre-
New stratigraphic and geochronologic data Divisadero tuff, which was previously dated by Díaz and McDowell, 1991; Ward, 1991; Wark,
presented in this study indicate that mafic to Swanson et al. (2006) using the K-Ar method 1991; Grijalva-Noriega and Roldán-Quintana,
intermediate volcanic rocks in the study area as 29.9 ± 0.7 and 29.8 ± 0.5 Ma (±1σ errors). 1998; Ferrari et al., 2007). After the end of the
are not related to the Lower Volcanic Complex The Divisadero tuff extends from San Juanito Laramide orogeny in Mexico (Late Eocene),
as proposed by previous workers (e.g., Ramírez to Divisadero for a length of ~60 km (Swanson the Farallon plate was removed from the base of
Tello and Garcia Peralta, 2004; Roy et al., 2008; et al., 2006); our tentative correlation would the North American plate by either steepening
Wood and Durgin, 2009; Gustin, 2011, 2012). expand the extent of the Divisadero tuff an (slab rollback) and possible detachment of the
The Témoris formation instead represents a additional ~75 km southwest, to a total length deeper part of the subducted slab (e.g., Ferrari
period of mafic to intermediate volcanism that of ~135 km (Fig. 1). et al., 2007; Henry et al., 2010; Best et al., 2013;
occurred between two ignimbrite pulses of the In several localities in the northern Sierra Busby, 2013), or through the development of a
mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the north- Madre Occidental, mafic to intermediate com- slab window (e.g., Wong et al., 2010). Based on
ern Sierra Madre Occidental and preceded local position volcanism followed the large-volume the available age distribution of volcanic rocks
silicic ignimbrite flare-up magmatism in the eruptions of the Early Oligocene ignimbrite in the southwestern U.S. and the Sierra Madre
study area. pulse (the Southern Cordillera basaltic andesite Occidental, the locus of magmatism is inferred
The ca. 27.5 Ma Parajes formation is inter- province); the Témoris formation in the Guaza- to have migrated eastward (inboard) from the
preted as medial welded to nonwelded silicic pares Mining District region may be related to trench in Cretaceous to Eocene time, followed
outflow ignimbrite sheets erupted at the end of this period of mafic to intermediate composition by a general southwestward migration of the arc-
the Early Oligocene pulse of the mid-Cenozoic volcanism. The mafic to intermediate composi- front magmatism toward the trench commenc-
ignimbrite flare-up in the Sierra Madre Occi- tion volcanic rocks in other parts of the Sierra ing by ca. 40 Ma in response to these Farallon–
dental (ca. 36–27 Ma; Ferrari et al., 2007; Madre Occidental are roughly coeval with North American plate interactions (e.g., Coney
Cather et al., 2009; McDowell and McIntosh, or slightly younger than the ca. 27–24.5 Ma and Reynolds, 1977; Damon et al., 1981; Fer-
2012), based on the similar eruption ages and Témoris formation. In addition, the composition rari et al., 1999; Gans et al., 2003; Ferrari et al.,
physical characteristics to ignimbrite sequences of Témoris formation rocks is similar to those of 2007; Henry et al., 2010; Wong et al., 2010;
described elsewhere in the region (e.g., Swan- the Southern Cordillera basaltic andesite prov- McDowell and McIntosh, 2012; Bryan et al.,
son et al., 2006; McDowell, 2007, and refer- ince (Fig. 7). 2013; Busby, 2013). This plate tectonic inter-
ences therein). Possible sources for the outflow The age of the ca. 24.5–23 Ma Sierra Guaza- pretation is similar to space-time models of mid-
ignimbrites of the Parajes formation include pares formation generally coincides with Cenozoic volcanism proposed in the western
(1) vent to proximal volcanic facies of simi- the onset of the regional Early Miocene (ca. U.S. (e.g., Coney and Reynolds, 1977; Damon
lar ages previously identified ~100 km toward 24–20 Ma) ignimbrite pulse of the mid-Ceno- et al., 1981; Gans et al., 1989; Best and Chris-
the north and northeast near Basaseachic and zoic ignimbrite flare-up (e.g., Ferrari et al., 2002, tiansen, 1991; Christiansen and Yates, 1992;
Tomóchic (e.g., McDowell, 2007, and refer- 2007; McDowell and McIntosh, 2012; Bryan Axen et al., 1993; Humphreys, 1995; Dickinson,
ences therein; McDowell and McIntosh, 2012), et al., 2013). Although the Early Miocene ignim- 2002, 2006; Henry et al., 2010; Best et al., 2013;
and (2) several calderas identified <50 km to the brite pulse is volumetrically significant in the Busby, 2013). However, at a more detailed level
north, south, and east of the Guazapares Min- southern Sierra Madre Occidental (Ferrari et al., this age trend shows greater complexity, as the
ing District region (e.g., Ferrari et al., 2007, and 2002, 2007), in the northern and central Sierra Early Oligocene pulse of the ignimbrite flare-
references therein) (Fig. 15). Madre Occidental this ignimbrite pulse was pre- up occurred in a wide belt throughout the entire
Based on phenocryst assemblages and an viously thought to be less abundant and restricted Sierra Madre Occidental at essentially the same
eruption age older than 27.5 Ma, the oldest flow to the westernmost part of the silicic large igne- age without internal migration patterns, and
unit of the Parajes formation, the Chepe ignim- ous province (Ferrari et al., 2007; McDowell and volcanism reappears in the rear-arc east of the
brite (Tpc; Table 1), is tentatively correlated McIntosh, 2012; Bryan et al., 2013). The Sierra arc front in the Middle to Late Miocene (Ferrari
with the regionally extensive Divisadero tuff Guazapares formation thus represents a previ- et al., 2007; Bryan et al., 2013).
of Swanson et al. (2006). The Divisadero tuff ously unrecognized part of the Early Miocene The timing of the onset of extension rela-
is distinctive for its crystal-rich nature (to ~40% ignimbrite pulse that may have been more wide- tive to southwestward-migrating volcanism in

Geosphere, October 2013 1231

 Murray et al.

W 0 50 100
W

SONORA

CHIHUAHUA
S. Aconchi
25–17 Ma Arizpe km
27–23 Ma
27- 21 Ma
30° N E

S. Mazatán
W 25–16 Ma
HERMOSILLO
E W Chihuahua Chihuahua
<29 Ma <29 Ma (<37 Ma)
W E 46–27 Ma
Rio Yaqui
27–20 Ma
29° N Lista Blanca Tecoripa
27.5–20 Ma E
24–12 Ma Yécora
24 Ma; 12.5–9 Ma 22–16 Ma CHIHUAHUA
22.5–14.5 Ma Tómochic
E Santa Rosa Yecora >38–30 Ma;
E 26–17 Ma 28.5–25 Ma
27–17 Ma

Basaseachic
W 32–26.5 Ma
CH

E E Creel-Batopilas
IH

Guaymas
SO

36.5–30 Ma;
UA
NO

24–20.5 Ma
28° N
HU

Coastal Sonora
RA

>12 Ma
23.5 Ma; 19–8.5 Ma

N Gulf of Cd. Obregón

Guazapares
California 27.5–<23 Ma
27–23 Ma

111° W 110° W 109° W 107° W

E Zone of ENE tilting Accommodation Main normal
zone with fault Core complex Extension Black: extension ages
W Zone of WSW tilting with direction of direction from Main road Red: volcanism ages
Caldera tilt inversion Normal fault tectonic transport brittle fault data

Figure 15. Map of the northern Sierra Madre Occidental showing the timing of extensional deformation and post–Lower Volcanic Complex
locally derived volcanism (e.g., intracaldera facies, lavas) in the region relative to Guazapares (this study; black box in figure). Known and
inferred calderas in the region are indicated, as well as main Tertiary faults and the direction of crustal extension (modified from Ferrari
et al., 2007). Generally, the age of the volcanism is increasingly younger toward the southwest, and although the timing of extension is less
constrained, there also appears to be an increasingly younger trend toward the southwest of the study area in the Gulf Extensional Prov-
ince of Sonora. Ages of extension and volcanism are from Bagby (1979), Cameron et al. (1989), Wark et al. (1990), Swanson et al. (2006),
González León et al. (2000), McDowell (2007), Ferrari et al. (2007, and references therein), Wong et al. (2010), McDowell and McIntosh
(2012), Bryan et al. (2013), and this study. ENE—east-northeast; WSW—west-southwest.

the Sierra Madre Occidental has been poorly McDowell, 1998; Aguillón-Robles et al., 2009; west of the unextended core of the Sierra Madre
constrained, due at least in part to sparse map Tristán-González et al., 2009) and at its eastern- Occidental and the timing of initial extensional
data. At the regional scale, the onset of exten- most boundary east of Durango during the Early deformation appears to have migrated westward
sion possibly migrated episodically from east to Oligocene (32.3–30.6 Ma; Luhr et al., 2001), east with time in this region (Fig. 15; Gans, 1997;
west along the entire Sierra Madre Occidental, of the unextended core. The earliest initiation of Gans et al., 2003).
roughly corresponding to the southwestward upper crustal extension that developed regionally Our new geologic mapping and geochrono-
migration of the arc front toward the trench; is inferred to have occurred ca. 30 Ma, marked by logical data from the Guazapares Mining Dis-
however, in detail volcanism in a given area may the widespread eruption of the Southern Cordi- trict region is broadly consistent with the inter-
be preextensional, synextensional, or postexten- llera basaltic andesite province (Cameron et al., pretations that the inception of volcanism and
sional (Ferrari et al., 2007). Although no direct 1989). The timing of this event immediately fol- extension generally migrated southwestward
evidence has been found for Eocene extension lowed the peak of ignimbrite flare-up volcanism with time across the Sierra Madre Occidental.
in the eastern Sierra Madre Occidental proper, of the Early Oligocene pulse and coincided with The Late Oligocene age (ca. 27 Ma) of initial
there is evidence of an initial episode of exten- a decline in silicic explosive volcanism (Bryan local volcanism in the study area is younger
sional faulting during the Early Eocene in the and Ferrari, 2013). Following this regional event, than Late Eocene to Early Eocene volcanism
Mesa Central region to the east of the southern extensional deformation generally became to the northeast, and older than to coeval with
Sierra Madre Occidental (Aranda-Gómez and focused in the Gulf Extensional Province to the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene volcanism to

1232 Geosphere, October 2013

 Synvolcanic extension during the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental

the west (Fig. 15). Our data clearly show that Parajes formation, consisting of silicic outflow Denis Norton for arranging this support. Additional
extension in the study area not only preceded ignimbrite sheets erupted from distant sources financial support was provided by a UC Mexus (Uni-
versity of California Institute for Mexico and the
local mafic to intermediate volcanism ca. 27 Ma by ca. 27.5 Ma, during the end of the Early United States) grant (2009-2010) to Busby and Elena
and local silicic ignimbrite flare-up magmatism Oligocene pulse of the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite Centeno-García, National Science Foundation grant
during the Early Miocene pulse ca. 24.5 Ma, flare-up; (2) the ca. 27–24.5 Ma Témoris forma- EAR-1019559 to Busby, and a Geological Society
but also overlapped in time with the end of the tion, comprising locally erupted mafic to inter- of America student research grant to Murray. Dana
Roeber Murray, Jordan Lewis, Adrienne Kentner, and
Early Oligocene pulse of the ignimbrite flare-up mediate composition volcanic rocks, including
Angeles Verde-Ramírez assisted in the field. Carlos
in the northern Sierra Madre Occidental, which an andesitic volcanic center; and (3) the ca. Ortega-Obregón and Ofelia Pérez-Arvizu (Universi-
occurred ~50–150 km to the north and east ca. 24.5–23 Ma Sierra Guazapares formation, con- dad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM) assisted
32–28 Ma (Fig. 15). The Late Oligocene age (ca. sisting of vent to proximal silicic ignimbrites, with laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass
27.5 to after 23 Ma) of extension in the Guazapa- lavas, and plugs erupted by fissure magmatism spectrometry analyses. Rufino Lozano Santa Cruz
(UNAM) assisted with whole-rock geochemical
res Mining District region is slightly older than during the onset of the Early Miocene pulse of analyses. We thank Graham Andrews for a detailed
to roughly coeval with the onset of extension the mid-Cenozoic ignimbrite flare-up. informal review. Constructive formal reviews by Scott
farther west in Sonora (Fig. 15), where sedimen- The main geologic structures in the Guaza- Bryan and an anonymous reviewer and comments
tation in fault-bound grabens and rapid footwall pares Mining District region are NNW–trending by Carol Frost and Keith Putirka helped improve the
manuscript.
cooling of core complexes also began at the end normal faults, several of which bound synvol-
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