Geologic Interpretations of a Siliceous Breccia in the Colossal Cave Area, Pima County, Arizona

Abstract

In the Colossal Cave area, Pima County, Arizona, massive blocks of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks have been thrust from a southerly direction over an irregular surface of Rincon Valley granite of Laramide age. The Paleozoic rocks involved in the thrusting are the Bolsa quartzite, Abrigo formation, Martin limestone, Escabrosa limestone, Horquilla limestone, and Andrada formation. The Pantano formation (Miocene ?) is also present under the thrust sheet. The thrusting is of an imbricate nature with slip-page mainly teaking place along incompetent rock units. Large folds occur in the Escabrosa limestone and Horquilla lime-stone. A siliceous breccia is associated with thrust planes in the area. The competent units of the Paleozoic sediments were fractured and brecciated along the thrust planes. Solutions dissolved part of the silica and hematite from the Bolsa quartzite and deposited it in the fractured and brecciated zones.