Fractures and faults in the Jakey's Fork area, northeastern Wind River Range, Wyoming, caused by brittle Laramide deformation in the Precambrian granitic basement have been studied in detail at airphoto, outcrop, and thin-section scales. The study area is bounded on the south by the approximately east-west and vertical Jakey's Fork Fault and on the east by the approximately northwest-southeast and vertical Ross Lakes Fault. Both were active during Laramide deformation. Four distinct structural domains, defined by fracture pat terns and proximity to the two major faults nave emerged in this study. The areas are: 1) Along Ross Lakes Fault granite cores a fold defined by shallowly and steeply east dipping Cambrian Flathead Sandstone. Laramide movement on Ross Lakes Fault appears to have post-dated, Jakey ' s Fork Fault movement and was discordant with Precambrian zones. Fractures at all scales studied strike approximately northeast-southwest, consistent with the inferred maximum Laramide principal stress. 2) Along east-west striking Jakey's Fork Fault, Laramide movement appears to have reactivated Precambrian mylonite zones as evidenced by the chlorite-rich, foliated cataclasite along its trace. Fractures at all scales have an approximate east-west orientation. 3) Near the intersection of the two faults, deformation was intense, as shown by mylonitic, breccia, and veined clasts. Discrete airphoto fractures were not recognized due to intense deformation in this interaction zone. 4) In the central area, away from the two faults, airphoto and outcrop fracture orientations have a north to northeast strike. Fracture orientations at the thin-section scale are more variable and do not agree with macroscopic orientations; they strike west to northwest. The central area is a 'block', possibly divided into 'sub-blocks' , bounded by zones along which much of the deformation occurred. Thus, these zones had an insulating effect at thin-section scale. The Paleozoic rocks were at least partially decoupled from the basement during deformation, suggested by gouge along the contact and different fracture orientations on opposite sides of the contact. At least two fluid systems are represented in the study area. Relatively wide-spread, pre-Laramide chlorite development occurred at temperatures and pressures higher than those present during Laramide deformation. A Laramide (or post-Laramie ) pervasive fluid system (especially near Ross Lakes Fault) is reflected by abundant fracture porosity, advanced feldspar alteration, and kaolinite development.

L'objectif principal de ce travail, a été d'étudier les phénomènes qui influencent la variation de la composition de gaz (CH4- CO2- H2S) pendant l'exploitation industrielle, dans le play Florida-Minero du Bloc Pirineo du Basin de Sabinas au Mexique. Entre le Jurassique et le Crétacé, le Basin de Sabinas dans le Nord-est au Mexique, a été un important réservoir de sédiments, formés principalement par des roches siliciclastiques carbonatées, riches en matière organique d'origine marine et continentale (prédominant). Ce bassin est actuellement un important producteur de gaz méthane dans la région, et les roches mères plus importantes, ils sont très matures, produit d'un enfouissement profond, jusqu'aux 8 km. Variations de flux de chaleur importants pendant l'enfouissement, est la raison principale ont été ce pourquoi le bassin produit seulement du gaz sec. Les effets diagénétique, influencent le fonctionnement du système pétrolier, et sont attribués en grande partie à l’up-lift de l'Orogénie Laramide (49 - 24 Ma). Ces effets en relation avec la circulation de fluides sont des produits de réactions de type TSR, lesquels est étudiés en détail dans ce travail. Afin de comprendre mieux, l'évolution géochimique de la formation, la migration et stocké du gaz, et d'évaluer l'histoire diagenética spécifiquement du bloc Pirineo, ce travail est développé, en utilisant de model géochimique (1D, 2D), et géométrique 3D. Pour calibrer les modèles en température et pression, ils ont été utilisés dans conjoint des données géochimiques et géophysiques. Les techniques pour effectuer cette recherche, ont été les micrographies ; optique, électronique de baillage et rayons X, ainsi come le Rock-Eval 6, dC13 gaz, dC13 y dO18 sur les roches. Les résultats de ces analyses, avec la thermométrie et l'spectrométrie Raman, appliqué à des inclusions fluides, ont permis de définir mieux les étapes de migration d'hydrocarbures et la chronologie de la charge des réservoirs. Les modèles géochimiques ont été calibrés en utilisant dans une première étape, le %Ro et le Bottom Hole Temperature (BHT), et dans une seconde étape la pression/température des inclusions fluides, qui représentent les conditions thermodynamiques des fluides au moment de la migration. Ainsi en fonction des résultats obtenus, nous pouvons définir deux hypothèses; - La première sur le cracking primaire du kerógeno sans migration de pétrole avant l'uplift, et - La deuxième, sur le cracking secondaire avec migration de gaz pendant et après l'uplift, ceci pour la roche mère plus importante (La Casita). Ce phénomène d’up-lift, à provoque une érosion calculée, entre 1.2 et 2.2 Km à cette époque, le système des failles, il resté en fonctionnant comme route de migration d'huile, et ceux-ci ont été stockés dans les réservoirs supérieurs, qui par des effets de l'érosion ont disparu. L'utilisation d'un modèle géochimique en 2D, a été déterminante pour impliquer dans la vitesse de sédimentation et ainsi connaître théoriquement le TOC initiale préservé. L'application de une cinétique mixte, pour produire CH4 et CO2, a été possible en appliquant deux cinétiques qui coïncident avec le comportement de la matière organique dans le bassin (TIII, Pepper et Corvi, 1995 ; CO2, IES 1993). Ceci a permis, pouvoir estimer le potentiel pétrolier initial des roches mères et l'évolution du système pétrolier, en particulier pour l'histoire formation et accumulation de l'huile. Après le Crétacé Moyen, l'huile stocke dans la Formation La Casita, a commencé sa transformation en gaz. La fracturation produit dans l’up-lift, il a permis un dégazage de CO2 d'origine magmatique, et ce dans l'ensemble avec la CH4 accumulé, à migre avec une circulation d'eau. Les réservoirs actuels de gaz, sont dans des pièges anticlinaux, en production actuellement. Il convient d'indiquer, que l'existence d'huile dans des inclusions fluides, dans affleurements minéraux de fluorine, dans les alentours à les Failles La Babia et San Marcos, est interprété en accord avec les résultats du modèle, comme huile migrée pendant l’up-lift, pour le cracking primaire d'une autre roche mère, comme la Formation La Peña. L'interprétation de sections séismiques 2D, on utilise dans la construction de modèles géochimiques 1D - 2D et géométrique 3D. Les résultats de ces modèles sont confirmés et sont comparés, avec les données de production. Ces ressources ont permis d'établir une histoire cohérente de la diagénesis pour le Bloc Pirineo. En accord avec les modèles, ils existent réservoirs de gaz non reportés dans anciens études, cette affirmation est soutenus, par les études pétrographiques et géochimiques de 27 échantillons de carottes, pour 4 puits exploratoires, ainsi que 162 échantillons de cuttings de 15 puits. Ce travail montre la combinaison des ressources pétrographiques, géochimiques et géophysiques, pour effectuer la construction d'un modèle intégral de bassin (1D-2D et 3D), en permettant de proposer une reconstruction régionale du système pétrolier. Dans cette étude on observe l'existence de phénomènes de sulfate réduction, qui provoque la transformation des roches réservoirs dans couvertures et vice versa, ainsi que la production de CO2 et H2S, en fonction des interactions eau-roche. / History the origin, evolution, migration and stock of hydrocarbons in the Sabinas Basin, (NE Mexico): Implication in the integration to petrography, geochemical and geophysics studies in the numeric models 1D, 2D and 3D. The main objective of this work was to study phenomena that influence the time variation of the composition of gases (CH4-CO2-H2S) during the industrial operation of the gas in the Florida-Minero field of the Pirineo Block, in Sabinas basin in the northeast of Mexico. Among the Latter Jurassic and Latter Cretaceous, the Sabinas basin in the northeastern of Mexico, was an important deposit of sediments formed by mainly mixed siliciclastic and carbonate sediments, rich in organic matter of marine and continental origin (predominant). This basin is now a major producer of methane gas in the region and the most important source rocks show the high maturity on the product of a deep burial reaching up to 8 km. Variations of major heat flow during the burial process were the main reason for why just basin produces only dry gas. The diagenetic effects influence in the operation of oil system and are attributed largely to the up-lift of the Laramide Orogeny (49 - 24 ma). These effects in relation to the circulation of fluids are reaction products of TSR, which are studied in detail in this work. To understand better the geochemical evolution of the formation, migration and storage of gas, and to assess the diagenetic history specifically of the Pirineo block, this work was developed using a geochemical modeling (petroleum system 1D, 2D) and geometric 3D. To calibrate the temperature and pressure were used in geochemical and geophysical data set. The geochemical techniques and observation for this investigation were the microscopes; SEM, DRX, and other techniques; Rock-Eval 6, dC13 gas, dC13 and dO18 on rocks. The results of these tests in conjunction with the observations and estimates of thermometry and Raman spectroscopy, applied to fluid inclusions, allowed defining better the stages of hydrocarbon migration and the chronology of the load of the reservoir rocks. The geochemical models were calibrated using as a first step, the% Ro and the BHT, and a second stage the pressure / temperature of the fluid inclusions, which represents the thermodynamic conditions of the fluids at the time of the migration. So based on the obtained results, we can define two hypotheses; - One on the primary cracking of the kerogen without petroleum migration before the uplift, and - A secondary cracking with gas migration during and after the uplift, this for the most important source rock La Casita. This phenomenon of up-lift bring a calculated erosion, between 1.2 and 2.2 km. To this time, the system of faults remained working like route of oil migration, and these were stored in the upper reservoir, which subsequently effects of erosion disappeared. The use of a geochemical model in 2D, was crucial to infer the sedimentation velocity, and thus to know theoretically initially the TOC preserved. The application of mixed kinetics to produce CH4 and CO2, it was possible to apply two kinetic that match with the behavior of organic matter in the basin (TIII, Pepper and Corvi, 1995; CO2, IES, 1993). This allowed estimating the initial petroleum potential of source rocks and petroleum system evolution, particularly the history of formation and accumulation of the oil and gas. After the Middle Cretaceous, the oil trapped in La Casita formation began its transformation into a gas. Fracturing of the up-lift product allowed a migration of CO2 of magmatic origin and this altogether with the accumulated CH4 migrated with a water circulation. The reservoirs rocks of these gases are found in anticline traps, currently exploited. It should be noted that the existence of oil in fluid inclusions in mineral outcrops of fluorite in the neighborhoods to the La Babia and San Marcos faults, is interpreted according to the model results as oil migrated in primary cracking of other bedrock is La Peña Formation, during the up-lift. The interpretation of 2D seismic sections was used in geochemical models and geometric 3D. The results of these models are confirmed and compared with production data. These resources allowed establishing a coherent history of diagenesis for the Pirineo block. According to the models, there are no reported gas reservoirs in the reports; this affirmation is supported by petrographic and geochemical studies of 27 samples for 4 exploratory wells, as well as 162 samples of cuttings from 15 wells. This research shows the combination of the petrographic, geochemical and geophysical resources, for the construction of a comprehensive model (1D-2D and 3D), allowing to propose a regional reconstruction of the petroleum system. In this study we observed the existence of sulfate phenomena reduction, causing the transformation of the rocks-store in stamps and vice versa, as well as the production of CO2 and H2S, based on water-rock interactions. / El objetivo principal de este trabajo, fue el estudiar los fenómenos que influyen, sobre la variación con el tiempo de la composición de gases (CH4-CO2-H2S), durante la explotación industrial del gas, en el campo Florida-Minero, del Bloque Pirineo de la Cuenca de Sabinas en México. Entre el Jurasico Tardío y el Cretácico, la Cuenca de Sabinas en el Noreste de México, fue un importante depósito de sedimentos, formados principalmente por rocas siliclasticas carbonatadas, ricos en materia orgánica de origen marino y continental (predominante). Esta cuenca es actualmente un importante productor de gas metano en la región, y las rocas madres mas importantes, muestran una sobre madurez, producto de un sepultamiento profundo que alcanzo hasta los 8 km. Variaciones de flujo de calor importantes durante el enterramiento fueron la razón principal por lo que la cuenca produce solamente gas seco. Los efectos diagenéticos influyen en el funcionamiento del sistema petrolero y son atribuidos en gran parte al up-lift de la Orogenia Laramide (49 – 24 Ma). Estos efectos en relación con la circulación de fluidos son productos de reacciones de tipo TSR, los cuales son estudiados en detalle en este trabajo. Con el fin de comprender mejor, la evolución geoquímica de la formación, migración y almacenado del gas, y de evaluar la historia diagenética específicamente del bloque Pirineo, este trabajo se desarrollo, utilizando un modelado geoquímico (1D, 2D), y geométrico 3D. Para calibrar los modelos en temperatura y presión se utilizaron en conjunto datos geoquímicos y geofísicos. Los técnicas geoquímicas y de observación para realizar esta investigación fueron las microscopias; óptica, electrónica de barrido y rayos X, así como el análisis Rock-Eval 6, dC13 gas, dC13 y dO18 sobre las rocas. Los resultados de estos análisis en conjunto con las observaciones y estimaciones de la termometría y espectrometría Raman, aplicado a inclusiones fluidas, permitieron definir mejor las etapas de migración de hidrocarburos y la cronología de la carga de los almacenes. Los modelos geoquímicos fueron calibrados utilizando en una primera etapa, el %Ro y el BHT, y en una segunda etapa la presión/temperatura de las inclusiones fluidas, que representan las condiciones termodinámicas de los fluidos en el momento de la migración. Así en función de los resultados obtenidos, podemos definir dos hipótesis; - una sobre el cracking primario del kerogeno sin migración de petróleo antes del uplift, y - un cracking secundario con migración de gas durante y después del uplift, esto para la roca madre más importante La Casita. Este fenómeno de up-lift provoco una erosión calculada, entre 1.2 y 2.2 Km. A esta época, el sistema de fallas permaneció funcionando como ruta de migración de aceite, y estos se almacenaron en los reservorios superiores, que posteriormente por efectos de la erosión desaparecieron. La utilización de un modelo geoquímico en 2D, fue determinante para inferir en la velocidad de sedimentación y así conocer teóricamente el TOC inicial preservado. La aplicación de una cinética mixta para producir CH4 y CO2, fue posible al aplicar dos cinéticas que coinciden con el comportamiento de la materia orgánica en la cuenca (TIII, Pepper y Corvi, 1995; CO2, IES, 1993). Esto permitió, poder estimar el potencial petrolero inicial de las rocas madres y la evolución del sistema petrolero, en particular para la historia de formación y acumulación del aceite. Después del Cretácico Medio, el aceite entrampado en la Formación La Casita comenzó su transformación en gas. La fracturación producto del up-lift permitió un dégazage de CO2 de origen magmático y este en conjunto con el CH4 acumulado migro con una circulación de agua. Los almacenes de estos gases se encuentran en trampas anticlinales, explotados actualmente. Cabe señalar que la existencia de aceite en inclusiones fluidas en afloramientos minerales de fluorita en las cercanías a las fallas La Babia y San Marcos, se interpreta de acuerdo a los resultados del modelo como aceite migrado durante el up-lift, durante el cracking primario de otra roca madre, como la Formación La Peña. La interpretación de secciones sísmicas 2D, se utilizo en la construcción de modelos geoquímicos 1D - 2D y geométrico 3D. Los resultados de estos modelos son confirmados y comparados con los datos de producción. Estos recursos permitieron establecer una historia coherente de la diagénesis para el bloque Pirineo. De acuerdo a los modelos, existen reservorios de gas no reportados en los informes, esta afirmación esta sostenida, por los estudios petrográficos y geoquímicos de 27 muestras de núcleos para 4 pozos exploratorios, así como 162 muestras de esquirlas de 15 pozos. Este trabajo muestra la combinación de los recursos petrográficos, geoquímicos y geofísicos, para realizar la construcción de un modelo integral de cuenca (1D-2D y 3D), permitiendo proponer una reconstrucción regional del sistema petrolero. En este estudio se observo la existencia de fenómenos de sulfato reducción, que provocan la transformación de las rocas almacén en sellos y viceversa, así como la producción de CO2 y H2S, en función de las interacciones agua-roca.

Though stratigraphic correlations are abundant in the Cordilleran basin-fill, they rarely include along-strike transects providing a spatio-temporal sense of deformation, sediment-supply and subsidence. A new, high-resolution, regional strike-correlation of the Castlegate Formation reveals progressive northward-growth of the San Rafael Swell during two embryonic episodes of Laramide-style deformation in central Utah. The intrabasinal deformation-events produced gentle lithospheric-folding punctuated by erosional-truncation of upwarped regions. The earliest episode occurred at 78 Ma in the southern San Rafael Swell likely causing soft-sediment deformation and stratal-tilting. Following this the alluvial-plain was leveled and rapid, extensive-progradation took place. A second episode, at 75 Ma, where deformation was focused in the northern San Rafael Swell, also caused sediment-liquefaction and erosional beveling. The stratal-tilting and sediment-liquefaction is attributed to seismicity induced by basal-traction between a subducting flat-slab and continental-lithosphere. The south-to north time-transgression of uplift is spatio-temporally consistent with NE-propagation of an oceanic-plateau subducted shallowly beneath the region.

The Campanian Iles Formation of the Mesaverde Group in northwestern Colorado contains a stacked series of some 11 shoreline sequences that form clastic wedges extending east and southeastwards from the Sevier orogenic belt to the Western Interior Seaway. Iles Formation shorelines and their alluvial and coastal plain equivalents (Neslen Formation, Trail and Rusty members of the Ericson Formation) are well exposed from Utah and from southern Wyoming into northwestern Colorado. The Iles Clastic Wedge was examined in the subsurface Piceance Basin and at outcrops in Meeker and south of Rangely, NW Colorado. The clastic wedge contains low-accommodation regressive-transgressive sequences (8-39 m thick) of Loyd Sandstones, Sego Sandstone, Corcoran Member, and Cozzette Member and their updip-equivalent Neslen Formation strata. Facies associations of the sandstone succession indicate storm-wave dominated coasts that transition seaward into offshore/prodelta mudstones with thin-bedded sandstones and extend landward into tidal/fluvial channels and coal-bearing strata; facies associations also indicate interdeltaic coastal embayments with moderate tidal influence. 14, 75-km-long Piceance Basin transects (dip and strike oriented) makes it possible to evaluate coastline variability, and the progressive southeasterly pinchout of the 11 coastline tongues within the larger Iles Clastic Wedge. The thickness and great updip-downdip extent of the Iles stratigraphic sequences (compared to the underlying Blackhawk or overlying Rollins sequences) support previous observations of a low accommodation setting during this time. It has been suggested that this low accommodation was caused by combined effects of embryonic Laramide uplifts and Sevier subsidence across the region. Uplift or greatly reduced subsidence across the Western Interior Seaway would have caused an increase in coastal embayments as well as generally accelerated coastal regressions and transgressions in this 3.3 My interval. / text

The geology of the Sierra Mojada silver-lead-zinc mining district gives new insights into the stratigraphic evolution of the Coahuila Block and the Coahuila Folded Belt and the history of deformation along the basement-rooted San Marcos Fault Zone. Sierra Mojada provides the opportunity for substantial data collection relevant to the interaction of regional tectono-stratigraphic elements in a generally data-poor region of northeastern Mexico. Active mineral exploration has produced an extensive database of closely spaced drill core. Expansive underground workings facilitate subsurface geologic mapping. Sierra Mojada is situated at the northwestern edge of two tectono-stratigraphic provinces, the Coahuila Block, to the south, and the Coahuila Folded Belt, to the north. The San Marcos Fault, a west-northwest-trending regional structure extends through Sierra Mojada and is the informal boundary between these two provinces. Sierra Mojada is situated on uplifted and deformed late Paleozoic Ouachita siliciclastic strata intruded by Triassic diorites. This basement is diagnostic of the Coahuila Block. Basement rocks are overlain by an immature conglomerate that is interpreted to be the updip equivalent of the Jurassic La Casita Formation. The stratigraphy of Sierra Mojada principally consists of a continuous succession of Barremian through Albian carbonates unconformably overlying the basal conglomerate. The Barremian-Aptian Cupido Formation locally records deepening conditions from a clastic-influenced evaporitic interior to high energy, open water conditions. The shale and lime mudstone of the La Pena Formation were deposited during a Gulf-wide transgression that signals the end of the Aptian. The Sierra Mojada region of the Coahuila Block was inundated throughout the Aptian and was affected by the late Aptian transgression. The Albian Aurora Formation constitutes the bulk of the Cretaceous section. Sierra Mojada exposes the Aurora shelf rim, progressing from platform margin to shelf rim and platform interior facies. The structural features of Sierra Mojada affect the entire Cretaceous section. The high angle San Marcos Fault was reactivated with reverse motion during the Paleogene as a result of Laramide shortening. This juxtaposed basement and Jurassic conglomerate against the Cretaceous carbonates consistent with offset observed along the southern trace of the San Marcos Fault. A local colluvial unit suggests a lag in Laramide deformation. The carbonate strata and colluvial unit were overridden by a low angle, northeast-dipping thrust fault that placed a Neocomian through Aptian sequence atop the autochthonous Aptian-Albian carbonates. The allochthonous San Marcos Formation suggests regional-scale tectonic transport of this immature fluvial conglomerate from a downdip depozone within the Sabinas Basin. Kinematic indicators are consistent with the southwest-northeast axis for maximum compression established for Paleogene shortening throughout the Coahuila Folded Belt. The thrust fault bisects the principal ore zone within the Lower Aurora and upper La Pena Formations. This relation constrains the minimum age of ore emplacement to the Paleogene and suggests mineralization was genetically tied to the late stages of the Laramide Orogeny. / text

Thin fallout tuffs in the Duchesne River Formation in the Uinta Basin, Utah are evidence that volcanism was active in northern Nevada and Utah in the late Eocene. The Uinta Basin is a sedimentary basin that formed during the Laramide orogeny. Ponded lakes of various salinity filled and emptied and during the late Eocene the northern rim was dominated by a wetland/floodplain depositional setting. Most of the tuffs have rhyolitic mineral assemblages including quartz, biotite, sanidine, and allanite. Rhyolitic glass shards were also found in one of the ash beds. Biotite compositions have Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios typical of calc-alkaline igneous rocks and clusters of biotite compositions suggest 3 or 4 volcanic events. Sanidine compositions from five samples grouped at Or73 and Or79. Only one sample had plagioclase with compositions ranging between An22 - An49. Some beds also contained accessory phases of titanite, apatite, and zircon. Whole rock compositions of the altered volcanic ash beds indicate these tuffs underwent post-emplacement argillic alteration, typical of a wetland/floodplain depositional setting. Immobile element ratios and abundances, such as Zr/Nb and Y are typical of a subduction zone tectonic setting and rhyolitic composition. 40Ar/39Ar ages constrain the timing of volcanism. One plagioclase and one sanidine separate from two different tuff beds yielded ages of 39.47 ± 0.16 Ma and 39.36± 0.15 Ma respectively. These dates, along with the compositional data seem to limit the eruptive source for these fallout tuffs to the northeast Nevada volcanic field. These new ages, along with previously published ages in the Bishop Conglomerate which unconformably overlies the Duchesne River Formation, constrain the timing of two uplift periods of the Uinta Mountains at 39 Ma and 34 Ma. Finally, the ages also date the fauna of the Duchesnean Land Mammal Age to be about 39.4 Ma as opposed to less precise earlier estimates that placed it between 42 and 33 Ma.

Thin fallout tuffs in the Duchesne River Formation in the Uinta Basin, Utah are evidence that volcanism was active in northern Nevada and Utah in the late Eocene. The Uinta Basin is a sedimentary basin that formed during the Laramide orogeny. Ponded lakes of various salinity filled and emptied and during the late Eocene the northern rim was dominated by a wetland/floodplain depositional setting. Most of the tuffs have rhyolitic mineral assemblages including quartz, biotite, sanidine, and allanite. Rhyolitic glass shards were also found in one of the ash beds. Biotite compositions have Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios typical of calc-alkaline igneous rocks and clusters of biotite compositions suggest 3 or 4 volcanic events. Sanidine compositions from five samples grouped at Or73 and Or79. Only one sample had plagioclase with compositions ranging between An22 - An49. Some beds also contained accessory phases of titanite, apatite, and zircon. Whole rock compositions of the altered volcanic ash beds indicate these tuffs underwent post-emplacement argillic alteration, typical of a wetland/floodplain depositional setting. Immobile element ratios and abundances, such as Zr/Nb and Y are typical of a subduction zone tectonic setting and rhyolitic composition. 40Ar/39Ar ages constrain the timing of volcanism. One plagioclase and one sanidine separate from two different tuff beds yielded ages of 39.47 ± 0.16 Ma and 39.36± 0.15 Ma respectively. These dates, along with the compositional data seem to limit the eruptive source for these fallout tuffs to the northeast Nevada volcanic field. These new ages, along with previously published ages in the Bishop Conglomerate which unconformably overlies the Duchesne River Formation, constrain the timing of two uplift periods of the Uinta Mountains at 39 Ma and 34 Ma. Finally, the ages also date the fauna of the Duchesnean Land Mammal Age to be about 39.4 Ma as opposed to less precise earlier estimates that placed it between 42 and 33 Ma.

The Trail Member of the upper Cretaceous Ericson Sandstone, part of the Mesaverde Group, is exposed along hundreds of square kilometers through Wyoming along the flanks of several Laramide structural uplifts. This presents a unique opportunity to study the detailed architecture based on bed-scale heterogeneity and better assess the reservoir potential of these strata in outcrop exposure on a regional-scale, and to then relate these observations to producing fields nearby. The fluvial-dominated Trail Member formed as sediments traveled from the active Sevier thrust belt to the Cretaceous Interior Seaway, forming a basinward progradational clastic wedge along a relatively high gradient. The high energy, tectonically active setting led to preservation of sand-rich, often compositionally immature fluvial strata. Though there is an abundance of sand-rich strata in the Trail Member, production from this interval has been unpredictable in current and past fields such as the Trail Unit of southwestern Wyoming.Twelve detailed stratigraphic columns were described at three sites along the eastern flank of the Rock Springs Uplift to show facies heterogeneity beyond what is often available through wells, 69 hand samples were collected for determination of porosity and permeability, and photogrammetric characterization was performed at the three sites. Average porosity decreases along strike from north to south along with net-to-gross. The vertical changes in fluvial architecture within the Trail Member reflect changes in available accommodation. While thickness of the Trail Member is highly variable, ranging between 79 to 108 meters across the study area, there is an overall trend of thickening to the south. Although the character of the Trail strata changes appreciably along strike direction, this interval is consistently rich in sand, and grain size does not change drastically along the length of observed outcrops. This study demonstrated that spatial variability in the thickness, local accommodation, porosity, and net-to-gross of the Trail Member, as well as temporal variability in the amount and character of reservoir sands and channel stacking patterns play an important role in the unpredictability of this reservoir. This study will enable reservoir modeling and aid in future exploration projects within the Trail Member and other comparable systems with similar fluvial architecture and internal heterogeneity.

Paleomagnetic data from 25 sites (5 samples per site) in andesite flows of the Gringo Gulch Volcanics in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, were analyzed to determine a lower Paleocene paleomagnetic pole. Alternating-field demagnetization to 500 oe peak field was sufficient to erase secondary viscous components. The mean direction of magnetization (inclination = -58.8°, declination = 167.5 °) was obtained by averaging the site mean directions of the 25 sites, which are all reversed. The resultant lower Paleocene pole position is at lat. 77.0 °N, 1on. 201.0 °E (dp = 1.2 °, dm = 1.7 °).

Rocks of the Morenci-Metcalf district consist of Precambrian metaquartzite-schist, granodiorite, and granite overlain by Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments. Intrusion of igneous rocks, emplacement of breccia masses, and associated hydrothermal activity occurred in Laramide time. Breccias of the district are associated with the youngest sialic intrusive complex. This sequence includes intrusion of the Older Granite Porphyry stock, main stage district hydrothermal alteration, quartz veining, breccia formation, main stage district hydrothermal mineralization, and intrusion of the Younger Granite Porphyry plug. Breccia formation in the Morenci-Metcalf district is similar to breccia descriptions reported in the literature for other porphyry copper deposits. Three breccia types, of separate and distinct origins, are herein described as the Morenci, Metcalf and King, and Candelaria Breccias. The Morenci Breccia is an intrusion breccia that has formed along a pre-existing structural feature during the ascent and emplacement of the Older Granite Porphyry stock. It exhibits an oblate lenticular shape with angular to subrounded fragments in a matrix of quartz, K-feldspar, biotite, and minor rock flour. The Metcalf-King Breccias and numerous smaller breccia masses are the remnants of an original Older Granite Porphyry mantle above the ascending Younger Granite Porphyry complex. The breccia masses occur as large 'xenoliths' floating within the Younger Granite Porphyry plug and were formed by surging and collapse during emplacement of this intrusive. Fragments in the Metcalf and King Breccias grade from angular in the central core to rounded at the contacts and occur in a matrix of sericite, K- feldspar, quartz, and rock flour. The Candelaria Breccia is an explosion pipe and is the largest continuous breccia mass in the district. It is oval with an inverted cone appearance consisting of angular to subangular equidimensional fragments in a matrix of sericite, quartz, specularite, and rock flour. All the breccia masses occur within and subsequent to the district phyllic (quartz-sericite-pyrite) alteration zone. Main stage district copper mineralization postdates emplacement of the Older Granite Porphyry stock and breccia formation, and is prior to the intrusion of the Younger Granite Porphyry plug. Late stage quartz-sericite-pyrite-chalcopyrite veinlets occur in the Metcalf-King Breccia group. Field mapping and laboratory studies indicate that the Older Granite Porphyry stock appears to have been the main district mineralizer.