Zabriskie Quartzite

Zabriskie Quartzite
Stratigraphic range: Cambrian
TypeGeologic formation
UnderliesCarrara Formation
OverliesWood Canyon Formation
Thickness0–300 metres (0–984 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryQuartzite
Location
RegionInyo County, California, Nye County, Nevada
CountryUnited States
Type section
Named forZabriskie Point

The Zabriskie Quartzite is a Cambrian Period geologic formation of the northern Mojave Desert, in Inyo County, California and Nye County, Nevada.[1][2]

It is named for its occurrence at Zabriskie Point, located on the eastern slopes of Death Valley in Death Valley National Park.[1]

Geology

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The lower unit is defined by the Resting Springs Member, the upper unit by the Emigrant Pass Member.[2]

It overlies the Wood Canyon Formation, and underlies the Carrara Formation.[3]

The Quartzite is mostly massive arid granulated due to shearing, in beds 0.5–2 feet (15–61 cm) thick within the park,[1] and up to 984 feet (300 m) elsewhere.[3]

Fossils

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It preserves fossils dating back to the Lower Cambrian period of the Paleozoic Era.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c NPS.gov: Geologic Formations in Death Valley National Park
  2. ^ a b GSA Bulletin: "Depositional and sequence stratigraphic framework of the Lower Cambrian Zabriskie Quartzite: Implications for regional correlations and the Early Cambrian paleogeography of the Death Valley region of California and Nevada"; by Anthony R. Prave.
  3. ^ a b Springer.com: "Tidal Deposits in the Zabriskie Quartzite (Cambrian), Eastern California and Western Nevada"; John J. Barnes, George deVries Klein.
  4. ^ Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database". Retrieved 17 December 2021.