Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T07:06:59.623Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Detrital Origin of a Sedimentary Fill, Lechuguilla Cave, Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2024

Annabelle M. Foos ,
Ira D. Sasowsky ,
Edward J. LaRock  and
Patricia N. Kambesis
Annabelle M. Foos*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325-4101, USA
Ira D. Sasowsky
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325-4101, USA
Edward J. LaRock
Affiliation:
4148 E. 19th Ave., Denver, Colorado 80220, USA
Patricia N. Kambesis
Affiliation:
Cave Research Foundation, RR 1, Rutland, Illinois 61358-9801, USA
*
E-mail of corresponding author: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Lechuguilla Cave is a hypogene cave formed by oxidation of ascending hydrogen sulfide from the Delaware Basin. A unique sediment deposit with characteristics suggesting derivation from the land surface, some 285 m above, was investigated. At this location, the observed stratigraphy (oldest to youngest) was: bedrock floor (limestone), cave clouds (secondary calcite), calcite-cemented silstone, finely laminated clay, and calcite rafts. Grain-size analysis indicates that the laminated clay deposits are composed of 59-82% clay-size minerals. The major minerals of the clay were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis and consist of interstratified illite-smectite, kaolinite, illite, goethite, and quartz. Scanning electron microscopy observations show that most of the clay deposit is composed of densely packed irregularshaped clay-size flakes. One sample from the top of the deposit was detrital, containing well-rounded, silt-size particles.

Surface soils are probably the source of the clay minerals. The small amount of sand- and silt-size particles suggests that detrital particles were transported in suspension. The lack of endellite and alunite is evidence that the clays were emplaced after the sulfuric-acid dissolution stage of cave formation. Fossil evidence also suggests a previously existing link to the surface.

Keywords

CavesCave SedimentsLechuguilla Cave
Type
Research Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals , Volume 48 , Issue 6 , December 2000 , pp. 693 - 698
Copyright
Copyright © 2000, The Clay Minerals Society

References

Allen, B.L. Hajek, B.H., Dixon, J.B. and Weed, S.B., (1989) Mineral occurrence in soil environments Minerals in Soil Environments 2nd edition Madison Wisconsin Soil Science Society of America 199–278.Google Scholar
Cunningham, K.I. and LaRock, E.J., (1991) Recognition of microclimate zones through radon mapping, Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico Health Physics 61 493–500 10.1097/00004032-199110000-00004.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cunningham, K.I. Takahashi, K.I. and Carter, L.M.H., (1992) Evidence for petroleum-assisted speleogenesis, Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico USGS Research on Energy Resources, 1992 Washington D.C. U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1074 1617.Google Scholar
Cunningham, K.I. Northrup, D.E. Pollastro, R.M. Wright, W.G. and LaRock, E.J., (1995) Bacteria, fungi and biokarst in Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico Environmental Geology 25 2–8 10.1007/BF01061824.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DuChene, H.R. and Hill, C.A., (1986) Lechuguilla Cave New Mexico, U.S. A. Cave Minerals of the World Alabama National Speleological Society, Huntsville 343–350.Google Scholar
Foos, A.M. and Quick, T.J., (1988) Preparation of oriented clay mounts with uniform thickness for XRD analysis Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 58 759–760 10.1306/212F8E4F-2B24-11D7-8648000102C1865D.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gile, L.H. and Grossman, R.B., (1979) The Desert Project Soil Monograph. Doc. No. PB80-135304 Virginia National Technology Information Service, Springfield.Google Scholar
Hill, C.A., (1987) Geology of Carlsbad Cavern and Other Caves in the Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico and Texas New Mexico New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Bulletin 117, Socorro.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moore, D.M. and Reynolds, R.C., (1997) X-ray Diffraction and the Identification and Analysis of Clay Minerals New York Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
O’Brien, N.R. and Slatt, R.M., (1990) Argillaceous Rock Atlas New York Springer Verlag 10.1007/978-1-4612-3422-7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palmer, A.N. Palmer, M.V. Davis, D.G. and Taylor, M.R., (1991) Geology and Origin of Lechuguilla Cave Lechuguilla-Jewel of the Underground Switzerland Speleo Projects, Basel 22–31.Google Scholar
Polyak, V.J. and Güven, N., (1996) Alunite, nautroalunite and hydrated halloysite in Carlsbad Cavern and Lechuguilla Cave, New Mexico Clay and Clay Minerals 44 843–850 10.1346/CCMN.1996.0440616.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Polyak, V.J. and Güven, N., (2000) Clays in caves of the Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico Journal of Cave and Karst Studies (in press).Google Scholar
Polyak, V.J. McIntosh, W.C. Güven, N. and Provencio, P., (1998) Age and origin of Carlsbad Cavern and related caves from 40-Ar/39-Ar of Alunite Science 279 1919–1922 10.1126/science.279.5358.1919.CrossRefGoogle Scholar