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Origin of the Mormon Mesa Caliche, Clark County, Nevada

1972; Geological Society of America; Volume: 83; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1130/0016-7606(1972)83[143

1943-2674

Leonard Robert Gardner,

Geological and Geochemical Analysis

Research Article| January 01, 1972 Origin of the Mormon Mesa Caliche, Clark County, Nevada LEONARD ROBERT GARDNER LEONARD ROBERT GARDNER Department of Geology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information LEONARD ROBERT GARDNER Department of Geology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208 Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 01 Mar 1971 Revision Received: 18 Jun 1971 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Copyright © 1972, The Geological Society of America, Inc. Copyright is not claimed on any material prepared by U.S. government employees within the scope of their employment. GSA Bulletin (1972) 83 (1): 143–156. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1972)83[143:OOTMMC]2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 01 Mar 1971 Revision Received: 18 Jun 1971 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation LEONARD ROBERT GARDNER; Origin of the Mormon Mesa Caliche, Clark County, Nevada. GSA Bulletin 1972;; 83 (1): 143–156. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1972)83[143:OOTMMC]2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract On the basis of field and laboratory data described herein, it is concluded that the Mormon Mesa caliche has formed primarily as the result of pedogenetic processes, probably under slowly aggrading, aeolian conditions. The reasons for postulating aggrading aeolian conditions are (1) the absence of A and B soil horizons, (2) the absence of laminated petrocalcic horizons, (3) the lack of quartz grain dissolution and brecciation, (4) the relatively high content of clay and silt in the calcrete (caprock) horizon, (5) the presence of aeolian sand drifts on the present mesa surface, and (6) the presence of fresh red sand in laminated CaCO 3 joint fillings. Also, the aeolian hypothesis may explain the fact that the calcrete horizon of the caliche contains a much greater amount of secondary CaCO 3 than can be accommodated in the original void space of the parent material; and, in addition, the hypothesis avoids the vexing problem, associated with degradational hypotheses, of explaining how water penetrates through the calcrete to form the underlying transition zone of friable caliche.The data further indicates that perhaps at least 25 percent of the secondary CaCO 3 in the caliche was derived from dissolved Ca++ and HCO 3− in rainwater, with the remainder probably furnished by aeolian carbonate dust. It is estimated that development of the caliche probably required at least 400,000 yrs and possibly as long as 2,500,000 yrs. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.