f America

VOhUllC 87 April 1976 Numbc:r4

Contents
Late Cenozoic volcaniclastic deposits, Andean foredeep, Co- Momana ..... H. Robert BltI'ger and Mario1l N. Hamill 555-%6
lombia ., , .. , Franklyn n, Va}l HoUlet, 481-495 Cryptoexplosive structure near Wetumpka. Alabama ,,
Early Tertiary sedimentation in the western Uinta Basin, Utah ....... .Thomtoll L. Neathery, Robert D. Beutley, 'let
........... Robert T. Ryder, Tho/11as D. Fouch. and Gregory C. Lines 567-573
James H. Elisoll 496-512 Block Island, Rhode Island: Evidence of flucruatiQo of the late
Chlorite and mica as indicators of depositional environment Pleistocene ice margin. , , , Les Sirkin 574-580
:lnd provenance ............. Richard S. Uebling (Iud Franciscan blueschistMfacies metaconglomerate, Diablo Range,
HorstS. Scharp 513-514 California jeremy B. Platt, j, G. Liou, {urd
Nuhrigyn algal reefs (Devonian), eastern Australia: Alloc:h Ben M. Page 581-591
Eo W. MOllntjoy, D. R. Edgecombe.). A. Talellt. Andean Cenozoic volcanism: Magma genesis in the light of
and D. E. Owcu 515-530 strontium isotopic composition and rraceelement geo-
J
Origill of regional geomagncti.c variations recorded by Wiscon-
sinan and Holocene sediments from Lake Mi-chigan,
U.S.A., and Lake Windermere, England ..............
............ , Keuneth M. Creer, DavM L. Gross, alJd
jerry A. Lineback 531-540
chemistry .... David E. james, Chdstopher Brooks, aud
Arturo Cuyubamba
Northern margin of the Limpopo mobile belt, southern Africa
......... ,. M. P. COlVard, P. R. James, ami L. Wright 601-611
592-600
I
Geology and geochemistry of the alkali basalt-andesite associa-
A physical model for the mte of deposition of fine-grained tion of Grenad;lj Lesser Antilles island arc. , ... , ...
sediments in the deep sea .......... 1. N. McCave and ., Richard]. Arcuius 612-624
SlephCl, A. Stuift 541-546 Distribution, composition, and transport of sllspended particu 4

Episodi-c Aleutian Ridge igneous activity: Implications of late matter in the vicinity of Willapa submarine canyon,
Miocene and younger submarine volcanism west of Buldir Washington ........... , Edward T. Baker 625-632
Island , , , .. , , , , David \'\1. SchoU, Possible eucaryotic algae (Bangiophyeidae) among early Pro
Michael S. Marlow, Norman S. MacLeod, terozoic microfossils Hafen Tappa" 633-639
and Edwin C. Buffillgtou 547-554 Late Paleozoic glaciation: Part VII Asia: Discussion and reply
Perrofabric stress analysis of the Dry Creek Ridge anticline. Discussion , .... Marthr Schlvarzbacb
Reply .... L. A. Frakes, E. M. Kemp, alld}. C. Crowell 640

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___...... ' ri
I
Late Cenozoic volcaniclastic deposits,
Andean foredeep, Colombia
FRANKLYN B. VAN HOUTEN Department of Geological a1rd Geophysical Sciences. Pri1lcelO1t University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540
ABSTRACT
Volcaniclastic deposits preserved in the upper Magdalena Valley,
Colombia, were derived from stratovolcanoes on Cordillera Cen-
tral during and after the late Cenozoic Andean orogeny. Andesitic
lava clasts and suites of mineral grains, commonly mixed with
plutonic and metamorphic !ock fragments, predominate in proxi-
mal debris flows and in torrential channellensesj reworked dadric
pyroclastic material is more common in distal debris flows, sheeted
overbank sands, and flood-plain muds.
Earliest Colombian volcanism is recorded by mon.trnorjJ\onite in
the mid-Cenozoic La Cira Formation (1,000 m). During early
phases of Andean orogeny in middle and late Miocene time (20 to
to m.y. ago), abundant volcanic clasts and volcanic mineral grains
accumulated in coarse channel and flood~plain sediments of the
Honda Group (3,000 m), along with a few thin sheets of teworked
pyroclastic debris. The overlying conglomeratic Neiva Formation
(200 m) records tenewed uplift and a ftesh supply of lava, In latest
Miocene time (8 to 9 m.y. ago) the climax of explosive activity
swamped the Andean foredeep with debris that accumtllatcd on
coalescing fans of the Gigante Formation (750 m).
About 7 to 5 In.y. ago, the final Andean orogenic phase de-
formed both Cordillera Central and its foredeep. Subsequent exca-
vation of the uplifted eastern lowland was interrupted at least ten
times by local incursions of volcanic detritus 10 to 75 m thick.
These deposits include polymictic debris flows and torrential sedi-
ments that filled valleys and formed large fans, and reworked
pumiceous debris concentrated in fluvial valley fill and in debris
flows that spread widely across the Magdalena lowland, Older de-
posits are preserved in high-level mesas, valley terraces, and deeply
dissected fans; younger deposits form low, relatively undissected
fans and inner terraces along major streams. Key words: alluvial
[an, Andean orogeny, andesite, dacite, debris flowj explosive vol-
canism, n-lolasse, pastorogenic, reworked pumice, torrential de-
posits, volcanism.
INTRODUCTION
Andesitic to dacitic volcanism occurred along 6,000 km of the
Andes in late Cenozoic time. In the northern zone (Pichler and Zeit,
1969, p, 165) at least 40 cones on Cordillera Central of Colombia
(Fig, 1) lie along the Romeral fault zone (Dolores megashear) that
apparently is the boundary between the continental South America
and oce.anic Nazca phites (Campbell, 1968; Barrero and others,
1969, p, 171-172; Case and others, 1971, p. 2704-2707; MaUait
and Dinkelman, 1972, Figs, 5,6).
About 20 9f the great stratovolcanoes (Hantke and Parodi,
1966; Ramirez, 1969, p. 29-47) between lat2" and 530'N are 10
to 20 km east of the Romer.l fault zone and 10 to 20 km west of
the Magdalena Valley border (Fig, 2), These contributed consider-
able volcaniclastic debris to the Andean foredeep (snb"Andean de-
pression). In contrast, very little ash was blown eastward because
Geological:Sodety of America Bulletin, v. 87, p, 481-495,12 figs., April 1976,Doc, 110.60401.
481
'the northeast trade winds carded most of it westward as far as the
equatorial Pacific sea floor (Bowles and others, 1973. p.
2383 -2386; Kowsmann, 1973, p, 482-484),
An unusually complete record of Andean volcanism is preserved
in remnants of volcaniclastic alluvial fans 1 broad lowland valley fill
and coufined valley fill in the upper Magdalena Valley. These de-
posits yield significant information about the age, location. com-
position, and nature of the late Cenozoic volcanic activity. In addi-
tion, the more extensive remnants have produced distinctive soils
and groundwater conditions important to Colombian agriculture.
Deformation of western Colombia at the close of the Mesozoic
Era (proto-Laramide phase of Campbell, 1974a) ended marine
flooding of the east Andean geosyncline and initiated a transitional
paralic facies in the Cenozoic foredeep (Fig. 3). Middle Eocene
Laramide deformation (Campbell, 1974a, p, 712, Table 1; early
Andean orogeny of Biirgl, 1967, Fig. 3), especially in the western
Andean region, was accompanied by uplift and erosion of Cordil-
lera Central and subsidence of its foredeep. This orogenic event
together with the middle to late Miocene proto-Andean phase
(Campbell, 19741.1, Table 1) and its major volcanic activ~ty in Cor-
dillera Central, produced a 5~OOO- to 6,OOO-m proximal molasse
facies comprising five major alternations of nonmarine conglomer-
ates and finer grained detritus (Fig. 3j Van Hanten and Travis,
1968). Each megacycle apparently records renewed tectonic activ~
ity on the conthtcntal margin to the west. During this development,
sedimentary provinces and orogenic events migrated progressively
westward (Krummenacher, 1973. Fig, 3b; Campbell, 1974a, p.
713). In latest Cenoioic time~ final Andean deformation of Cordil-
lera Central and its foredeep was followed by regional elevation
and consequent degradation rhat have continued to the prescnt.
Upper Magdalena Valley (Figs, 1, 2) is the complexly faulted
proximal part of the Andean foredeep, about 450 km loug and 50
km wide. In order to facilitate reference to geographic locations,
the northern part of the area is called the Honda Basin) the middle
part is the broader Girardot Basin, and the southern part is the
Neiva B<1sin. Volcanoes south of Ibague (Fig. 1) are inthe southern
volcanic province~ those north of Ibague are in the northern vol~
canie province. Descriptions of the late orogenic stratigraphic units
(Fig, 3) are largely from recent studies by Anderson (1972;
Gualanday Group), Wellman (1970; Honda Group), and Howe
(1969, 1974; Mesa Group), Tile recorded areal distribution of the
late Cenozoic volcaniclastic deposits (Figs. 4> 5) is based on
geologic maps provided by the International Petroleum Company,
Ltd. (INTERCOL), and tbe Ins titulo Geologico y Minas Nacional
(INGEOMINASJ; these were amended during the study described
here. Potassium-argon ages were detertllined by Geochron
Laboratories, using small samples of single volcanic clasts (Table
1), The expected young ages of these rocks precluded the use of
large bulk samples, which might have contained older contaminat-
ing material in the matrix. Where available, biotite and amphibole,
clearly of volcanic origin, were separated for analysis. Plagioclase::
feldspar was used in a few analyses despite the possibility that older
..,...----------------------------
482 F. B. VAN HOUTEN

CENTRAL detrital feldspars might be included if they were present (H. W.

,-
CORDILLERA
Valle... Kruger, 1975, personal camrnun.).
6"N
;;-
C. de 'l\J~ 1825
~ LATE OLIGOCENE-EARLY MIOCENE VOLCANISM
~
c. Bravol
Alto MelllZOj
2'5'50
I~ ~ La Cira Formation
Valp!11'aiso 0 ~
~

Early to middle Cenozoic molasse (Gualanday Group, Fig. 3)

La Cbrada 195
- contains no coeval volcanic detritus, and its clay fraction is mainly
Oua.dalupe mNlJA
kaolinite and subordinate illite. In contrast, montmorillonite and
'10
0
u mixed~layer montmorillonite~illite are common in the late

~
0

E.1 Contento ~ ~
" Oligocene-early Miocene La Cira Formation (Wellman, 1970, p,
"',..,"'
C. Bravo
5590 8
~ 2369-2371), and tuffaceous mudstone occurs in correladve de-
- -- posits in eaStern Ecuador (Tschopp, 1953) 300 km to the south.
Rut: Olre~s ~~gg ~ 11 This marked change in clay-mineral content probably records the

. -
M
" beginning of Cenozoic volcanism in the nqrthern Andes abo~t 25
~g1r"l 5100 ~ ii
"
c. Ear,'" - S to 30 m.y. ago.

I
~Wo 5150 0
5215
'''"
"""," 2750 1
M

F
MIDDLE TO LATE MIOCENE VOLCANISM
lbague
~
0 1250
N Honda Group
OIRJ\RWF 3'5
The oldest impressive evidence of northern Andean volcanism
~ occurs in the Honda Group that accumulated in the broad
foredeepl about 20 to 10 m.y. ago. This deposit (Fig. 3; Table 2)
consists of as much as 3,000 m of stream-channel sandstone and
~ cong[omerat~ and flood-plain mudstone arranged in finin'g-upward
i
0
cycles. It has yiel<led fossils of a middle to late Miocene vertebrate
fauna that inhabited a tropical savanna hear sea leveL
'00 Throug~out the group, grains of hornblende, magnetite~ and an~
desine are common in the sand fraction; they arc also present in the
correlative Real Formation as far as 300 km to the north (Morales

I 0

'~"
and others, 1958) and Arajuna Formation in eastern Ecuador
(Tschopp, 1953; Lewis and others, 1956). MoSt of the volcanic
clasts in Honda conglomerates are gray porphyritic dacite and
""- 7 andesite) with rare fragments of basalt, trachyte, and rhyolite. The
Hull. 5'150
0
F
amount of volcanic detritus and a felsic composition increased dur~
'70
t

0
- WEIV' ing deposition of the La Doradn Formation (Table 2) in the Honda
300 ~ Basin and especially in the north Neiva Basin. In contrast. in the
g south Neiva Basin, a felsic composition prevailed as volcanic inpu~
I -
~
waned during La Dorado deposition. In the subsequent tectonk

,
,i w lull, .accumulation of the overlying Villa Vieja r,d beds in the

"""'"
COCooucos
SOtara
A~ucar
Paletara
116116
alit
, '0
1J482
I Honda and Neiva Basins was accompanied by explosive volcanism
that produced several Iight~gray conglomeratic sand bodies a few
metres thick, as well as thin beds of greenish-gray bentonite. Most
fi of the pebbles are very light gr~y pumiceous porphyritic d~cite;
~ il some are gray porphyritic andesite lava (Table 3). In general the
20. ~
debris is somewhat more felsic in the north Neiva Basin. No clasts
200
CUt_ 4300
from this explosive event occur in the Girardot Basin, and in the
so~th Neiva Basin' accumulation of volcanic debris was rnLnimal.
u

Pet!lcaa .11300
~~~~
I LATEST MIOCENE VOLCANISM

"""'"
""'" '''''''
'I>J""'1M n25
M Mesa Group
J_, Increased volcanism, major differential uplift of Cordillera Cen-
tral, and associated local deformation of cratonic blocks within the
'00 eastern foredeep occurred during accumulation of the 200- to
Bordonollla J7()() 0

"I ~ra~%1
~ 600-m oonglomeratic Neiva Formation (Howe, 1974) in the Neiv,
OalePa~~
'~O I M
F
,
1 Krummenacher (1973, p, 331) erred in stating that Honda deposits were confine<
to a graben between Cordillera Central and CQrdillera Oriental.

,oN ~--,--~--~------
4761J M
"""""
COll_ . Figure 1. Late CenozoiC and Holocene volcanoes in the southern ane
~~uuer
!lit/S
Ql<m JIeY 1J1J7() M no~them volcanicpfovinces, Cordillera Central, Colombia. E~evation ir
metres~ M = ~agmatic activity; F = fumarolic activity.
, . ,
 LATE CENOZOIC VOLCANICLASTIC DEPOSITS, ANDEAN FOREDEEP
and Honda Basins (Fig. 3; Table 2). This uppermost megacycle of
the Andean molasse was deposited in a humid tropical lowland by
low-sinuosity streams that constructed units of closcMpackecl
polymictic conglomerate as much as 40 III thick. Conglomerates
:Ire less common in the northern part of the Honda Basin, and
Ilorth of La Dorado the formation (or undivided Mesa Group) COUM
rains no volcanic material. Generally equivalent volcanic-rich cleM
Josits in the Andean foredeep in Ecuador are the conglomeratic
:=hambira and Ushpa Formations (Lewis and others, 1956). Neiva
{Qlcanic clasts, which are much more common than those in under-
ying Honda conglomerate, were derived largely from essentially
:oevaI lava flows; but there is no evidence of explosive activity.
Jark-gray and reddish"brown porphyritic andesite predominates;
:rachyandesitc, basalt, dacite, and rhyolite are progressively less
:ommon. Grains of plagioclase (An'lo.o~, red~brown hornblende,
md augite, together with andesite and basalt fragments, are COLn-
non in volcanic sandstonej montmorillonite predominates in mud-
itone.
About 8 to 9 m.y. ago, the climax of explosive volcanism, with
datively little accompanying uplift of Cordillera Central, occurred
)efore final Andean deformation of the range and its foredeep. The
750 to 800 111 of volcanic debris in the Gigante Formation (Howe"
1969) of the Mesa Group (Butler, 1942, p. 821-824; de Porta,
1966, p. 243-268) records the filling of the aggraded lowland of
he Neiva and Honda Basins (Figs. 3, 4, 5; Table 2) with light-gray
'cworked pyroclastic debris and yellowish-gray cpic1astic volcanic
)ceccia, conglomerate, sandstone, and mudstone, Volcanic detritus
s most abundant in the middle part of the Neiva and Honda Ba-
ins. It is much less common in the northernmost part of the Honda
~asin, where a yellowish-gL'ay color prevails, making these deposits
Iifficult to distinguish from the underlying Neiva Formation. In
~cL1ador, essentially correlative deposits in the Intercordilleran De-
lression (Lewis and others, 1956) and in the sub-Andean province
o the east (Campbell, 1974b, Fig. 2) record explosive volcanism in
ldjacent ranges.
Preserved remnants of the Gigante Formation accumulated on
'oalescing, nonorogenic fans that spread eastward across the entire
Dwland. Locally, volcanic clasts as much as 2 m long were trans-
lOfted at least 50 km from their source. Distinctive paraconglom-
:rates in slurry-flood breccias and pumice debris flows (Swanson,
966, p. 1299-1300; Bull, 1972, p. 67-69; Steel, 1974, p.
,38-356) constitute most of the deposit (A in Fig. 6). Light-gray
eworked monolithic pyroclastic debris consists of abundant low-
lensity pumice clasts as much as 1 rn long and floating in matrix.
~hese sheeted flows accumulated in persistent, well-defined beds 1
" or so thick (3 in Fig. 6, B). Well-indnrated, dark-gray lahars (2 in
:.ig, 6, Bj A in Fig. 7) with angular lava clasts as much as 1 m long
,ccur in very crudely stratified units commonly 8 to 10 In thick.
:haracteristically, beds in both kinds of paraconglomerates have
Ihmar, nonerosional boundaries and contain no conspicuous struc-
lues, and there is no vertical gradation of the unsorted clasts. For
leposits of this sort to form, a great mass of volcanic debris had to
,e made available very rapidly. Associated dose"packed volcanic~
ich polymictic stream-channel conglomerates are markedly len-
icular (B in Fig. 7j for similar association see Schmincke, 1974,
'ig. 4-28). Persistent beds nf light bluish-gray volcanic sandstone,
:lany of which are cross-stratified, contain scattered pumice peb-
,les and abundant dark crystal-lithic grains coated with mont~
lOIillonite.
The very light gray pumice clasts are porphyritic dacite with
,henocrysts of quartz, andesine, biotite, and green~brown
ornblende (Table 3). Lava clasts are hard gray and pale-purple to
eddish-brown porphyritic dacite to andesite) containing marc
yroxene and less biotite than the pumice. A single radiometric age
etermination on biotite gave 8.5 0.4 m.y. (Table 1).
The Mesa Group, along with older Cenozoic strata, was faulted
nd folded in the final phase of the Andean orogeny (Fig. 3; Table
483
2).2 In the Honda Basin the Mesa Group was faulted against the
Honda Group in a fanlt system along the axis of the Magdalena
Valley (Fig, 4). In the Neiva Basin it was involved in rnany of the
major structures (Fig. 5).
PLIOCENE-PLEISTOCENE POSTOROGENIC VOLCANISM
Postorogenic regional uplift initiated excavation of the deformed
Andean foredeep, During this episode, local volcaniclastic deposits
spread eastward at least ten times. There undoubtedly were more
such influxes) especially during the early stage of excavation, that
were completely destroyed by later erosion of the lowland. Numer-
ous small terrace remnants of volcaniclastic valley fill along Rio
Magdalena in the narrow middle part of the Neiva Basin are
difficult to correlatej the suggested identifications are tentative at
best.
These brief incll1'sions from Cordillera Central resulted from dif-
ferent kinds of conditions in the source area. Some were generated
directly by explosive volcanism and outpouring of lava; others
probably were produced by floods from heavy rains induced by
outbursts, or from rapidly melting snqwfields beneath hot lava and
pyroclastic debris. Some may also have been triggered by earth~
quakes (see Kelleher, 1972, Figs. 1,3).
Neiva Basin
Paieol Breccia. The oldest postorogenic volcaniclastic deposit
preserved in the Magdalena lowland comprises as much as: 75 m of
debris-flow breccia and minor torrential conglomerate on several
small mesas standing 250 to 300 m above the present river bottoms
(Fig. 5, Table 2). These Paicol high-level remnants lie along the
broad Paez Valley in the narrow middle part of the Neiva Basin and
also along Rio Magdalena as far north as Hobo, where the north-
ernmost patch is only a few metres thick and stands 80 m above the
river. Most of the Pakol clasts are dark-gray and reddish-brown
porphyritic andesite lava containing varied combinations of hyper-
sthene) green-brown and red~brown hornblende, and minor augite
(Table 3), A single potassium-argon age determination on biotite
gave 3.7 0.2 tn.y. (Table 1). Paicol debris probably was swept
eastward or southeastward into a broad, sloping (8 to 10 m/km)
valley that was about 200 m above present base level. The original
extent and cause of this influx are not known.
Paez Conglomerate and Breccia. After Rio l'aez had cut
through the Paico) debris flow, down to its present level, at least 45
m of volcanic-rich fluvial and debris~flow detritus filled the low-
gradient valley (Fig. 5; Table 2). There is no evidence that this event
was related to explosive volcanism. Volcanic clasts in the
heterogeneons valley fill are mostly gray and reddish-brown por-
phyritic andesite lava containing varied assemblages of hyper-
sthene, red-brown and gL'een to green-brown hornblende} and au-
gite (Table 3). A single radiometric age derived from plagioclase is
1.8 0.2 m.y. (Table 1). When degradation was renewed, Rio Paez
cut down to its former bottom again, leaving Paez deposits as
broad flanking terraces.
Altamira Breccia. The southern part of the Neiva Basin had
been eroded about to its present level when a slurry flood carrying
chaotic volcanic breccia flowed northeastward to the east side of
the lowland. This Altamira deposit (Fig. 5; Table 2) aggraded its
path with 50 10 of angular fragments as much as 20 to 30 cm in
diameter, widely dispersed in a gray-brown muddy matrix. The
clasts are black and dark reddish-brown vesicular porphyritic cal-
28iirgl (1967, p. 442) wrongly plac.ed the main Ande-an orog.eny before depoSition
of the-late Miocene Honda Group. Campbell (1974a, p. 719-:720) erroneously'indi-
cared that Mesa deposits (element a) are undeformed .and rest unconformably. on
Honda strata.
 Figure 2A. Index map, west-cen-
tral Colombia. Cordilleras: are out-
lined by 2,500-m and 31000-m con
tours. Area enclosed by doued line
is Cenozoic deposits: of upper Mag-
dalena ValleYi stipple = volcanic
provinces on Cordillera Central
(after Barrera and others, 1969).
Inset shows volcanic provinces
along RomeraI fault zone. Rectan-
gles endose areas shown in Figures
4 and 5.

COLOMBIA
 LATE CENOZOIC VOLCANICLASTIC DEPOSITS, ANDEAN FOREDEEP 485

m
A u

"a"
()

'M
0:

Cretaceous Paleozoic (metamorphosed) Cretaceous

Figure 2B. Cross section along line A-B in Figme 2A.

de andesite containing abundant plagioclase, hypersthene, and au~
gite, and only a minor amount of red-browu hornblende (Table 3).
Torqui Sandstoue and Conglomera'e. After Rio Magdalena had
estabJished its channel all part of the Altamira surface) it Ctlt a deep
valley through the debris flow, down to the former level. Then ex-
plosive volcanism in the middle of the sOllthern volcanic province
(Fig. 1) produced a fresh supply of dacitic pyroclastic debris and
lava clasts that spread northeastward into the southern part of the
Neiva Basin (Fig. 5). These fluvial deposits (Fig. 8; see Schmincke,
1974, Fig. 4-16 for example of contrasting air-fall pumice lapilli)
a Pleistocene
, .... ..... regional
Pliocene uplift
I Ibague Conglomerate and Breccia. After the Magdalena low-
-
10 nMeSaGr~ ANDEAN
filled the inner Magdalena Valley} possibly as far north as Nciva,
with about 20 m of cross-stratified volcanic sand containing abun-
dant round light-gray porphyritic pumice pebbles} beds of pumice-
clast gravel} and minor lenses of lava-clast gravel (Table 2). Both
clasts and sand contain biotite, green-brown hornblende, minor
pyroxene, and plagioclase and quartz (Table 3). A single radiomet-
ric age determination on biotite gave 0.6 0.1 m.y. (Table 1). ror-
qui vaHey fill was dissected as Rio Magdalena again cut to its pres-
ent level, leaving remnants as narrow low terraces along the inner
valley.
Girardot Basin
land had been lowered nearly to its present level for the first time,
the broad re-entrant in the mountain front bordering the northern
part of the Girardot Basin had a rugged surface cut across the

~ I;~~~~~~
piedmont; but a northwest~trending structural barrier just west of
Gualanday had not yet been breached. During this episode) a
20 Miocene ::::; OROGENY steep-gradient alluvial fan accumulated in the isolated basin,
nonmarine stretching at least 30 km from the v.icinity of Ibague to the barrier
, ., 1000
-
La Cira
(Fig. 4). As aggradation continued, debris spread outward for sev-
eral tens of kilometres along low corridors to the south and to the
Formation
north, where it reached the southwesternmost Honda Basin (de
"="""" -
30 ~Oligocene ~t?~;;Jw.m POrla, 1966, p. 278-279) when its floor was several metres higher
than it is now.
Ibague fanglomerate varies from place to place} suggesting that it
Gualanday may be a composite of several flood deposits. The cause of these
molasse events is not known. In its proximal part, 15 to 20 km southeast of
40 - a volcanic source, the fanglomerate (Table 2) is about 100 m thick
Group Laramide and composed largely of yellowish-brown, very poorly sorted
debris-flow breccia with lava and metamorphic clasts rarely 2 m
Eocene long. Distal deposits along the Gualanday barrier are 50 to 60 m
phase thick. The upper part consists of interbedded l crudely stratified
50 I- -f- polymictic .fluvial and debris-flow conglomerates several metres
thick. Clasts are commonly 15 to 30 cm in diameter; a few are as
much as 1 m long. Rare layers of volcanic sandstone 30 to 50 cm
~- -f--- thick contain scattered lava clasts and rare pumice pebbles. Most of
! Paleocene the lava fragments are gray and reddish~brown porphyritic pyrox-
60 ~ Guaduas eue and pyroxene-hornblende andesi'es (Table 3). A single
1000 paralic radiometric age determination on plagioclase gave the improbable
Formation
I
date of 9.4 1.0 m.y. - an age older than tha' of the Gigante
-f- Formation (see Table 2); this strongly suggests contamination with
70 Late older detrital feldspars.
Cretaceous marine Twenty kilometres southeast of Gualanday a small butte in the
m.y
middle of the Girardot Basin (Fig. 4) preserves about 10 m of upper
Honda strata overlain disconformably by a lower several metresof
Figure 3. Cenozoic molasse in Andean foredeep, upper Magdalena Val~ polymiCtic conglomerate and an upper 4 toS In ofyelIowish-:brown.
leYI Colombia. Heavy .line = duration of volcanic. activity in Cordillera volcanic debris-flow breccia. Clasts of porphyritic lava, some as
Central; X = major and x = minor explosive episodes recorded in sedimen~ much as 10em in diameter, are pyroxene-hornblende varieties like
lary deposits. Stipple = major influx of con'glomeraticdetritus. those in the lbague fanglomerate. Apparently, 'his debris was
486 F. B. VAN HOUTEN

transported eastward from an exit west of San Luis when the cen-
tral Magdalena lowland was about 10 In higher than it is now. All
other traces of the debris flow were removed before spread of the
succeeding San Luis fanglomerate.
San Luis Sandstone and Conglomerate. Before the Ibague fan-
glomerate had been deeply dissected or the GlIalanday barrier had
been breached, explosive volcanism ~n the southernmost part of the
northern volcanic province (Fig. 1) blanketed the surrounding lip
land with pyroclastic debris and lava. Drainages were so choke,
that virtually uncontaminated volcanic detritus was swept south
eastward into the Girardot Basin. The flood of light-gray reworke
pyrocLastic material mantled the Ibaguc fan behind the structun
barrier, and poured down the southern corridor to Valle and Sa
Luis. Then, some 60 km from its source, it spread castwar

o 10 20

I" " I " " I_--L_I_-,-_

Fig,ure 4., Geologic sketc,h map,(top h-alf above, bottom half onfadng page) of Girardot and Hond~Basins, upper Magdalena Valley and adja.
CorddleraCentral, Colombia. HondaGroup and older rocks of faulted valley and Andean foothills not patterned.:
 LATE CENOZOIC VOLCANICLASTIC DEPOSITS, ANDEAN FOREDEEP 487

Ihrough a broad exit in the structural foothills, fanning out across however, the deposit is no more than 10 m thick and consi.s~s
.he lowland (6- to 7-m/km gradient) another 20 km (Fig. 4, Table 2). largely of well-bedded volcanic sand with scattered porphYCltlc
In the narrow corridor north of San Luis, the fanglomerate is pumice pebbles in beds 1 m or so thick, together with thinner uni,ts
about 70 m thick, comprising a lower bedded reworked pumice of concentrated poprly sorted pumice clasts as much ~s 6 to 8 cm In
lapillL tuff with stringers of gray and reddishRbrown porphyritic diameter. Near its outer margin, the fan deposit IS only a few
lava clasts, a middle channeled poorly sorted lavaRcobble conglom- metres thick, pumice clasts are no more than a few centimetres in
erate, and an upper un bedded pumice lapilli debris flow. Pebbles of diameter, and there are several layers of yellowish~gray rnontmoril-
lava are also abundant in deposits just east of San Luis near the lonitic mudstone 10 to 30 em thick. Both lava ~I1d pumice clasts in
apex of the outer fan. Throughout most of its distal fluvial fades, San Luis deposits are predomjnantly green-brown hornblende-
I
Figure 4. (Continued).

,i

major faults

pre-Cretaceous

volcanic province

Gigante Formation

Guali fluvial mantle

Espinal debris-flow mantle

San Luis distal fluvial fan

Ibague proximal fanglomerate

Lerida proximal fanglomerate

La China debris flow
488 F. B. VAN HOUTEN

biotite dacite (Table 3). The associated sandstonecontaills grains
of hexagonal dipyramids of quartz, as well as andesine, horn-
blende) pyroxene, biotil:e, and magnetite (Butler, 1940).
Espinal Sandstone and Conglomerate. With renewed degrada~
tion, the Coello drainage across the lbague fan etched its surface
and breached the Gualanday barrier. After the canyon had reached
its present depth, another episode of explosive volcanism in the
southernmost part of the northern volcanic province (Fig. 1)
choked the upland drainages. This fresh supply of pyroclastic and
lava detritus was washed down the Coello Valley and through its
breach in the barrier. Then, east of the canyon about 45 km from
its source, the pumice debris flow fanned out, mantling the broad
Magdalena lowland (3- to 4-m/km gradient) and filling its tributary
valleys lmtil it had spread several kilometres east of the present Rio
Magdalena both west and sonth of Girardot (Fig. 4; Table 2). The
southern edge of the Espinal sheet encroached on the low northern
margin of the older San Luis fan l diverting the northeasterly
streams of its consequent radiai drainage to the east.
In the vicinity of the Gualanday barrier l the Espinal debris flow is
a very poorly sorted and essentially un bedded deposit (Fig. 9)

o 111 20 30km

I, " r I , ,I I I

Campoa lagr,e

\
Figure 5. Geologic sketch map (top half above, bottom haifon- facing page) of NeivaBasin,upper Magdalena Valley1and adjacent Cordillera Centra
Colombia.'Honda Group and older rocks of fauh-bounded valley 'and Andean foothills not,patterned.
 LATE CENOZOIC VOLCANICLASTIC DEPOSITS, ANDEAN FOREDEEP 489

about 30 m thick, with angular clasts of gray and reddish-brown
porphyritic lava and rare fragments of metamorphic rock as much
as 30 em long. There are only a few thin layers of pumice-clast con-
glomerate. Throughout most of its extent to the east, the lowland
fill is 10 to 30 m of unsorted, round porphyritic pumice clasts 5 to
10.em in diameter set in a matrix of gray volcanic sand. The fabric
of rather uniform, unstratified layers generally less than a few
metres thick is characteristic of slurry debris flows. In the most dis-
tal deposits, beds of small round pumice pebbles and yellowish-
gray montmorillonite mudstone arc morc common. Espinal lava
and pumice clasts are dacite marked by abundant green-brown and
red-brown hornblende and less common brown to red-brown bio-
tite (Table 3). A single radiometric age based on biotite is 1.3 0.2
m.y. (Table 1). With rcnewed regional excavation, minor conse-
quent streams began to etch the Espinal surface) Rio Coello cut
through the sheet down to its former level, and Rio Magdalcna ad-
justed to its present course along the east side of the Girardot Bilsin.
The three large fans in the Girardot Basin form some of the most
extensive agricultural tracts in the upper Magdalcna Valley. Be-
cause it is low) relatively unclissccted, and easy to till, the Espin~1
surface is the most favorable. The bouldcrYI dissected Ibague fall IS
the least favorable.

Figure 5. (Colltilllled).

\~
.,

/ major faults

~ pre~Cretaceoua terrane

!tI\{:! volcanic province

I:::~.I Gigante Formation

~ Tarqui fluvial valley fill

!i;::t-?{:~I Paez; torrential valley fill

~\(iMn Altamira debris flow

~ Paicol debris flow

490 F. B. VAN HOUTEN

Honda Bas.in the composite steep-gradient (22 mlkm) upper part of the Lerida
fan (Table 2) both north and south of Rio Recio. On its northeast-
Letida Conglomerate, Breccia, and Sandstone. Early in the ex- ern margin, the fanglomerate abutted against an old scarp of dis-
cavation of southern Honda Basin, a rugged surface cut on Honda sected Gigante strata whose top is still a few tens of metres higher
deposits was as much as 100 m above the present lowland along than the Lecida surface.
the mountain front and 10 to 20 m higher in the middle of the val- Proximal deposits of" the upper Lerida fanglomerate exposed in
ley, At this stage} explosive volcanism in the vicinity of Pica Ruiz Rio Recio canyon consist of as much as 50 m of polymictic
(Fig. 1) produced pyroclastic debris that was swept eastward as fal' debris-flow breccia with some clasts 2m long. These deposits lie on
as Rio Magdalena. It filled the irregular lowland topography with an irregular surface. cut across the soft lower Lecida sandstone and
as much as 50 m of gray volcanic sand and light-gray porphyritic locally on high knobs of Honda deposits. Along the northern mar-
pumice pebbles; this forms d.le lower part of the Lerida fan, espe- gin, distal deposits consist of a lower 10 to 15 m of gray sandstone
cially north of Rio Recio (Fig. 4, Table 2; de Porta, 1966, p. and breccia, with clasts generally less than 5 em in diameter, and an
275-278). Pumice clasts in the lower Lerida deposit are Rugite- upper few metres of coarse fluvial conglomerate and minor vol-
hypersthene andesite (Table 3), A single age determination on canic sandstone lying on an irregular surface cut across the breccia
plagioclase gave 4.3 0.3 m.y. (Table 1). and locally into highMstanding remnants of Honda strata. The
Following the brief explosive event) several successive floods of southern margin of the fan is a rather similar 15 Mto 20 M
m sequence
volcanic-rich sand and gravel and debrisMflow breccia constructed of gray volcanic sandstone and breccia] but the tipper 20 In of the
southern lobe consists of a very coarse polymictic conglomerate
and breccia whose surface forms the highest part of the Lerida fan.
TABLE 1. ro1'ASSI!Jl1..ARGON i\GF.'3 OF LA'fE CEOOZOIC VOLCANICLAsrIC DEPOSI'I'S
Most of the upper Lerida volcanic clasts are darkMgray and
Sanples* Cooponent K Ar~~/tota:1 Ar~o ;\ge
reddish-brown porphyritic two-pyroxene andesite lava (Table 3),
analJ~edt (wt percen.t) (m.y. ) like a tongue of lava overlying a volcanic, debris flow in the upper
Gigante
Recio Valley (Fig. 4). A few light-gray porphyritic pumice pebbles
B-2'T2'2 60B. ]511, 50 JI. O~Jl O.19~, 0.1]4 8.5 :!: 0. 11
.A-;mlj
also occtir in. more distal deposits, but their paucity suggests re-
<luaU 9011. 5f, 28, 30 0. 1193 0.016 2.6 :!: 0.9
DuaH F-2'1llJ Plagioclase o.lJ6B
working' of the lower Lerida pumiceous deposits that lay on the
0.-065, 0.031 5.5 :!: 0.5
1"-2'125 Plagioclase 1.6
eastern slope of Cordillera Central. Plagioclase in a clast from the
Fa" 0.16B O.{J3S, 0.027 :!: 0.<.'
E:sp1nal B-2'126 65B. ]OH, ~ 3.221 0.027, 0.0]8 1.3 :!: 0.2
uppermost part of the Lerida fanglomerate gave a radiometric age
10""" 1"-2'72-7 Plagioclase O. ]81 0.0~9. 0.060 9.11 :!: 1.0
of 1.1 0.1 m.y. (Table 1).
Lerida, upper F-2'128 Plagioclase 0.699 0.032, 0.019 1.1 :!: 0-.1 When regional erosion prevailed again, Rio Recio cut a deep val-
Ler1da, lower F-1729 Plagioclase 0.733 0.057, 0.065 4.] :!: 0.] ley between the two Letida lobes down to present level, as small
Palool B-273-0 Biotite 4. ]lJl 0.083. 0.0]1, 3.7 :!: 0.2 consequent streams etched the fan surface. This rugged topog-
"""'I B-?nl 80B. 15H, 50 ].920 0.015. 0.022 0.6 :! 0.1 raphy, together with bouldery textures, makes the Lericia terrane
relatively difficult to. till.
I Geoohron Laborat.orles s~le nl.lllll:>ers.
t a;t1mJ.ted -pe-rcent; B = biotite, ][ ~ hornblende, P = pyroxene, 0., other5. About 10 km south of the southern margin of the Lerida fan, two
Radiogenic c~nent. small high-level remnants of volcanic breccia along Rio La China
lie on truncated Honda deposits about 100 m above the present
lowland floor (Fig. 4). The 5- to 10-m-thick breccia consists largely
TABLE 2". DIS'IRIBlJI'ION AND OrnmSJONS OF LATE CE1lOWIC IDtLANIClJ\STIC tPOSITI::

Distrlbutloo 1 .Thlckness Distal Size Surface TAr,I.}: 3. l'RUK:J!'fII, j'wmcnv:;'j' ~mll-II!II. A~><~~l'Jllll()lo~'\ m VlIJ):MIIC Cl,\:I'I:\
""
(m.y.) 1n bal!1ns t
Ne G1 Ho
(m) thinning
(ml
('")
long wide
slope
(m/km)
Qtm;rl.i
1.11'11': I~FJK):J.U1C

1'1af.lol~I'15"
nEI'(~il'I~;

M 0.5 ruL-'~"llt"r,t
[.agun111a 5 15
2.6 Ouali , 15 20 15 60 10
Altillllll'11 lava ll'j-fi(,
1.1 U S 50 15 25 15 1j0-15 !lV" 'il]
lerlda e-"I'UI[)f'Y)~)l('~n.. ; l:tl 1"':'l1-,ill"n(k,
'.3 L S 50 5 25 15
LQl"ldil pumice .1')_'16
hlotltf', I'iuw.. t
Ill'll,ll"'l ! rc\,-)'h !I,)mblmil,',
1.3 Espinal fI 30 20 35 40 3-' 1lVj-~ JI;' C-O)th"Jl.'o')~)KH"'. rm,wt
R,d;-hr<J,.ll
h,.-)mblo~'LlI,
San 11.115 fI 10 5 27 30 6-7
Ibagu-e tI 100 10 ]0 50 2'<-10
Palcol lalla
1.6 Fa" M 75 60 5 2-3
I'au? lliWI A\.ir;ltl'; ! c-or't1~)r':II");O:"'I'"
3.7 Paicol fI 75 5 50 10 a-LO bIotIte
lbague 1<1\1:1 10_11"( Aur:lt". e_orth('PYlYJ~-rl"
0.6 'I'nrqu1. S 25 10 115 1 aV/: 36
OI.l!\I1 puml.cc, lava /7-43 AIII,;I(.,:, C_OI'!.\,Jpyr"Xf'lW,
Il"l~ 37 hlr!t\t'
5,
A1t.amll'a S 50
" =xx'
ar<'~n-b)\J'lI'Il mxl reil-bl'OW'l1 hornbl<:nctp.-blutlt.~

+ + ~I"lva lava
8.5 ~ 01.sante 750 15' 100 {EIo)
~ Net'!!! + 200
15' 150 (Ne)
15 100 Ufo) ,,, i ?~_4 :l
avg W
C-oltllOllYl'")~,'n.); ! a,.,,~lt.~,
h.YI_.'r'~U":Ji':, Vilnli,t
10'
t Villa \/ieJa + + 10'.'1
75+ 150 (Ne)
15+ 100 (Ho)
0
;'7-V, C-()rthOI':I!')~('IW; nlll'lt,

75' 100 (Ne) ,,

X
'lvrl{,

20

15'
:l; Ia Lbrada

l..a elm
+
+
+
,
+
+
:1 ,000

1,00a
15' '00+
75+ 400+ , I 30- 110

27-JI) 11,"r~,r'\U,''''', "_[))lILl>I:II"Xl'W;

tbte: PositIon of, postorogenlcdeposlt:e in too co-llllTtl IJt1lHes a clmJilOlogtc Itvg 111 ! l'j1l'!l"t
relation oolywlth1n each basin. 'I'arqul pumlcf' H i'lui.,ltf'; t l\Yr':j'iLl."".',
=
IN nol'th,M = middle, S = =
south, + throu,ghout baJ>ln. r;:... )):thOI'Yl'JX~rl"
me" Ne1va,Gi = Glraroot, 110"" Honda.
X= JMjol'anc1x" l'lI!nor phasesot AOOearioro&er'\Y. Not'.': .+ = I'roI1lmt,' !.= f'iIr"o'ilnd vaI'lable, C" eolor)~:;.~.
 LATE CENOZOIC VOLCANICLASTIC DEPOSITS, ANDEAN FOREDEEP
of dark-gray and reddish-brown porphyritic andesite clasts rarely
as much as 30 em long. Common phenocrysts are andesine) hyper-
sthene) and augite; colorless garnet is rare. These remnants record a
debris flow that spread eastward in a broad valley at about the
same elevation as the surface beneath the Lericia fanglomerate and
about 50 to 75 m above the northern distal tongue of the Ibague
fan.
GuaH Sandstone and Conglomerate. After the main streams in
the Honda Basin had cut to their present level l explosive volcanism
jn the northern part of the northern volcanic province (Fig. 1)
erupted pyroclastic debris and lava that mantled the surrounding
Cordillera Central. Detritus from this event spread eastward over
an irregular sloping (10 mlkm) terrain in the uorthern half of the
Honda Basin. Guali sediments filled broad valleys cut in Mesa and
Honda strata as much as 75 m above their floors. It extended a few
kilometres east of the present Rio Magdalena channel and as far
north as La Dorado (Fig. 4j Table 2), where it is 6 to 7 m thick.
Figure 6. Gigante F.ormation. At Characteristic outcrop,showing lens of
ark yellowish-gray fluvial sandstone (upper fight) as much as 5 m thick
ld parallel-bedded debrisMflow deposits. Large-scale bedding is produced
~ interlayering of dark-gray mudflows and lava-dast lahars and light-gray
leeted pumice~clast debfis flows. B,Interlayered debrjs-flow deposits: JJ
,guely,stratified mudflow with fewlarge,c1asts; ,2,unbedded,lahar (slurry
~bris flow) about! m thick, with dispersed lava dastsasmuch as10to 15
n long; 3, sheeted debris-flow deposit composed chiefly ofsmaU pumice
asts.
491
Along its western margin, the GuaH Formation (Butler, 1~42, p.
825; de Porta, 1966, p. 271-275) is mostly a slurry debriS flow
dominated by gray porphyritic lava clasts rarely as much as 1.5 III
longj a few kilometres to the east the clasts arc less than 50 em
long. Throughout most of its extent in the lvlagdalen3 lowland, the
formation is a fluvial deposit of well-bedded, commonly cro~s
stratified sandstone containing abundant very poorly sorted and Ir-
regularly dispersed clasts of light-gl'ay porphyritic pumice (Fig. 10);
lava clasts predominate only jn local channel lenses. Both lava and
pumice arc hornblende-pyroxene dacite (Table 3). A single
radiometric age determination based on hornblende is 2.6 0.9
m.y., whereas plagioclase from another clast gave an age of 5.5
0.5 m.y. (Table 1). Topographic relations indicate that Guall rle-
posits probably are about as young as the Paez (1.8 Ill.y.) and Espi-
nal (1.3 m.y.) units. Presumably the plagioclase sample was con-
taminated with older feldspar.
Deep reglonal erosion incised the Guali mantle as Rio Mag-
dalena and its tributades re-excavated the Honda Basin to its pres-
ent level. Broad uneroded remnants of the Guali surface provide
good agricultural tracts that are easy to till.
Lagunilia Breccia. During the present stage of dissection, sev-
eral minor incursions from the northern part of the northern vol-
Figure 7. Contrasting cO<lfse-grained deposits in Gigante Formation. AI
Unhedded lava-clast lahar. B, Close-packed J volcanic-rich, polymictic
stream-channel conglomerate 3 m thick; larger rounded clasts commonly
10 to 15 em and rarely 20 cm in diameter.
Figure 8. Tarq\ti fluvhiI valley. fill charactcrjzed by abundant unsorted
light-gray- pumice clasts in rehltivelywell defined parallel-bedded Bild
cross-bedded layers, and in small-scale channels (scOiJrand fill). Dark layers
contain abundant grains of volcanic minerals.
492 F. B. VAN HOUTEN
canie province have carried coarse debris and blocks of ice down
tbe GuaIi, Sabandija, and Lagunilla Valleys as fat as Rio Mag-
d.lena (Ramirez, 1969, p. 32-35). The main mass of sludge carried
down Rio Lagunilla at intervals from 1595 to 1845 was pyroxene
andesite debris tbat choked the valley only temporarily.
Minor volcanic activity also occurred in the southern province in
bistoric time (Fig, 1; Ramirez, 1969, p. 36-47), but this did not
shed detritus into the Magdalena lowland.
COMPARATIVE SUMMARIES
Volcanic Sources and Geographic Dispersal
Widespread volcanic detritus in the middle and upper Miocene
Honda Group records: early extensive volcanism in Cordillera Cen~
traIl but probably not from any of the existing cones. The principal
activity was localized in volcanic fields about 250 km apart, north
and south of a nonvolcanic terrane west of the Girardot Basin (Fig.
11, A). The northern part of the southern volcanic province
contributed abundant material to the northern Neiva Basin,
whereas the middle part shed less, if any, debris. Volcanoes in the
Figure 10,_ GuaIi fluvial lowland mantLe of reworked pyroclastic debris.
ParaUel bedding, large-scale, low-angle cross-bedding, and very wide range
and irregulardispersalof unsorted pumice clasts are characteristic. Largest
das.t (at road levcl)ds about 40 cm)oilg.
middle and especially the northern parts of the northern province
contributed considerable detritus to the Honda Basin, but there is
no evidence of outbursts in the southernmost part,
In latest Miocene time, the climax of explosive volcanism
erupted in a pattern rather like" that during Honda deposition (Fig,
11, A). The middle and, especially, the nortbern parts of the south-
ern province flooded the Neiva Basin with Gigante debris, while ac-
<
z
,
<
o
"<
Figure 11, Estimated extent of latc Cenozoic volcaniclastic deposits,
upper Magdalena Valley, Colombia. A, Latest Miocene Gigante Formation
in Neiva and Honda basins. Stipple = estimated volcanic source areas;
darker pattern shows present extent, and lighter pattern shows recon-
structed distribution. B, Local postorogenic Pliocene-Pleistocene deposits
(patterned and black). Stippled overlay on Holocene volcanic provinces =
most active volcanic source areas. Western structural border of Neiva and
Honda Basins outlines Magdalena lowland.
 LATE CENOZOIC VOLCANICLASTIC DEPOSITS, ANDEAN FOREDEEP
tivity mostly in the northern part of the northern province, appar~
eody including Guadalupe, filled the Honda Basin. In contrast,
there were no active volcanoes in the southernmost part of the
northern province.
During PlioceneMPleistocene postorogenic regional nplift and
erosion, volcanic activity that shed debris into the Magdalena'lowR
land was local and spasmodic (Fig. 11, B). The middle part of the
southern province (Palatera to Purace) supplied the Altamira debris
Oow to the east and, thePaez valley fill to the northeast, whereas
Cutunga to the south probably was the source ofTarqui sediments
in the southern and middle Neiva Basin. The northern part of the
southern provincel but apparently not Pico Huila, shed debris
eastward to form the Paicol debris flow in the middle Neiva Basin.
No volcanic sediment reached the northern part of the basin east
and northeast of Huila in postorogenic time. The southernmost
part of the northern province (Machin, and other locations)l- now
active for the first timel produced the Ibague, San Luis, and Espinal
deposits in the Girardot Basin l as well as the debris flow along Rio
La China in the southernmost part of the Honda Basin. Volcanoes
in about the middle of the northern province (Ruiz) and other loca-
tions) produced the Lerida and Lagunilla detritus in the southern
and middle parts of the Honda Basin. The northern part of the
northern province (Paramo Herveo and nearby cones) was the
source of Guali sediments as well as minor recent influxes in the
northern Honda Basin.
This record of shifting activity points to considerable explosive
volcanism in the northern province, inel uding the giant Ruiz, dur-
ing the past 5 m.y. Reworked debris from these outbursts still man-
tles about two-thirds of the surface of the Girardot and Honda Ba-
sins. In contrastl postorogenic deposits derived from the southern
province comprise four smaller, lincar deposits. Moreover l no im-
portant mass of reworked pyroclastic debris is associated with
giant Huila. The only significant explosive volcanism was in the
middle or nearby southern part of the southern province only
about 0.5 m.y. ago.
Reconstructed thickness and extent of Gigante deposits (Fig. 11 l
A) suggests a volume of volcanic debris f.l,)veral orders of magnitude
greater than all of the preserved postorogenic volcaniclastic de~
posits in the upper Magdalena Valley (Fig. 11, B). In a general way,
sources of volcanic sediments from late Miocene to Holocene time
shifted progressively southward from the northern part (Huila) of
the southern province as well as from the northern part
(Guadulupe) of the northern province. Note, however, that the rel~
atively young Guali deposit derived from the northern part of the
northern province contradicts this pattern.
Neiva . Bs8tn Girardot
S M N S M N
o Lagunilla-----
Tarqul----------------------
1
Espinal
Paez------ San Luis
2 Altamira-----
3
Paicol-..,---
4 China
5 m.y.
Figure 12. Suggested stratigraphic relations: amongposto~ogenic volcaniclastiC deposits, upper Magdalena VaHcYJ Colombia.
493
Relative and Radiometric Ages
Relative stratigraphic ages of these volcaniclastic deposits have
been established within the local Neiva, Girardot, and Honda Ba-
sins. A single reg[onal succession is much more difficult to recon-
struct, however. The sllggested sequence of postorogenic deposits
(Fig. 12) is based largely 011 the relation of each to progressive ex-
cavation of the Magdalena lowland. The available radiometric ages
of volcanic clasts (Table 2) provide a useful time scale of late An-
dean orogenic and postorogenic volcanism and assodated tectonic
events in Cordillera Central.
Composition of Source Volcanoes
Relatively little information is available about the petrology of
Colombian stratovolcanoes. Data available (Hantke and Parodi,
1966) are as follows:
Purad - biotite-hornblende dacite, augite-hornblende andesite,
andesite, olivine-augite andesite bombs, dadtic and andesitic
lava; much pyroclastic debris and debris flows
Huila - augite-hypersthene andesite, hornblende-biotite dacite
Machin - hornblende andesite, much pumice lapilli tuff
Tolima - augite andesite, pumiceous augite-hypersthene andesite)
bombs of biotite dacite
Ruiz - pumiceous augite andesite) hypersthene-hornblende ande-
site, augite hypersthene andesite lava
Cerro Bravo - basalt, pyroxene andesite) hornblende andesite
Paramo Herveo - augite andesite, augitehypeLsthene andesite,
minor dacite
Phenocryst Mineral Assemblages
Volcanic clasts in the late Cenozoic sedjments are mostly either
hard gray and reddish-brown porphyritic lava, or soft light-gray
porphyritic pumice (Table 3). The pumice generally contains abun-
dant hornblende, biotite, plagiodascl and some quartz and is as
sodated with sandstone commonly containing hexagonal di-
pyramids of quartz (Butler l 1940). The lava generally has more
pyroxene and less quartz, In both rock types, the phenocrysts are
set in a potassil1m~bcaring groundmass.
Depositional Types
Volcaniclastic debris transported to the Andean foredeep and
Magdalena lowland accumulated in the following ways:
Pasin Honda Basin
S M N
Present level re-excavated
U GuaU------
Ibague
ILerida Main valleys cut to present
level for first time
La L
I
Lowland few hundred metres
aOQve present level
I No record of earlier events
494 F. B, VAN HOUTEN
Unbedded debris flows. - very coarse, angular) unsorted to poorly
sorted clastsj mostly lava ..
Broad valley train - Altamira, Pakol (in part), La China rem-
nants
Proximal fan - Gigante (in part), Espinal (in part), Guali (in
part)
Unbedded debris Rows - unsorted, rounded pumice clasts in vol-
canic sand
Unconfined distal fan - Gigante (in part)
Lowland mantle - Espinal {partly confined)
Mixed debris flows and torrential deposits - very coarsc, poorly
sorted, angular to subrounded clasts of lava and nonvolcanic
rocks
Proximal fan- Ibague, upper Lerida
Broad vaHey train - Pakol (in part)
Confined vaHey fill - Lagunilla
Torrential deposits} minor debris flows - coarse, poorly sorted,
subrounded clasts of lava and nonvo1canic rocks
Broad lowland fill- Honda, Gigante (minor part only), Neiva
Broad vaHey fiH - Paez
Sheeted overbank} flood-plain, and minor channel deposits -
poorly sorted rounded pumic clasts and cross-stratified vol-
canic sand
Distal fan - upper Honda, Gigante (in part), San Luis, lower
Lerida
Lowland mantle - Guali (broadly confined)
Confined valley fill - Tarqui
Overall, the postorogenic record (Fig. 12) consists of two very
old high-level debris~flow trains of indurated volcanic breccia that
originally were like the better preserved low-level Altamira debris
flow that filled a broad valley, two relatively old steep-gradient
composite fans of detritus spread over irregular topography near
the western border, three low-gradient sheets of unconfined debris
flows and fluvial deposits, and two very low gradient valley fills.
Emplacement of the fans and lowland sheets crowded Rio Mag-
dalena toward the eastern border of its lowland (Figs. 4, 5, and 11,
B). This effect is most noticeable around the eastern bulge of the
Lerida fan in the southern Honda Basin and along the eastern mar-
gin of the Espinal sheet in the Girardot Basin.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Cenozoic sedimentary rocks in the Upper Magdalena Valley re-
cord important stages in the development of a continental~margin
magmatic arc (Dickinson, 1974, p. 232, 237) and preserve andesi-
tic to dadtic volcaniclastic debris supplied to its cratonic foredeep.
During these events the Andean cordillera was broadened both
eastward and westward (see Krummenacher, 1973, Fig. 3B).
Early Cenozoic Laramide deformation in the northern Andes
began a succession of mountain building that accompanied under-
thmsting of the adjacent oceanic plate (Malfait and Dinkelman,
1972, p, 267-268). About 40 m.y. ago, the zone of underthrusting
apparently shifted westward to the Bolivar geosyncline, and from
then unti125 m.y. ago the oceanic Farallon plate was dominated by
the east-trending Galapagos Rise spreading zone (Rea and Malfait.
1974). During this interval there was no significant volcanic activ-
ity in the uplifted and deeply eroded Cordillera Central.
Earliest volcanism in Cordillera Central probably started about
25 to 30m.y. ago during a tectonic lull. But the major activity ac-
companied the Andean orogeny that began 20 to 25 m.y. ago, as
th~ Bolivar geosyncline collapsed, th~ Benioff zone shifted still
farther westward, and stagnation or slow spreading prevailed on
th~ oceanic Nazca plate (Rea and Malfait, 1974), Abollt 10 m.y.
ago l reorganization of the spreading regime on the eastern Pacific
sea floor was associated with the beginning of intense explosive
volcanisrniri CordHieraCentral,' These eruptions increased until 8
to 9m;y. ago. when the climax of explosive :volcanism in latest
Miocene time dominated the range during another tectonic lull.
Then 5 to 7 m.y. ago, the final phase of the Andean orogeny de-
formed Cordillera Central and its foredeep, but there is no record
of significant volcanism at this time.
Subsequent regional uplift of both range and lowland initiated
widespread degradation. The accompanying Pliocene~Pleistocene
postorogenic volcanism produced relatively minor detritus that
spread sporadically across the increasingly dissected Magdalena
lowland.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
National Scieace Fonndation Grants GA-14847 and GA-39085
and funds furnished by Princeton University supported this inves~
tigation from 1970 to 1973. In 1972 INGEOMlNAS provided a
jeep, driver, aad field geologist (P. Marin). ]. Mendosa, geologist in
the Instituto de Asuntos Nucleares also helped with the field work.
G. Otalora (Director, Instituto de Asuntos Nucleares)l R. B. Travis
(geologist, lNTERCOL), and C. Vegas (geologist, lNGEOMINAS)
helped with both field problems and practical arrangements. I am
most grateful to these men and their organizations for invaluable
support. Specific plagioclase measurements were made by P.
Canavan.
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MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED BY THE SOCIETY DECEMBER 11, 1974
REVISED MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED MAY 29, 1975
MANUSCRIPT ACCEPTED JUNE 25, 1975