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 Author's personal copy

Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63

www.elsevier.com/locate/jsames

The Early Mesozoic volcanic arc of western North America

in northeastern Mexico
José Rafael Barboza-Gudiño a,*, Marı́a Teresa Orozco-Esquivel b,
Martı́n Gómez-Anguiano c, Aurora Zavala-Monsiváis d
a
Instituto de Geologı́a, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosı́, Manuel Nava No. 5. Zona Universitaria, 78240 San Luis Potosı́, S.L.P., Mexico
b
Centro de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, 76230 Querétaro, Qro., Mexico
c
Universidad Tecnológica de La Mixteca, Carretera a Acatuma Km. 2.5, 69000 Huajuapan de León, Oaxaca, Mexico
d
Posgrado en Geologı́a Aplicada, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosı́, Manuel Nava No. 5, Zona Universitaria,
78240 San Luis Potosı́, S.L.P., Mexico

Abstract

Volcanic successions underlying clastic and carbonate marine rocks of the Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian Zuloaga Group in northeastern
Mexico have been attributed to magmatic arcs of Permo–Triassic and Early Jurassic ages. This work provides stratigraphic, petrographic
geochronological, and geochemical data to characterize pre-Oxfordian volcanic rocks outcropping in seven localities in northeastern
Mexico. Field observations show that the volcanic units overlie Paleozoic metamorphic rocks (Granjeno schist) or Triassic marine strata
(Zacatecas Formation) and intrude Triassic redbeds or are partly interbedded with Lower Jurassic redbeds (Huizachal Group). The vol-
canic rocks include rhyolitic and rhyodacitic domes and dikes, basaltic to andesitic lava flows and breccias, and andesitic to rhyolitic
pyroclastic rocks, including breccias, lapilli, and ashflow tuffs that range from welded to unwelded. Lower–Middle Jurassic ages (U/
Pb in zircon) have been reported from only two studied localities (Huizachal Valley, Sierra de Catorce), and other reported ages (Ar/
Ar and K–Ar in whole-rock or feldspar) are often reset. This work reports a new U/Pb age in zircon that confirms a Lower Jurassic
(193 Ma) age for volcanic rocks exposed in the Aramberri area. The major and trace element contents of samples from the seven localities
are typical of calc-alkaline, subduction-related rocks. The new geochronological and geochemical data, coupled with the lithological fea-
tures and stratigraphic positions, indicate volcanic rocks are part of a continental arc, similar to that represented by the Lower–Middle
Jurassic Nazas Formation of Durango and northern Zacatecas. On that basis, the studied volcanic sequences are assigned to the Early
Jurassic volcanic arc of western North America.
Ó 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Stratigraphy; Volcanic rocks; Arc; Jurassic; Mexico

1. Introduction lini et al., 2003; Barboza-Gudiño et al., 1998, 1999, 2004)

Volcanic successions underlie clastic and carbonate mar-
ine sequences of the Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian Zuloaga
Group in northeastern Mexico. Studies of the successions
(e.g., Pantoja-Alor, 1972; Blickwede, 2001; López-Infan-
zón, 1986; Jones et al., 1990, 1995; Bartolini, 1998; Barto-
*
Corresponding author. Fax: +52 444 8111741.
E-mail address: rbarboza@uaslp.mx (J.R. Barboza-Gudiño).
reveal diverse lithologies and stratigraphic position below
Oxfordian limestones. In northern Durango and Zacate-
cas, the volcanic pre-Oxfordian rocks have been assigned
to the Jurassic continental volcanic arc, related to the
active continental margin of southwestern North America
(Grajales-Nishimura et al., 1992; Jones et al., 1995; Barto-
lini, 1998; Bartolini et al., 2003), whereas in areas of San
Luis Potosı́, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas, they have been
considered products of a Permo–Triassic volcanic arc (Mei-
burg et al., 1987; Bartolini et al., 1999).

0895-9811/$ - see front matter Ó 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2007.08.003
 Author's personal copy
50 J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63
However, the assignments are uncertain because reli-
able isotopic data are lacking, and petrographic and
geochemical information is scarce. In this article, we
report new geochemical, petrographic, and stratigraphic
data for pre-Oxfordian rocks exposed in northeastern
Mexico in the Sierra de Salinas, Sierra de Charcas,
and Sierra de Catorce in San Luis Potosı́; the Aramb-
erri and San Marcos areas in Nuevo León; and the
Huizachal Valley in Tamaulipas (Fig. 1). The main pur-
pose of the geochemical analyses is to characterize the
rocks with regard to the tectonic setting in which they
could have originated, rather than providing informa-
tion leading to a detailed evolutionary model of the
magmas. The new data, supported by information from
the literature, help establish the tectonic setting and the
correlations among pre-Oxfordian volcanic rocks in
northeastern Mexico.
Fig. 1. Geologic map of northeastern Mexico, showing outcrops of pre-Oxfordian volcanic and sedimentary rocks and location of samples.
2. The exposed sequences
Localities described in this section are shown in Fig. 1.
Some outcrop aspects and textural or microstructural
details of the pre-Oxfordian volcanic rocks studied in local-
ities from northeastern Mexico are illustrated in Fig. 2.
In northern Durango, intermediate to felsic volcanic
rocks are exposed in the Villa Juárez area. Pantoja-Alor
(1972) defines this unit as the Nazas Formation, with its
type locality at Cerritos Colorados and a reported Pb-a
age of 230 ± 20 Ma from a rhyolitic flow. In the Villa
Juárez area, Bartolini and Spell (1997) obtain a 40Ar/39Ar
age of 195 ± 55 Ma from plagioclase in rhyolitic rocks,
probably comparable to those dated by Pantoja-Alor
(1972). The Nazas Formation is the oldest exposed unit
in the Villa Juárez region, but 200 km northwest of this
locality, in Santa Marı́a del Oro, northern Durango, the
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J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63 51

Fig. 2. Details of the textures and microstructures observed in outcrops, hand samples, and thin sections of the volcanic rocks. (a) Volcanic breccia in the
pyroclastic deposits of the Aramberri area, Nuevo León. Knife is 11 cm long. (b) General aspect of a rhyolitic dike (R) in the Sierra de Catorce; Juj, Upper
Jurassic La Joya Formation; volc., intermediate pre-Oxfordian volcanic rocks. Note person for scale. (c) Lithophyse contained in pyroclastic deposits
outcropping west of Charcas, San Luis Potosı́ (long edge = 10 cm). (d) Fiamme structures in ignimbrites from Aramberri, Nuevo León; hand-lens
diameter is 2.5 cm. (e) Fragments of partially collapsed pumice in an ignimbrite of Charcas, San Luis Potosı́. (f) Trachytic or pylotaxitic texture in a
basaltic andesite of La Ballena, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosı́.

unit overlies Paleozoic metamorphic rocks (Bartolini, 1998)
and unconformably underlies Upper Jurassic sandy lime-
stone of La Gloria Formation (Imlay, 1936).
In northern Zacatecas, lava flows, airfall and ashflow
tuffs, and lahars correlated with the Nazas Formation have
been described in the Caopas–Rodeo area, including Sierra
de Teyra to the west and Sierra de San Julián to the east
(Blickwede, 1981, 2001). Some units (Caopas schist and
Rodeo Formation) initially were considered pre-Jurassic
because of their very deformed and metamorphosed
aspects (de Cserna, 1956; Córdoba-Méndez, 1964). Subse-
quent studies indicated that the deformed units are coeval
with the Nazas Formation and belong to the same Jurassic
continental volcanic arc sequence (López-Infanzón, 1986;
Jones et al., 1990, 1995). This hypothesis is supported by
a K–Ar age of 183 Ma determined in hornblende from
the so-called Rodeo Formation (López-Infanzón, 1986)
and an apparent U–Pb age of 158 ± 4 Ma in zircon grains
from the Caopas schist (Jones et al., 1995). In the Sierra de
Teyra, the Nazas Formation overlies the marine siliciclastic
Taray Formation (Córdoba-Méndez, 1964) of Triassic age
(Silva-Romo et al., 2000) and underlies Upper Jurassic
continental deposits of La Joya Formation (Mixon et al.,
1959) and shallow marine limestones of the Zuloaga For-
mation (Imlay, 1938).
In western San Luis Potosı́, volcanic sequences compa-
rable to those of Durango and Zacatecas rest on Triassic
thin-bedded strata interpreted as part of a turbiditic
sequence known as the Zacatecas Formation (Martı́nez-
Pérez, 1972) or the La Ballena Formation (Silva-Romo,
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52 J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63

1993; Centeno-Garcı́a and Silva-Romo, 1997). The volca-

Corr.

0.717
0.592
0.690
coef.
nic units are unconformably overlain by Upper Jurassic
redbeds of La Joya Formation and shallow marine lime-

Pb/206Pb age
stones of the Zuloaga Formation. The volcanic sequences
crop out in the Sierra de Salinas, at the state border
between Zacatecas and San Luis Potosı́ (Silva-Romo,

193.6
193.7
199.4
(Ma)
207
1993; Barboza-Gudiño et al., 1998, 1999; Zavala-Monsi-
váis, 2000; Gómez-Anguiano, 2001), in the Sierra de

Pb/235U age
Charcas, and in the region of Tepozan in western San Luis
Potosı́ state (Tristán-González and Torres-Hernández,
1992, 1994; Tristán-González et al., 1995; Zavala-Monsi-

193.1
191.2
183.0
(Ma)
207
váis, 2000), as well as in the Sierra de Catorce (López-
Infanzón, 1986; Barboza-Gudiño et al., 1998, 1999; Zav-

Pb/238U age
ala-Monsiváis, 2000; Hoppe, 2000; Gómez-Anguiano,
2001). Barboza-Gudiño et al. (2004) report U–Pb isotopic
analyses of zircon for rhyolite of the Sierra de Catorce.

193.0
191.0
181.7
(Ma)
206
The fraction recording the least inheritance yields an age
of 174.7 ± 1.3 Ma, a maximum age of the rock.

%Err
0.11
0.18
0.12
In Nuevo León state, volcanic rocks comparable in

Pb
their lithology and stratigraphic position with those

206

0.04997
0.04997
0.05010
Pb/
described previously have been observed in a sequence

Rad.
207
exposed in Aramberri (Jones et al., 1995). The sequence
consists predominantly of ignimbrites, volcanic breccias,

%Err
0.16
0.22
0.17
and tuffs of intermediate to felsic composition, which

U
overlie Paleozoic schist and unconformably underlie the

235

0.20943
0.20720
0.19744
transgressive Upper Jurassic strata. Some authors con-

Pb/
Rad.
sider these volcanic units related to a Permo–Triassic vol-
207
U–Pb data for single zircon crystals from a rhyodacitic ashflow tuff, Aramberri area (sample MZQTG1)

canic arc (Meiburg et al., 1987; Bartolini et al., 1999). We

%Err
0.11
0.12
0.11
analyze three single zircon grains from a rhyodacitic
ignimbrite at the Mezquital section, north of Aramberri.
U
238

0.030397
0.030071
0.028584
One grain yields essentially concordant Pb/U ratios that
Pb/
Rad.

indicate an age of 193.1 ± 0.3 Ma for the rock (Table 1);

206

an upper intercept at 193.3 ± 1.5 Ma is also shown in a

Pb (corr.)

discordia plot (Fig. 3).

In the redbed sequence exposed near San Marcos,
south of Galeana, Nuevo León, the volume of volcanic
208 206
Corrected atomic ratios

0.133
0.155
0.169

and subvolcanic rocks is small, and the stratigraphic rela-

/

tions are uncertain. At this locality, some dikes and sills of

trachytic composition intrude Upper Triassic redbeds of
Pb (corr.)

the Lower Huizachal Group and are truncated by the

unconformity beneath Upper Jurassic breccias of La Joya
2276.1
2019.8
2234.7
206 204

Formation and Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian evaporites of

/

the Minas Viejas Formation (Gómez-Anguiano, 2001).

Pre-Oxfordian volcanic rocks are also present in the
Com. Pb

State of Tamaulipas, at Huizachal Valley (Jones et al.,

(pg)

1995; Fastowsky et al., 2005), the Miquihuana area (Bart-

0.6
0.6
0.6

olini et al., 2003), and La Boca Canyon (Fig. 1). Meta-

(ppm)

rhyolite exposed in the nearby Caballeros Canyon are

4.4
6.3
12.4
Pb

apparently older and possibly of Paleozoic age (Gursky

and Ramı́rez-Ramı́rez, 1986; Stewart et al., 1999). The
(ppm)

402
142
211

best exposures of pre-Oxfordian volcanic and subvolcanic

U

rocks in Tamaulipas are found in the Huizachal Valley,

Weight

where they represent the basal part of the exposed Meso-

(lg)

1.7
4.4
3.5

zoic sequence, underlying and partially intruding Lower

Jurassic redbeds; no older units crop out in this area. Vol-
Table 1

Sample

canic rocks in this locality consist of ignimbrite, fine-

Z1
Z2
Z3

grained tuff, breccia, and lava of intermediate to felsic

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J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63 53

Data-point error ellipses are 2s 196

0.0308

0.0304
192
0.0300

206 188
Pb 0.0296
238
U
0.0292
184
0.0288
Intercepts at:
0.0284 -106±67 & 193.3±1.5 [±3.2] Ma
MSWD = 0.13
0.0280
0.194 0.198 0.202 0.206 0.210 0.214
207 235
Pb / U

Fig. 3. Concordia diagram for U–Pb isotope ratios of zircons from a rhyodacitic ashflow tuff in the Aramberri area (see Table 1). Error ellipses of
individual spots are 2r.

composition. In the Huizachal Valley, zircon grains from a
pyroclastic flow are dated by U–Pb at 189 ± 0.2 Ma
(Fastowsky et al., 2005). At this locality, Fastowsky et al.
(2005) recognize an older volcanic sequence beneath an
angular unconformity that underlies the dated pyroclastic
flow at the base of the Lower Jurassic redbed sequence of
La Boca Formation. All features described by Fastowsky
et al. (2005) and those we observe in the same outcrops
of the ‘‘older’’ sequence are typical textures and structures
of rhyolitic domes: spherulitic structures, steeply dipping
flow-like bands, lithophysae, peripheral lava flows or lobes,
and associated ash flow tuffs. In addition, we observe intru-
sive relationships to Lower Jurassic redbeds of La Boca
Formation. We interpret the steeply dipping features in this
sequence as subvertical flow bands resulting from magma
injection into a volcanic dome, whose emplacement age is
not necessary much older than the dated Lower Jurassic
pyroclastic flow, and thus, we consider plausible the inclu-
sion of this lower sequence as part of the same Lower
Jurassic volcanic arc.
Isotopic ages reported to date for pre-Oxfordian volca-
nic rocks in northeastern Mexico are summarized in Table
2. Three Lower–Middle Jurassic ages were obtained by the
U–Pb method in zircons, whereas other included K–Ar and
Ar/Ar ages (whole-rock or feldspar) indicate Cretaceous–
Paleogene ages and probably reflect age resetting during
the Laramide event.
3. Petrography
The petrography and petrology of the Lower Jurassic
volcanic rocks in the Nazas Formation and comparable
rocks from northeastern Mexico have been described from
different localities by various authors. Blickwede (1981,
2001) provides petrographic and petrologic data on rocks
from Sierra de San Julián; López-Infanzón (1986) offers
data on rocks from the Caopas–Rodeo and Sierra de Teyra
areas and compares them with rocks of the Sierra de Cator-
ce; Jones et al. (1995) describe volcanic rocks of the Cao-
pas–Pico de Teyra region and compare them with rocks

Table 2
Summary of isotopic ages of pre-Oxfordian volcanic rocks from northeastern Mexico, including several Ar/Ar and K–Ar ages determined in whole-rock
or feldspar that are considered reset ages
Location name State Rock type Method Material dated Age (Ma) Error (Ma) Source
Huizachal Valley Tamaulipas Pyroclastic flow U–Pb Zircon 189.0 0.2 Fastowsky et al. (2005)
40
Sierra de Salinas S. Luis Potosı́ Basalt Ar/39Ar Whole rock 82.9 0.6 Bartolini (1998)
Aramberri Nuevo León Rhyolite K–Ar Whole rock 70.7 1.8 Fastowsky et al. (2005)
Huizachal Valley Tamaulipas Rhyolite K–Ar Whole rock 52.1 1.4 Bartolini (1998)
Miquihuana Tamaulipas Rhyolite K–Ar Whole rock 57.8 1.5 Bartolini (1998)
San Marcos Nuevo León Andesitic dike K–Ar Whole rock 104 3 Bartolini (1998)
Sierra de Salinas S. Luis Potosı́ Andesitic basalt K–Ar Whole rock 81.9 4.1 Barboza-Gudiño et al. (1999)
Sierra de Catorce S. Luis Potosı́ Rhyolite K–Ar Feldspar 110.0 1.9 This work
Sierra de Catorce S. Luis Potosı́ Rhyolite U–Pb Zircon 174.7 1.3 Barboza-Gudiño et al. (2004)
Aramberri Nuevo León Pyroclastic rock U–Pb Zircon 193.1 0.3 This work
 Author's personal copy
54 J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63
from Torreón, Sierra de Catorce, Charcas, Aramberri,
Miquihuana, and Huizachal Valley; and finally, Zavala-
Monsiváis (2000) describes the petrography of pre-Oxfor-
dian volcanic rocks included in this study from western
San Luis Potosı́ State at Sierra de Salinas, Charcas,
Tepozán, and Sierra de Catorce. We compile relevant
petrographic data and add new petrographic descriptions
of the main lithologic features, which we summarize in
Table 3.
3.1. Rhyolite
Porphyritic rhyolite with quartz and sanidine pheno-
crysts is abundant in the ‘‘Caopas schist,’’ exposed near
the town of same name, and in the Nazas Formation out-
crops of Villa Juárez and Sierra de San Julián. In the Sierra
de Catorce, a rhyolitic dike (Fig. 2b) exhibits porphyritic
texture, with phenocrysts of hypidiomorphic quartz in a
groundmass of feldspar and quartz. The rhyolitic dike is
strongly altered, as shown by totally kaolinitized feldspar
phenocrysts and subsequent silicification of the rock.
Locally, foliation with lepidoblastic texture results from
the presence of oriented sericite associated with dynamic
metamorphism. In the Huizachal Valley, rhyolitic domes
are characterized by steeply dipping flow bands and the
development of abundant spherulites, ranging from one
to several centimeters in diameter.
3.2. Basalts and basaltic andesites
In the Caopas–Rodeo area, Jones et al. (1995) describe
sparse basaltic lavas in the Nazas Formation, whereas
andesitic lava flows are more common in the unit known
as the Rodeo Formation. In the Sierra de Salinas, north
of the town La Ballena, basaltic–andesitic lava is the dom-
inant rock type; some lavas display fluidal porphyritic tex-
ture with highly altered, probable hornblende phenocrysts,
scarce pyroxene, olivine, and plagioclase in a fine ground-
mass composed of acicular plagioclase, ferromagnesian,
and opaque grains. At the base of the sequence, the lavas
are brecciated. Similar basaltic–andesitic lavas crop out
at Sierra de Catorce and Charcas. In the latter area, andes-
itic lava flows contain a brecciated zone that, given the
presence of autoclasts arranged in a ‘‘puzzle structure,’’ is
interpreted as an autoclastic breccia and probable peperite,
associated with a flow front or basal breccia that was
apparently engulfed by igneous material of the same com-
position, and in part mixing with wet sediment. Finally,
volcanic products in the Huizachal Valley include layers
of cinders, scoreaceous material, and andesitic lava. These
rocks are dark to reddish brown due to oxidation and have
a very compact, deformed aspect, with vestiges of vesicles.
3.3. Pyroclastic deposits
The most common rocks are andesitic to dacitic
and rhyolitic pyroclastic products that show clear flow
indicators. The textures are diverse, including breccia, lap-
illi tuff, and fine volcanic ash. Some deposits display weld-
ing and devitrification, whereas others appear to be
unwelded rocks, compacted by deformational processes,
that record intense foliation and jointing.
In the Sierra de San Julián, Blickwede (1981, 2001)
describes a 1000 m thick volcanic sequence consisting of
65% pyroclastic rocks, 25% sedimentary and volcaniclastic
rocks, and only 10% lavas. Volcanic breccias or tuff-brec-
cias are the predominant rocks in the various small out-
crops exposed in the Arroyo El Tepozán, northern Sierra
de Charcas. A volcanic breccia that crops out in Aramb-
erri, Nuevo León (Fig. 1), consists of angular fragments
of rhyodacitic to rhyolitic welded tuffs in a sandy matrix
(Fig. 2a). These deposits are directly overlain by shallow
marine sandstone with calcareous cement of La Joya For-
mation that represents the base of the Late Jurassic marine
transgression (Mixon et al., 1959).
Typical ignimbrites with notable development of fiamme
structures are identified in outcrops at Charcas, Aramberri,
and Huizachal Valley (Fig. 2d and e). In La Boca Canyon,
the pyroclastic deposits are represented by fine-grained
tuffs that partly contain deformed accretionary lapilli.
4. Geochemistry
Ten samples were collected for geochemical analysis
from six exposures of pre-Oxfordian volcanic units in the
states of San Luis Potosı́, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas
(Fig. 1). Sampling of the diverse lithologies in the studied
areas was strongly restricted by the availability of accept-
ably fresh samples. Major and trace-element analysis of
whole-rock samples was performed by ICP-MS at the Cen-
tre des Recherches Pétrographiques et Geóchimiques
(CNRS) of Nancy, France (samples: PBLG1 from Sierra
de Salinas, CHRG1 from Sierra de Charcas, RCG1 from
Sierra de Catorce; MZQTG1 collected in the Mezquital
area, north of Aramberri; SM1 from the San Marcos area
south of Galeana, Nuevo León; HZCHG1 and HZCHG2
from Huizachal Valley in Tamaulipas), and Activation
Laboratories Ltd. (samples: TPZ1 from Tepozán outcrops,
northern Sierra de Charcas; RCG3 from north of Real de
Catorce, Sierra de Catorce; SM3 from San Marcos area
in Nuevo León). The composition of analyzed samples is
summarized in Table 4.
The analyzed volcanic rocks are classified as intermedi-
ate to felsic after the silica content limits proposed by Pec-
cerillo and Taylor (1976). Following the total alkalis vs.
silica (TAS) classification of Le Bas et al. (1986), the sam-
ples are classified as trachyandesite, andesite, dacite, and
rhyolite. The use of the TAS diagram to classify volcanic
rocks is restricted to fresh rocks because of the high mobil-
ity of alkaline elements during secondary processes. The
analyzed samples have high volatile contents (LOI) and
show evidence of oxidation, which basically makes them
unsuitable for TAS classification. Nevertheless, the
obtained chemical classification is supported by its agree-
 Author's personal copy

Table 3
Petrographic features observed in the studied pre-Oxfordian volcanic rocks of northeastern Mexico
Rock Feature La Ballena Charcas Sierra de Catorce Aramberri Huizachal Valley La Boca
Canyon
Rhyolite- Macrostructure Lava dome, dikes, flow Lava dome, lava flow

J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63
Rhyodacite banding flow banding
Texture Porphyritic Glassy
Components Quartz, feldspar Quartz, feldspar
Alteration Kaolinite, sericite Kaolinite, opaque
minerals opaque minerals minerals (oxide)
Basalt– Macrostructure Lava flow, basal Lava flow, basal flow breccia Lava flow, basal flow Lava flow basal flow
Andesite flow breccia breccia breccia
Texture Airfall deposits, Porphyritic, trachytic, Porphyritic, trachytic, Vesicular
laminated ash, pilotaxitic pilotaxitic
porphyritic,
trachytic, pilotaxitic
Components Plagioclase, olivine, Plagioclase, olivine, Plagioclase, olivine, Plagioclase
pyroxene, Pyroxene, pyroxene, biotite,
hornblende hornblende
Alteration Chlorite, epidote, Chlorite, epidote, oxide Chlorite, sericite, Opaque minerals (oxide)
minerals oxide epidote, oxide
Pyroclastic Macrostructure Airfall deposits, Ash flow tuff (ignimbrites), Airfall deposits, Ash flow tuff (ignimbrites), Ash flow tuff Airfall deposits,
rocks laminated ash airfall deposits, welded basal laminated ash airfall deposits, laminated (ignimbrites), airfall laminated ash
vitrophyre, spherulites ash, massive welded zone, deposits, spherulites
vapour zone, massive welded eutaxitic structure, fiammen, vapor zone, massive
zone, eutaxitic structure, volcaniclastic breccia welded zone, eutaxitic
fiammen, volcaniclastic structure, fiammen,
breccia rheomorphic folding,
ash flows, flow banding
Texture Unwelded Porphyritic, glassy, welded, Unwelded Porphyritic, glassy, welded, Glassy welded, unwelded Unwelded
unwelded unwelded
Components Quartz, lithic Quartz, lithic fragments, Quartz, lithic fragments, Quartz, lithic fragments, Quartz, lithic fragments, Quartz plagioclase,
fragments, pumice pumice fragments pumice fragments pumice fragments pumice fragments lithic fragments,
fragments pumice fragments,
distorted lapillus
Alteration Kaolinite, epidote, Kaolinite, sericite, epidote, Sericite, opaque minerals Kaolinite, opaque minerals Kaolinite, opaque Kaolinite,opaque
minerals opaque minerals opaque minerals (oxide) (oxide) (oxide) minerals (oxide) minerals (oxide)
(oxide)
55
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56 J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63

Table 4
Major- and trace-element composition of pre-Oxfordian volcanic rocks, northeastern Mexico
Sample PBLG1a CHRG1a TPZ1b RCG1a RCG3b MZQTG1a SM1a SM3 b HZCHG1a HZCHG2a
Locality SS SCH SCH SC SC A SM SM HV HV
Type Trachyandesite Dacite Andesite Dacite Rhyolite Rhyolite Trachyandesite Trachyandesite Rhyolite Rhyolite
Major elements (wt%)
SiO2 53.16 65.07 54.50 62.19 78.75 71.97 52.53 54.68 77.34 76.89
TiO2 1.25 0.48 0.954 2.11 0.235 0.15 0.78 0.638 0.24 0.27
Al2O3 18.79 15.23 16.19 11.85 14.10 13.25 18.34 18.0 12.51 14.24
Fe2O3 4.54 5.6 6.37 11.97 0.69 2.06 2.94 6.33 3.16 0.57
FeO 1.92 0.79 1.12 0.66 0.13 0.55 4.59 1.12 0.06 0.22
MgO 5.21 1.53 6.06 0.75 0.09 1.09 2.23 1.86 0.26 0.36
MnO 0.11 Traces 0.081 Traces 0.005 0.02 0.12 0.098 Traces Traces
CaO 2.81 0.67 5.38 2.19 Traces 1.74 4.58 4.03 0.31 0.11
Na2O 6.2 2.21 3.83 0.08 0.24 0.53 5.52 5.52 0.25 0.21
K2O 1.82 3.72 0.76 4.24 3.57 4.59 1.64 2.07 3.17 3.88
P2O5 0.32 0.16 0.19 1.34 0.05 0.04 0.3 0.32 Traces 0.06
LOI 3.55 3.02 4.17 2.35 2.19 3.83 6.42 4.78 2.49 2.74
Total 99.68 98.48 99.60 99.73 100.05 99.82 99.99 99.44 99.79 99.51
Trace elements (ppm)
Rb 57.82 154.0 14 139.3 90 166.6 51.09 54 94.91 94.21
Sr 387 156 480 107 56 30 320 251 29.1 30.5
Y 28.6 36.1 18.8 32.9 14.4 16.9 20.7 27.9 31.4 23.7
Zr 212 338 129 804 113 142 126 120 230 219
Nb 12.93 17.51 5.7 27.74 8.9 7.27 5.78 4.2 9.87 11.01
Cs 5.1 12.96 6.6 10.65 8.4 7.38 2.16 4.0 2.99 3.22
Ba 538 1987 501 1069 318 709 455 227 799 607
La 20.41 38.73 15.1 128.8 34.8 25.55 38.68 39.0 27.81 41.55
Ce 47.53 81.14 33.3 331.3 68.3 46.74 76.64 79.9 60.28 82.97
Pr 5.93 9.85 4.10 35.48 7.43 4.92 8.82 8.94 7.05 9.43
Nd 23.5 38.77 17.9 129.4 27.8 16.9 34.83 35.5 27.8 35.11
Sm 5.12 7.92 4.20 20.68 5.58 3.17 6.93 7.0 5.69 5.9
Eu 1.57 2.12 1.33 8.04 1.59 0.72 2.18 1.65 1.08 0.95
Gd 5.16 6.75 4.04 13.27 4.65 2.71 5.25 5.83 4.52 4.02
Tb 0.76 1.04 0.65 1.51 0.62 0.41 0.76 0.88 0.77 0.65
Dy 4.52 6.18 3.78 6.95 2.94 2.48 3.99 4.91 4.86 4.29
Ho 1.02 1.25 0.77 1.06 0.54 0.542 0.66 1.03 1.01 0.82
Er 2.56 3.46 2.26 2.73 1.63 1.54 1.97 3.18 3.04 2.51
Tm 0.4 0.53 0.331 0.34 0.245 0.249 0.29 0.475 0.51 0.4
Yb 2.42 3.42 2.03 2.09 1.62 1.66 1.98 3.06 3.3 2.5
Lu 0.4 0.54 0.325 0.29 0.253 0.27 0.3 0.502 0.52 0.43
Hf 4.96 8.62 3.2 20.4 3.4 3.94 3.32 3.0 5.93 6.02
Ta 0.943 1.33 0.35 1.5 1.42 0.749 0.424 0.18 0.872 0.974
Th 4.58 10.07 2.10 28.55 8.44 12.54 9.25 13.8 10.44 11.56
U 1.26 1.82 0.63 5.05 1.15 2.97 2.28 3.69 1.91 3.75
CIPW normative minerals (wt.%)
qz – 35.9 11.8 43.2 65.0 48.3 1.4 3.6 64.3 62.5
c 2.4 7.1 – 6.6 10.1 4.5 – 0.1 8.3 10.0
hy 9.9 6.7 16.3 6.5 0.1 3.0 8.9 8.1 1.5 0.6
ol 2.3 – – – – – – – – –
Notes: SS, Sierra de Salinas; SCH, Sierra de Charcas; SC, Sierra de Catorce; A, Aramberri; SM, San Marcos; HV, Huizachal Valley. For sample locations,
see Fig. 1.
a
Analyses performed by ICP-MS at Centre des Recherches Pétrographiques et Geóchimiques (CNRS) of Nancy, France.
b
Analysis performed by ICP-MS at Activation Laboratories, Ltd., Ancaster, Ontario, Canada.

ment with the petrographic classification based on the min-
eralogical composition of the samples.
Sample PBLG1 from Sierra de Salinas is a silica under-
saturated trachyandesite with 2.3% normative olivine and
9.9% normative hypersthene (hy). Samples SM1 and SM3
from the San Marcos area in Nuevo León are slightly over-
saturated trachyandesite with low normative quartz (qz)
content (1.4 and 3.6%, respectively) and 8.1–8.9% hy. A
sample collected in the northern Sierra de Charcas
(TPZ1) is a silica saturated andesite with 11.8% qz and
16.3% hy. Samples classified as dacites were collected at
Sierra de Charcas (CHRG1) and Sierra de Catorce
(RCG1); they have qz contents of 35.9% and 43.2% and
hy contents of 6.7% and 6.5%, respectively. Samples RC3
(Sierra de Catorce), MZQTG1 (Aramberri area),
HZCHG1 and HZCHG2 (Huizachal Valley) are rhyolite,
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J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63
with variable qz contents between 48.3% and 65.0% and hy
contents of 0.1–3.0%; these rocks are peraluminous with
normative corundum contents varying from 4.5% to 10.1%.
The analyzed samples trend toward lower contents of
most oxides (e.g., CaO, Al2O3, MgO, NaO, TiO2, and
P2O5) as silica increases, whereas K2O tends to be enriched
as silica increases and then diminish at higher silica con-
tents, as is characteristic of calc-alkaline magmas evolving
through the fractional crystallization of plagioclase and
ferromagnesian minerals. The late potassium depletion
could indicate K-feldspar crystallization in the most
evolved rocks. The samples represent a broad region, so
they cannot be treated as comagmatic, though the observed
tendencies prompt us to interpret them as originating in a
common tectonic setting.
Trace-element abundances are shown in a multi-element
diagram (Fig. 4), normalized against the primordial mantle
composition of Sun and McDonough (1989). Although the
1000
Sample/Primitive mantle
100
10
0.1
Rb Ba Th U K Nb Ta La Ce Pr Sr Nd P Zr Hf Sm Eu Ti Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Yb Y Lu
1000
Sample/Primitive mantle
100
10
0.1
Rb Ba Th U K Nb Ta La Ce Pr Sr Nd P Zr Hf Sm Eu Ti Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Yb Y Lu
Fig. 4. Normalized multielement diagrams for samples collected from six different outcrops of pre-Oxfordian volcanic rocks in northeastern Mexico (for
sample location, see Fig. 1). Sample elemental abundances are normalized to the primitive mantle values of Sun and McDonough (1989). A, andesite; TA,
trachyandesite; D, dacite; R, rhyolite.
57
samples have different trace-element enrichments, their pat-
terns are similar and show common features. The most rel-
evant feature observed in this diagram is a well-developed
negative anomaly in the elements Nb and Ta, considered
one of the most distinctive characteristics of rocks gener-
ated by subduction processes (e.g., Hawkesworth et al.,
1993), and generally related to the enrichment of large-
ion lithophile elements (e.g., Rb, Ba, K) and light rare
earth elements (e.g., La, Ce) in fluids and melts released
from the subducting plate to the overlying mantle. The neg-
ative anomalies in Sr, P, and Ti are most likely controlled
by the fractionation of individual minerals, in that they
become more pronounced in the most differentiated rocks.
Because Sr is a fluid-mobile element, the Sr anomalies
could result partly from element mobilization during alter-
ation, though the development of similar anomalies for
relatively immobile elements such as P and Ti as differenti-
ation proceeds indicate that mineral fractionation is the
Sierra de Salinas
PBLG1 (TA)
Sierra de Charcas
CHRG1 (D)
TPZ1 (A)
Sierra de Catorce
RCG1 (D)
RCG3 (R)
Aramberri area
MZQTG1 (R)
San Marcos area
SM1 (TA)
SM3 (TA)
Huizachal valley
HZCHG1 (R)
HZCHG2 (R)
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58 J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63

dominant process of depletion. In the analyzed samples, Hf/3

concentrations of P could have been controlled by apatite
fractionation; Sr by plagioclase, and Ti by ilmenite, rutile,
or sphene (Rollinson, 1993).
The patterns in this diagram do not show significant
deviations caused by element mobilization, despite of the Island-arc
tholeiites N-MORB
observed alteration in the rocks. The trace-element pat-

ts
terns in the normalized multi-element diagram are strong

sal
ba
evidence of an origin of pre-Oxfordian rocks in a continen-

arc
E-MORB &

-
tal arc setting. within-plate

ni c
tholeiites

l ca
Calk-alkaline
Rare earth element (REE) abundances normalized

Vo
basalts
against chondrite values from Anders and Grevesse
Alkaline
(1989) are shown in Fig. 5. The REE can be used reliably within-plate
in this type of rock because they are considered to remain basalts

immobile during alteration. All samples are enriched in

light REE relative to heavy REE. With the exception of
sample RCG1 from Sierra de Catorce, all samples have a Th Ta
relatively steep slopes for the LREE (La-Eu) and a flat pat- 10000
tern for the HREE (Gd-Lu). The most evolved samples
(northeast area: MZQTG1, HZCHG1, and HZCHG2)
show weak negative Eu-anomalies, indicating plagioclase 1000
Syn-cillisional
fractionation. The REE pattern of sample RCG1 is charac- granites
terized by a stronger enrichment in LREE relative to Within-plate
granites
HREE and a continuous decrease of element abundances
Rb

100
between La and Lu.
The REE diagrams show that the pre-Oxfordian volca-
nic rocks from broadly distributed localities have similar
10
compositions and probably originated in similar condi- Volcanic-arc Oceanic-ridge
granites granites
tions. The differences observed in sample RCG1 could be
attributed to differences in source composition or melting
1
process, but the available data do not allow a more defin- 1 10 100 1000 10000
itive interpretation. Y+Nb
Discrimination among tectonic settings on the basis of
Fig. 6. Tectonomagmatic discrimination diagrams showing the composi-
geochemical data has been proposed in several works tion of analyzed samples. (a) Th–Ta–Hf/3 ternary diagram of Wood (1980).
(e.g., Pearce and Cann, 1971, 1973; Wood, 1980; Pearce, (b) Rb vs. Y + Nb diagram after Pearce et al. (1984). Symbols as in Fig. 5.

1000
Sierra de Salinas
PBLG1 (TA)
Sierra de Charcas
CHRG1 (D)
TPZ1 (A)

100
Sierra de Catorce
RCG1 (D)
Sample/Chondrite

RCG3 (R)

Aramberri area
10 MZQTG1 (R)
San Marcos area
SM1 (TA)
SM3 (TA)
Huizachal valley
HZCHG1 (R)
HZCHG2 (R)
1
La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu

Fig. 5. Rare earth element diagrams of the pre-Oxfordian volcanic units from northeastern Mexico, normalized to chondrites values of Anders and
Grevesse (1989). A, andesite; TA, trachyandesite; D, dacite; R, rhyolite.
 Author's personal copy

J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63 59

1982; Shervais, 1982; Meschede, 1986). The diagram Hf/3–
Th–Ta of Wood (1980) is particularly useful for discrimi-
nating altered and metamorphosed rocks because of the
relative immobility of these elements during secondary pro-
cesses. This diagram was originally proposed for basic
rocks but can be satisfactorily applied to rocks of interme-
diate to felsic composition (Wood, 1980). The pre-Oxfor-
dian volcanic rocks analyzed in this work plot within the
field of calc-alkaline continental volcanic arcs (Fig. 6A).
To confirm the tectonomagmatic discrimination, the data
were plotted in the Rb vs. Y + Nb diagram (Fig. 6B) pro-
posed by Pearce et al. (1984), which applies to rocks of gra-
nitic composition and is thus more indicative for the
evolved rocks. Again, all pre-Oxfordian volcanic rocks plot
in the field of volcanic arc granites (VAG), independently
of their composition. It is noteworthy that the samples plot
in the same field in both diagrams, though Rb is considered
a mobile element during secondary processes.
The general features of the exposed volcanic sequences,
the petrography of the diverse materials, and the geochemi-
cal data support the conclusion that all the studied pre-
Oxfordian volcanic rocks originated in a continental arc.
Our analyses provide a general idea of the compositional
variations among the sequences or localities, which, how-
ever, are common in volcanic arcs composed of different vol-
canic centers. These variations also document the changes in
composition of all volcanic products during magmatic evo-
lution in space and time. The following observations suggest
an origin of these rocks in a continental volcanic arc:
1. Pyroclastic volcanic products, in the form of ashflows
and ignimbrites, airfall tuffs, breccias, and probable lah-
ars and avalanches predominate at all localities, whereas
lava flows, rhyolitic domes, and dikes are present in les-
ser proportion.
2. The observed volcanism is of eminently subaerial char-
acter. The existence of large volcanoes is suggested by
the presence of lahars and possible avalanche deposists.
Furthermore, there is evidence of separate volcanic cen-
ters or volcanic fields in the region.
3. The rocks in this study have intermediate to felsic com-
positions and calc-alkaline characters, as found in volca-
nic arcs worldwide. The abundance of silica-rich
magmas, partly K-rich, is also typical for continental
arcs. Moreover, the patterns observed in normalized
multi-element diagrams are characteristic of subduc-
tion-related rocks.
4. Two different discrimination diagrams that show the
behavior of some trace elements for different rock com-
positions support an origin of these rocks in a continen-
tal volcanic arc.
5. Correlation
The stratigraphic correlation of pre-Oxfordian units in
northeastern Mexico is shown in Fig. 7. In most outcrops
of Zacatecas and San Luis Potosı́ (southwestern part of
the studied region), the volcanic rock sequences overlie
Upper Triassic siliciclastic marine sequences of the Zacate-

Period Sierra de Caopas Miquihuana Aramberri San

Age Ma La Ballena Charcas
Catorce S. Teyra
Novillo Huizachal V. La Boca C.
Marcos
Alamar C.

Tithonian La Caja Formation La Casita Formation

150
Kimmeridgian Zuloaga Formation Zuloaga Formation
156 Zuloaga Formation Minas Viejas Formation Zuloaga Group
Oxfordian Novillo Formation Minas Viejas Formation
163
Callovian La Joya Formation
Jurassic

169
Bathonian
175
Bajocian
Aaleniano
181 Huizachal Group
188 La Boca Formation
Toarcian
194 Nazas Formation
Pliensbachian
200
Sinemurian
206
Hettangian
213
Rhaetian
219
Continental
Triassic

Norian
225 Continental red beds
Carnian Taray red beds (“lower Huizachal
231 Zacatecas Formation
Fm. Group”)
Ladinian
238
Anisian
243
Scythian
248
Paleozoic

Guacamaya
Formation
Granjeno Schist

590

Precambrian Novillo
Gneiss

Fig. 7. Stratigraphic correlation of the pre-Oxfordian units of northeastern Mexico. The studied volcanic sequences belong to the Nazas Formation,
which overlies Triassic units of marine origin in central Mexico and sequences of continental origin in northeastern Mexico, and underlies or is partly
interlayered with the basal parts of the Middle–Upper Jurassic redbed sequences (La Boca Formation).
 Author's personal copy

60 J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63

Fig. 8. Tectonic setting of pre-Oxfordian volcanic rocks in a model of continental volcanic arc associated with the development of the active continental
margin of southwestern North America during Late Triassic–Middle Jurassic time.
 Author's personal copy
J.R. Barboza-Gudiño et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 25 (2008) 49–63
cas and Taray formations (Cantú-Chapa, 1969; Gallo-
Padilla et al., 1993; Gómez-Luna et al., 1998), whereas in
the northeastern part of the region, the underlying rocks
are continental redbed sequences of Late Triassic age
(Weber, 1997; Silva-Pineda and Buitrón-Sánchez, 1999).
Triassic rocks are absent in localities where the volcanic
rocks directly overlie older sedimentary or metamorphic
rocks. In turn, the volcanic rocks underlie or are interbed-
ded in the basal part of redbeds of either La Boca Forma-
tion (Mixon et al., 1959) – dated as Sinemurian by Rueda-
Gaxiola et al. (1993) and as Early–Middle Jurassic by
Fastowsky et al. (2005) – or the Upper Jurassic La Joya
Formation (Mixon et al., 1959). Both Jurassic redbed
sequences frequently contain clasts of pre-Oxfordian volca-
nic rocks and, in some localities, are almost solely consti-
tuted by these rocks. La Joya Formation, in turn, is
overlain by the transgressive carbonate sequences of the
Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian Zuloaga Group.
The lithological similarities, stratigraphic position, and
available absolute ages of the localities studied in this work
lead us to conclude that all the volcanic sequences
described here are part of a Jurassic volcanic arc, related
to the active margin of southwestern North America. The
available ages (Tables 1 and 2) indicate that the volcanic
arc was probably active for a period of 40 Ma during the
Jurassic. The volcanic rocks of the described localities cor-
relate with the Nazas Formation of northern Durango and
Zacatecas and therefore represent a key unit for the strati-
graphic subdivision, as well as paleogeographic and paleo-
tectonic interpretations of north and northeastern Mexico.
6. Conclusions
The evidence presented herein indicates that the pre-
Oxfordian volcanic rocks of Tamaulipas and Nuevo León
are similar in composition, age, and tectonic setting to
those of Durango and Zacatecas and that these sequences
continue toward the western part of San Luis Potosı́. The
tectonic setting, defined on the basis of petrographic and
geochemical studies of the volcanic rocks, is a continental
arc. Fig. 8 summarizes the tectonic evolution of pre-Oxfor-
dian units from northeastern Mexico according to their
stratigraphic positions, geochemical–petrological charac-
ter, and available paleontological and isotopic age
determinations.
The Upper Triassic and Lower Jurassic rocks from
northeastern México may be interpreted as related to the
evolution of the Cordilleran system (Jones et al., 1995;
Bartolini et al., 2003). During the Middle–Late Triassic,
turbiditic sequences (Zacatecas Formation) related to sub-
marine fans formed at the western margin of North Amer-
ica; subsequent eastward subduction of the Kula plate
caused the first deformation of the turbiditic sequences.
In the Early Jurassic, the development of a continental vol-
canic arc (recorded by the Nazas Formation) began as part
of the Cordilleran magmatic arc. Finally, the volcanic arc
was eroded and buried beneath the Upper Huizachal
61
Group and La Joya Formation, followed by the eastward
displacement of Mexico along the Mojave–Sonora mega-
shear (Silver and Anderson, 1974; Anderson and Silver,
2005) and/or other Late Jurassic sinistral strike-slip faults.
Roughly coeval to sinistral transcurrent faulting, eastward
subduction of a North American segment of oceanic litho-
sphere took place under the Pacific plate (Barboza-Gudiño
et al., 1998; Dickinson and Lawton, 2001), resulting in the
development of an intraoceanic volcanic arc complex
(Guerrero Terrane). Since Late Jurassic time, the evolution
of northeastern Mexico has been associated with the evolu-
tion of the Gulf of Mexico Basin, and the ‘‘Cordilleran
terranes’’ in this region were covered by the Upper Juras-
sic–Cretaceous Gulf sequences (e.g., Wilson and Ward,
1993).
The stratigraphic position and existing absolute ages of
the studied volcanic sequences indicate they belong to a
Jurassic arc, related to the active Pacific continental margin
of southwestern North America, rather than to the Permo–
Triassic arc. This older arc has been inferred from isolated
localities east and north of the studied area under the Gulf
of Mexico coastal plain in Tamaulipas and near Coahuila
and Chihuahua (Bartolini et al., 1999; Torres et al., 1999).
The assignment of the studied volcanic sequences to the
Jurassic arc provides an excellent guide for discriminating
between Triassic and Jurassic redbeds, which commonly
have been considered a single unit (La Boca Formation
[Mixon et al., 1959]; Huizachal Formation [Carrillo-Bravo,
1961]; or Los San Pedros Alogroup [Rueda-Gaxiola et al.,
1993), which blurs stratigraphic details and leads to a mis-
understanding of the tectonic evolution and main processes
acting in these periods.
Acknowledgments
We acknowledge support from SEP/CONACYT (pro-
ject 485100-5-25400T and 2002-CO2-41239) and FAI/
UASLP (project C02-FAI-11-27.88) and thank J. Blickw-
ede and C. Bartolini for their revisions and suggestions.
Detailed reviews by the JSAES-designed reviewers, T.H.
Anderson and T.F. Lawton, greatly helped improve this
work.
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