Western Earth Surface Processes
Sandstone with Turritella infragranulata pachecoensis from locality 03CB5241 on the southwest flank of Cement Hill; view of slab prepared by Skyler Phelps, Auburn. LouElla Saul identified and dated the fossils (from figure 1B).
Discovery of a 3-foot thick sandstone bed with abundant Turritellid gastropods of late Paleocene age about 4 miles northeast of Fairfield and on the southwest flank of Cement Hill, Solano County provides an opportunity to reevaluate the relationships of lower Tertiary formations in this part of California. Cement Hill is named for travertine deposits in and on top of sandstone of Late Cretaceous age. In this report, the current study area where the Paleocene fossils were recently discovered is referred to as lower Cement Hill and is located in section 7 of the U.S. Geological Survey Fairfield North 7.5-minute quadrangle, Township 5 North, Range 1 West. Lower Cement Hill is about 23 miles north of the so-called Martinez “formation” or stage area (Weaver and others, 1941) of late Paleocene age near Martinez. The Martinez “formation” and stage have played a significant role in the development of early Tertiary stratigraphy in this part of California. The discovery of correlative rocks at Cement Hill was unsuspected and may be helpful in defining the extent of this so-called formation or stage. Coccolith identification and correlations are by David Bukry, foraminifer identifications and correlations by Alvin Almgren and Kristin McDougall, gastropod identification and correlation by LouElla Saul, and Radiolaria identifications and correlations are by Annika Sanfilippo.
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| Western Open-File Reports for 2008 |
| Geologic Division | Western Earth Surface Processes |
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1228/
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Page Created: July 18, 2008
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