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National Geologic Map Database
Map showing publication footprint
  • Usage in publication:
    • Railroad Valley Rhyolite
  • Modifications:
    • Named
  • Dominant lithology:
    • Rhyolite
  • AAPG geologic province:
    • Great Basin province
Publication:

Scott, R.B., 1965, The Tertiary geology and ignimbrite petrology of the Grant Range, east central Nevada: Dissertation Abstracts, v. 26, no. 5, p. 2692., Also issued in Houston Geol. Soc. Bull., v. 8, no. 4, p. 23, 1965 [abs.]


Summary:

Tertiary rocks in Grant Range consists of 5,000 to 15,000 ft of rhyolitic ignimbrite sheets, nonmarine sediments and siliceous flows. Major named units are (ascending); Sheep Pass Formation, middle to upper Eocene; Railroad Valley Rhyolite (new), 36 Ma; Calloway Well Formation (new), ignimbrites; Stone Cabin Formation, ignimbrites; Windous Butte Formation, ignimbrites, 33 Ma; Currant Tuff; Needles Range Formation, ignimbrites; Horse Camp Formation, Miocene to Pliocene.

Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).


Map showing publication footprint
  • Usage in publication:
    • Railroad Valley Rhyolite
  • Modifications:
    • Overview
  • AAPG geologic province:
    • Great Basin province
Publication:

Scott, Robert, 1966, Origin of chemical variations within ignimbrite cooling units: American Journal of Science, v. 264, no. 4, p. 273-288.


Summary:

Pg. 275 (fig. 2). Railroad Valley Rhyolite. Listed in generalized stratigraphic chart of Cenozoic section of Grant Range, Nye County, Nevada. Rhyolite, 0 to 2,700 feet thick. Underlies Blind Spring Formation (new) and overlies Sheep Pass Formation. Age is Oligocene.
Oligocene units are (ascending): Railroad Valley Rhyolite, Blind Spring Formation (new), Calloway Well Formation, Saddle Mountain Andesite (new), Stone Cabin Formation, local andesite flows, Currant Tuff, Windrous Butte Formation, Forest Home Ignimbrite (new), Needles Range Formation, and Shingle Pass Formation.

Source: US geologic names lexicon (USGS Bull. 1350, p. 610); GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).


Map showing publication footprint
  • Usage in publication:
    • Railroad Valley Rhyolite
  • Modifications:
    • Areal extent
  • AAPG geologic province:
    • Great Basin province
Publication:

Moores, E.M., Scott, R.B., and Lumsden, W.W., 1968, Tertiary tectonics of the White Pine-Grant Range region, east-central Nevada, and some regional implications: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 79, no. 12, p. 1703-1726.


Summary:

Massive, light-gray, porphyritic Railroad Valley Rhyolite (0 to 2500 ft thick) is oldest known Tertiary volcanic rock in eastern NV. Tops of flows are autobrecciated. Shown on geologic map of White Pine-Grant Range region. Cross-section shows unit extends to Horse Camp Basin.

Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).


Map showing publication footprint
  • Usage in publication:
    • Railroad Valley Rhyolite
  • Modifications:
    • Geochronologic dating
  • AAPG geologic province:
    • Great Basin province
Publication:

Armstrong, R.L., 1970, Geochronology of Tertiary igneous rocks, eastern Basin-and-Range province, western Utah, eastern Nevada, and vicinity, U.S.A.: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 34, p. 203-232.


Summary:

K-Ar determination on biotite from Railroad Valley Rhyolite yielded age of 33.4 +/-0.7 Ma. Sample collected at 38 deg 41' 35"N, 115 deg 26' 50"W, Grant Range, Nye Co, NV. Railroad Valley Rhyolite is only known from an area where hydrothermal alteration is extensive and unaltered material is difficult to obtain. This single age "appears a bit young when compared with the average" age of 33.2 Ma for overlying Calloway Well Formation.

Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).


Map showing publication footprint
  • Usage in publication:
    • Railroad Valley Rhyolite
  • Modifications:
    • Geochronologic dating
  • AAPG geologic province:
    • Great Basin province
Publication:

Marvin, R.F., Mehnert, H.H., and McKee, E.H., 1973, A summary of radiometric ages of Tertiary volcanic rocks in Nevada and eastern California; Part III, Southeastern Nevada: Isochron/West, no. 6, p. 1-30.


Summary:

Railroad Valley Rhyolite. Sample from Lat. 38 deg. 55 min. N., Long. 115 deg. 24 min. W., White Pine County, Nevada. K-Ar age on biotite 34.0 +/-1.3 Ma.

Source: Modified from GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).


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