- Usage in publication:
-
- Salinas shale*
- Modifications:
-
- Named
- Dominant lithology:
-
- Shale
- AAPG geologic province:
-
- California Coast Ranges province
Summary:
Salinas shale named as upper formation of Monterey group (formerly known as "Monterey shale") which is well developed on west side of Salinas Valley. Within mapped area of middle Salinas Valley, unit crops out only west of Salinas River. Is marine diatomaceous shale which extends from Monterey south. Called "bituminous shale" by early California geologists. Color is light-pink to nearly white. Is considerably folded and owing to the crushing its thickness cannot be determined.
Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).
- Usage in publication:
-
- Salinas shaleâ€
- Modifications:
-
- Abandoned
- AAPG geologic province:
-
- California Coast Ranges province
Summary:
Salinas shale of English (1918) was introduced as replacement of former name Monterey shale which had been raised to group rank. It is proposed to abandon Monterey as group name and to treat Monterey shale as a formation name. This results in abandonment of Salinas shale and Maricopa shale as synonyms of Monterey shale.
Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).
For more information, please contact Nancy Stamm, Geologic Names Committee Secretary.
Asterisk (*) indicates published by U.S. Geological Survey authors.
"No current usage" (†) implies that a name has been abandoned or has fallen into disuse. Former usage and, if known, replacement name given in parentheses ( ).
Slash (/) indicates name conflicts with nomenclatural guidelines (CSN, 1933; ACSN, 1961, 1970; NACSN, 1983, 2005, 2021). May be explained within brackets ([ ]).