Stratigraphy, structure, and economic geology of parts of Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and San Benito Counties.

Abstract: Structural and petrologic studies in the Berry Creek quadrangle at the north end of the western metamorphic belt of the Sierra Nevada have yielded new information that helps in distinguishing between the chemically similar Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks. The distinguishing features are structural and textural and result from different degrees of deformation. Most Paleozoic rocks are strongly deformed and thoroughly recrystallized. Phenocrysts in metavolcanic rocks are granulated and drawn out into lenses that have sutured outlines. In contrast, the phenocrysts in the Mesozoic metavolcanic rocks show well-preserved straight crystal faces, are only slightly or not at all granulated, and contain fewer mineral inclusions than do those in the Paleozoic rocks. The groundmass in the Paleozoic rocks is recrystallized to a fairly coarse grained albite-epidote-amphibole-chlorite rock, whereas in the Mesozoic rocks the groundmass is a very fine grained feltlike mesh with only spotty occurrence of well-recrystallized finegrained albite-epidote-chlorite-actinolite rock. Primary minerals, such as augite, are locally preserved in the Mesozoic rocks but are altered to a mixture of amphibole, chlorite, and epidote in the Paleozoic rocks. In the contact aureoles of the plutons, and within the Big Bend fault zone, which crosses the area parallel to the structural trends, all …

From abstract: The Geysers-Clear Lake geothermal area lies within the central belt of the Franciscan assemblage in northern California. The structure of this terrane is characterized by northeast-dipping imbricate thrust slices that have been warped and cut by steeply dipping strike-slip and normal faults. Introduction of magma into the crust beneath the Geysers-Clear Lake area can be related to eastsoutheast extension accompanying northward propagation of the San Andreas transform system between the Clear Lake region and Cape Mendocino within the last 3 million years. The initiation of strike-slip faulting during this time terminated subduction of elements of the Farallon plate beneath North America as strike-slip motion was taken up along the Pacific-North American plate boundary. The mechanism for magma generation appears to require a heat source in the mantle that mixed mantle-derived melts with various crustal rocks. These crustal rocks may have included the Franciscan central and coastal belts, ophiolite, Great Valley sequence, and possibly middle and late Tertiary rocks subducted before initiation of strike-slip faulting.

From introduction: The objectives of this report are to (1) document the stratigraphic framework of the Santa Margarita Formation and part of the Monterey Shale in the southern Temblor Range, (2) interpret the environments of deposition and depositional processes of the above units, and (3) evaluate the influence of tectonism on Santa Margarita sedimentation, with special attention given to testing the hypothesis of Berry and others (1968).

A report regarding thorium resources located in the Mountain Pass District in San Bernadino County, California

From Introduction: The field work that furnished the basis for this report was begun in 1930 and was continued at intervals until 1934. The anticlinal character of the Kettleman Hills is apparent to even the casual observer, but the many structural complications due to an intricate network of minor faults, at least in North Dome and Middle Dome, are much less obvious. Though it is improbable that these faults have any relation to the occurrence of oil, an attempt was made to map them, not only to represent the structure adequately but also because the stratigraphy could not be understood if they were neglected. Faunal zones were particularly useful in mapping. On the other hand, some lithologic units proved to be more persistent than had been expected. The two sets of features-fossils and lithology-served as checks on each other.