El Rito Formation

The El Rito Formation is a geologic formation in New Mexico dating to the Eocene epoch. It records a time when sediments were trapped in deep basins in western North America rather than being carried downstream to the Gulf of Mexico, so that sediments of this age in the western Gulf are mostly from the Appalachian Mountains.

El Rito Formation
Stratigraphic range:
El Rito Formation near Arroyo del Cobre, New Mexico
TypeFormation
UnderliesRitito Conglomerate
OverliesMorrison Formation, Dakota Formation
Thickness70 m (230 ft)
Lithology
PrimarySandstone
OtherMudstone
Location
Coordinates36.276°N 106.302°W / 36.276; -106.302
RegionNew Mexico
CountryUnited States
Type section
Named forEl Rito Creek
Named byH.T.U. Smith
Year defined1938
El Rito Formation (the United States)
El Rito Formation (New Mexico)
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