Guavio Formation

Guavio Formation
Stratigraphic range: Tithonian-Berriasian ~
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Cáqueza Group
Sub-units	Caliza de Las Mercedes Mb. Lutitas de Las Mercedes Mb. Caliza de Malacara Mb. Lutitas de Miralindo Mb. Conglomerado de Miralindo
Underlies	Macanal Formation
Overlies	Batá Fm., Girón Fm
Thickness	up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Conglomerate
Other	Limestone, shale
Location
Coordinates
Region	Altiplano Cundiboyacense Eastern Ranges, Andes
Country	Colombia
Type section
Named for	Guavio River
Named by	Rodríguez & Ulloa
Location	Alto de Miralindo, Guateque
Year defined	1976
Coordinates
Region	Cundinamarca, Boyacá
Country	Colombia
Paleogeography of Northern South America 150 Ma, by Ron Blakey

The Guavio Formation (Spanish: Calizas del Guavio, Kicg) is a geological formation of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes. The formation consists of conglomerates, shales and limestones, dates to the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous periods; Tithonian to Berriasian epochs and has a maximum thickness of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).

Etymology

The formation was defined and named in 1976 by Rodríguez and Ulloa after the Guavio River, Cundinamarca.

Description

Lithologies

The Guavio Formation has a maximum thickness of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), and is characterised by a sequence of conglomerates, shales and limestones.

Stratigraphy and depositional environment

The Guavio Formation, the lowermost unit of the Cáqueza Group, overlies the Batá Formation and is overlain by the Macanal Formation. The unit is subdivided into five members, from old to younger; Conglomerado de Miralindo, Lutitas de Miralindo, Caliza de Malacara, Lutitas de Las Mercedes and Caliza de Las Mercedes. The age has been estimated to be Tithonian to Berriasian, spanning the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary. Stratigraphically, the formation is time equivalent with the Arcabuco Formation. The formation has been deposited in a shallow marine environment in an oxygen-poor basin.

Outcrops

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Type locality of the Guavio Formation to the east of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense

The Guavio Formation is apart from its type locality at the Alto de Miralindo and Cuchilla de Manizales, found near Gachalá and Medina.

See also

Geology of the Eastern Hills

Geology of the Ocetá Páramo

Geology of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense