earth science

Loma Gorda Formation

Loma Gorda Formation is a earth science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Loma Gorda Formation rather than just read about it. In short: The Loma Gorda Formation (Spanish: Formación Loma Gorda, Kl, Kslg) is a fossiliferous geological formation of the Upper Magdalena Valley (VSM) and surrounding Central and Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes, extending from Cundinamarca in the north to Huila and easternmost Tolima in the south. The uppermost unit of the Güagüaquí Group, a sequence of laminated siltstones and shales, dates to the Late Cretaceous per…

Key takeaways

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Reference excerpt

The Loma Gorda Formation (Spanish: Formación Loma Gorda, Kl, Kslg) is a fossiliferous geological formation of the Upper Magdalena Valley (VSM) and surrounding Central and Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes, extending from Cundinamarca in the north to Huila and easternmost Tolima in the south. The uppermost unit of the Güagüaquí Group, a sequence of laminated siltstones and shales, dates to the Late Cretaceous period; Turonian to Coniacian epochs, and has a maximum thickness of 167 metres (548 ft).

Etymology The formation was named in 1966 by De Porta, named Loma Gorda ("Fat Hill") in Ricaurte, Cundinamarca.

Description

Lithologies The Loma Gorda Formation is characterised by laminated siltstones and shales with calcareous concretions. The formation has provided fossils of Ankinatsytes venezolanus, Barroisiceras onilahyense, Codazziceras ospinae, Eulophoceras jacobi, Fagesia catinus, Hauericeras madagascarensis, Hoplitoides ingens, H. lagiraldae, Mitonia gracilis, Mytiloides kossmati, M. goppelnensis, M. scupini, Neoptychites cf. andinus, Paralenticeras sieversi, Paramammites sp., Peroniceras subtricarinatum, Prionocycloceras guayabanum, Reesidites subtuberculatum, Subprionotropis colombianus, Allocrioceras sp., Anagaudryceras sp., Anomia sp., Benueites sp., Choffaticeras sp., Dydimotis sp., Forresteria sp., Gauthiericeras sp., Morrowites sp., Nannovascoceras sp., and Quitmaniceras sp..

Stratigraphy and depositional environment The Loma Gorda Formation is the uppermost unit of the Güagüaquí Group. It overlies the Hondita Formation and is overlain by the Oliní Group. The age has been estimated on the basis of ammonites to be ranging from Turonian to Coniacian. Stratigraphically, the formation is time equivalent with the upper parts of the Chipaque, La Luna and La Frontera Formations. The formation was deposited in a relative highstand sequence with an oceanic oxygen depletion event, sharply marked in Colombia and characterised by the appearance of calcareous concretions with a thick pyrite rim.

Outcrops

The type locality of the Loma Gorda Formation is located close to Loma Gorda in Ricaurte, Cundinamarca. Other outcrops of the Loma Gorda Formation have been noted east of the Magdalena River northeast of Honda, west of Nariño, west across the Magdalena River in San Luis, Tolima, between the Tetuán and Saldaña Rivers west of Coyaima and east and west of Ataco, to the east of the Prado River reservoir, north and west of Aipe, surrounding Alpujarra, Tolima, south of Palermo, Huila, displaced by the Baché Fault, east of Iquira, north of Yaguará, south of La Plata where the formation is cut by the Itaibe Fault, a small patch east of Gigante, Huila, northwest and northeast of San Agustín, and north of Timaná surrounding the Magdalena River.

Regional correlations

Legend group important formation fossiliferous formation minor formation (age in Ma) proximal Llanos (Medina) distal Llanos (Saltarin 1A well)

See also

Geology of the Eastern Hills Geology of the Ocetá Páramo Geology of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense Geology of the Middle Magdalena Valley

Notes

References

Bibliography Acosta, Jorge E.; Ulloa, Carlos E. (2002), Mapa geológico del Departamento de Cundinamarca 1:250,000 - Memoria Explicativa, INGEOMINAS, pp. 1–108 Patarroyo, Pedro (2011), "Sucesión de Amonitas del Cretácico Superior (Cenomaniano-Coniaciano) de la parte más alta de la Formación Hondita y de la Formación Loma Gorda en la Quebrada Bambucá, Aipe - Huila (Colombia)" (PDF), Boletín de Geología, 33: 69–92, retrieved 2019-03-13 Villamil, Tomas (2012), Chronology Relative Sea Level History and a New Sequence Stratigraphic Model for Basinal Cretaceous Facies of Colombia, Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM), pp. 161–216

Maps Barrero L., Darío; Vesga O, Carlos J. (2009), Plancha 188 - La Dorada - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Barrero, Darío; Vesga, Carlos J. (2010), Plancha 207 - Honda - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Acosta, Jorge E.; Guatame, Rafael; Torres, Oscar; Solano, Frank (1999), Plancha 245 - Girardot - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Calcedo, Juan Carlos; Terraza, Roberto (2000), Plancha 264 - Espinal - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Carvajal, Cesar; Fuquen, Jaime; Gómez, Luis (1993), Plancha 282 - Chaparral - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Cossio, Ubaldo; Rodríguez, Gabriel; Rodríguez, Miguel (1995), Plancha 283 - Purificación - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Fuquen, Jaime; Rodríguez, Gabriel; Cossio, Ubaldo; Núñez, Alberto (1993), Plancha 302 - Aipe - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Acosta, Jorge; Caro, Pablo; Fuquen, Jaime; Osorno, José (2002), Plancha 303 - Colombia - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1 Ferreira, Paulina; Núñez, Alberto; Rodríguez, Miguel (1998), Plancha 323 - Neiva - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Marquínez, Germán; Morales, C.; Núñez, Alberto (1999), Plancha 344 - Tesalia - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Velandia, F.; Morales, C.J.; Caicedo, J.C.; Núñez, Alberto (1999), Plancha 345 - Campoalegre - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Marquínez, Germán; Rodríguez, Yohana; Terraza, Roberto; Martínez, Mario (2003), Plancha 365 - Coconuco - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Rodríguez, Gabriel; Ferreira, Paulina; Velandia, Francisco; Núñez, Alberto (1998), Plancha 366 - Garzón - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Rodríguez, Gabriel; Zapata, Gilberto; Velázquez, M. (2003), Plancha 367 - Gigante - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Cárdenas, Jorge; Fuquen, Jaime; Núñez, Alberto (2002), Plancha 388 - Pitalito - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06 Rodríguez, Gabriel; Zapata, Gilberto; Velázquez, M. (2003), Plancha 389 - Timaná - 1:100,000, INGEOMINAS, p. 1, retrieved 2017-06-06

External links Gómez, J.; Montes, N.E.; Nivia, Á.; Diederix, H. (2015), Plancha 5-09 del Atlas Geológico de Colombia 2015 – escala 1:500,000, Servicio Geológico Colombiano, p. 1, retrieved 2017-03-16

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Loma Gorda Formation

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Loma Gorda Formation claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In earth science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Loma Gorda Formation before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Loma Gorda Formation ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Loma Gorda Formation

In research: Loma Gorda Formation appears in earth science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Loma Gorda Formation in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Loma Gorda Formation is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Coniacian Stage, Cretaceous Colombia, Fossiliferous stratigraphic units of South America, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Loma Gorda Formation outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Loma Gorda Formation in simple terms?

Why does Loma Gorda Formation matter?

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Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

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