The Ritoque Formation ( es, Formación Ritoque, Kiri, Kirt) is a
geological formation
A geological formation, or simply formation, is a body of rock having a consistent set of physical characteristics (lithology) that distinguishes it from adjacent bodies of rock, and which occupies a particular position in the layers of rock expo ...
of the
Altiplano Cundiboyacense
The Altiplano Cundiboyacense () is a high plateau located in the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes covering parts of the departments of Cundinamarca and Boyacá. The altiplano corresponds to the ancient territory of the Muisca. The Alt ...
,
Eastern Ranges
The Eastern Ranges is an Australian rules football team in the NAB League, the Victorian statewide under-18s competition.
The club is a founding member of the competition (1992) and has produced several players for the Australian Football Le ...
of the
Colombian
Andes
The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...
. The formation consists of grey
siltstone
Siltstone, also known as aleurolite, is a clastic sedimentary rock that is composed mostly of silt. It is a form of mudrock with a low clay mineral content, which can be distinguished from shale by its lack of fissility.Blatt ''et al.'' 1980, ...
s,
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms wh ...
s and fine
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates ...
s intercalated. The formation dates to the
Early Cretaceous
The Early Cretaceous (geochronological name) or the Lower Cretaceous ( chronostratigraphic name), is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous. It is usually considered to stretch from 145 Ma to 100.5 Ma.
Geology
Pr ...
period;
Early Hauterivian epoch and varies in thickness between .
Definition
The formation was first defined and named by
Etayo in 1968 after the vereda Ritoque of
Villa de Leyva.
[
]
Description
Lithologies
The Ritoque Formation is characterised by a sequence of grey siltstone
Siltstone, also known as aleurolite, is a clastic sedimentary rock that is composed mostly of silt. It is a form of mudrock with a low clay mineral content, which can be distinguished from shale by its lack of fissility.Blatt ''et al.'' 1980, ...
s, limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms wh ...
s and sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates ...
s with a thickness between .[Galvis & Valencia, 2009, p.10]
Stratigraphy and depositional environment
The Ritoque Formation overlies the Rosablanca and Arcabuco Formations and is overlain by the Paja Formation
Paja may refer to:
* Paja, Iran, a village in Sari County
* Paja (given name), a Serbian masculine name
* Paja (surname)
* Paja Formation, geologic formation in Colombia
* Paja Brava
:''Paja Brava is also used in Spanish speaking countries to ref ...
. The age has been estimated to be Early Hauterivian. Stratigraphically, the formation is time equivalent with the Macanal Formation.[Galvis & Valencia, 2009, p.17]
Outcrops
The Ritoque Formation is found, apart from its type locality
Type locality may refer to:
* Type locality (biology)
* Type locality (geology)
See also
* Local (disambiguation)
* Locality (disambiguation)
{{disambiguation ...
near Villa de Leyva, Boyacá, found in the vicinity.
Regional correlations
See also
: Geology of the Eastern Hills
: Geology of the Ocetá Páramo
: Geology of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
Maps
*
*
*
*
*
External links
* {{cite LSA , last=Gómez , first=J. , last2=Montes , first2=N.E. , last3=Nivia , first3=Á. , last4=Diederix , first4=H. , year=2015 , title=Plancha 5-09 del Atlas Geológico de Colombia 2015 – escala 1:500,000 , url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309533589_Plancha_5-09_del_Atlas_Geologico_de_Colombia_2015 , publisher=Servicio Geológico Colombiano
The Colombian Geological Survey (CGS) ( es, Servicio Geológico Colombiano; formerly known as INGEOMINAS) is a scientific agency of the Colombian government in charge of contributing to the socioeconomic development of the nation through research ...
, pages=1 , accessdate=2017-03-16
Geologic formations of Colombia
Cretaceous Colombia
Lower Cretaceous Series of South America
Hauterivian Stage
Siltstone formations
Limestone formations
Shallow marine deposits
Formations
Geography of Boyacá Department