‘Hannover 1979 cam [as | Notes on the Geology of Ecuador with Special Reference to the Western Cordillera Winery Kenner & Gerrit van DER KAADEN*) thin seton, pages, pets ‘Son sland ar, Cretactou, Tera apie rage, Ecvador ee oi deena, cna ears cleans cm zy dere iota ance esac 0, oP Abstract: The predominantly voleanic Cretaceous of the Western Cordillera of Ecuador is divided into three units called here Toachi Kpi-, Pilaton Kes- and Tandapi Kps Formations. Kpi and Kes correspond withthe Pifion- und Kes with the Cayo de la Sierra-Formation of former authors. The Kpi ate pre-Upper Turonian and were folded end slightly metamorphosed together with the Kes of Upper Turonian and Seno- nian age duting the subhercynian orogenesis. They are correlative with the true Pion for- mation of the Litoral in age, but different inthe chemical composition of the rocks. Both, the Kpi and Kes are of Upger Turonian age at their base, but the Cayo ofthe Litoral extends into the Danian and probably into the Paleocene and ? Eocene, The Kps are conformably overlain by the Maastrichtian flysch of the Yunguilla formation. The Cayo Rumi conglomerates ofthe Locus eypicus in the Western Cordillera are included in the Yusgulla and are therefore Meastrichtian, not Lower Tertiary as indicated in the Geological map of 1969. The flysch is laramic and waconformably overitin by the Red Bed Series RBS, The numerous intrusves of the Sierra are predominantly connected withthe Subhercynian and Laramie crogenesis. “The volcanics, agglomerates, breccias, cuffs and tutttes of the Kpi, Kes, Kps and RBS of the Western Cordillera are andesitic and dacitic and in their composition different froma the predominantly basic rocks of the Litoral. The composition of 15 analysed voleanie rock samples of the Western Cordillera differs significantly from that of comparable samples of Colombia and Costarica Geologicaly the Western Covdileras of Exvador end Colombia are not continuous. ‘Whether the Dolores fault of Colombia extendsinto Ecuador under the term Guayaquil faut, is questionable, The Cordillera Real may be divided in two seginents by 2a E-W feature Sof Bafos-Puyo with ditferent ages of the metamorphic series on both sides. The Subandean Zone is comparable with the Eastera Cordillera of Colombia. Transversal tectonic elements are very significant in Ecuadorian geology. The Cordiller af Chongén-Cofonche ist not part of a Coastal Cordillera with an anomaleous trend but the result of an W-E directed uplift, ‘which may continue eastwards and be connected with the Cononaco Arch of the Oriente. A similar axis may exist between the Jama uplift in the Litoral and the Aguarico uplift of the Oriente. *) Authors’ addresses: Dr. W. Kenner, Im Rosental 21, D-3500 Kassel; Frof. Dr, G. van Dex Kaapex, Am Milhlrain 5, D-6922 Meckesheim.9 Contents 1. Introduction 10 2. Boundaries of the areaof investigation 2 3. Stratigraphy : ‘ 2 3. Metamorphic series. a2 3.2. Semimetamorphic series . : +12 33. Paleozoic and pre-Cretaceous Moosic Fpaboweaee ele 34, Cretaceous and ? Upper Jurassic of the W-Cordillera 14 34.1, Toachi Beds (Kpi) 25s eerste Sold 3.4.2. Pilatén Beds (Kes) reeked tae “iS 3.4.3, Age of the Toachi Beds (pi) and the Pilatén Beds (Kes) saat ts relationship to voleanic and volcano-sedimentary sequences of the Litral (Pifion and Cayo), the SW v (eiioa) ‘and Oriente (Misahualli) ..0 spo aah ea 3.4, TandapiBeds(Kps) ---. 2500 fb oe ee nr le 345, Masochian of the W-Corlera (Yunguilla Formation ~ San Juan Beds) 355. The Red Bed Series (RBS) 36, Intrusives ss + 37, Post Red Bed Series (RBS)-Fotations 4, Petrology Baie ie Gaawal gates eg pees ene : 4.2. Metamorphism 43. Chemical analyses {Spatial and temporal distribution of the Mesozeie and Cenozoic volcanism in Ecuador . 39 6, Tectonics and Geological History poteia et 40 46 1. Referendes .. - {. Appendix: Description of thin section investigation... - epee are [ALL Samples along the Quito-Aloag-Sento Domingo de los Colorados road 49 ‘YVoleanic rocks 49 Intrusive rocks 51 Metamorphic rocks - ce ‘Tutt, tuffites, voleanie wackes, volcanic brecras ‘and agglomerates - 52 A.1.5. Polymixed conglomerates . . - « a 35 ‘A.2. Samples from Saloya, directly North of 5 et . 5 ‘Aloag-Santo Domingo road10 A.3. Samples from East of Guaranda .. - - 5S A.4. Samples from West of Guaranda (Catardma) 5S A.5. Samples from Quevodo-Latacunga road x . 55 A.6. Intrusive samples from West of Guaranda (Catarama) -. he a5) ‘A.7. Roundstones from Tertiary conglomerates near San Lorenzo ++ +56 ‘A_8_ Samples from the Coastal Provinces of Manabi and Guasas.- - 156 A.8.1. Volcanic rocks: . . ~ 56 A.8.2. Intrasive rocks wise . . . +57 A.8_3. Tuffites » =a SR 1. Introduction “Che present paper is based — as far as the Northern part of the W-Cordillera is Comcemed — on several fieldtrips of W. KeHRER partly together with F. Doest and BE. Kenrer, between 1942 and 1975, and on the study of a great number of hin Seeitions and analyses by G- VAN DER KAADEN 25 well as on. micropaleonto- lo gical determinations by F. Does. “Lhe fieldtrips followed especially along roads cruising the Cordillera: Aloag- Santo Domingo de los Colorados, Latacunga-Quevedo, Riobamba-Guaranda and Quito -Nono-Nanegal. They offer the best outcrops in a mountain range normally Cove xed by dense vegetation (Fig. 1) “Whe following regional division from W to E will be used: — the Litoral or Coast, alowland up to 150km wide, — the Sierra or Andes composed of W-Cordillera, Interandean Depres- sion and Cordillera Real or Eastern Cordillera, limited on the E by the Topo Depression and comprising the real erystalline backbone of the Andes, ~ and the Oriente, divided into the Subandean Zone, morphologically part of the 50 called E-Cordillera, and the Amazon lowlands. ____ The degree of the geological investigation of the 3 regions differs greatly. T_L3tOral and Oriente are relatively well known compared with the Sierra due to the 155 sxtine oj] and gas exploration by many companies. Two broad regional investi- & =. os programs should also be mentioned. Geologists of the IFP (Institut Francais Less Petroles) had a big share in the edition of the Geological Map 1: 1.000.000 of L S694 The Bitish Geological Mission mapped part of the Sierra in scale 1: 100.000 AS _~wellas part of the Litoral between Manta and Guayaquil. ‘This Mission is still Sn timing its work. Both groups made intensive use of fotogeological methods, Since there are close relations between geological events in the three areas, ‘>