The Rail Canyon sandstone member is a sandstone bed up to 50 feet (15 m) thick that is found 10–50 feet (3.0–15.2 m) above the base of the formation.[4]
Economic geology
The Vermejo Formation is an historically important coal-bearing formation. Mining began in 1870 in the rich Raton coal bed near the base of the Vermejo Formation.[5] The bed contained bituminous coals of coking quality. These were being extensively exploited by 1924[4] but the beds were largely exhausted by 1965.[5]
The Vermejo Formation was originally named by W. T. Lee in 1913 in the American Journal of Science. In 1917, Lee described the formation more completely.[2]
^Cather, Steven M. (2004). "Laramide Orogeny in Central and Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado". In Mack, Greg H.; Giles, Katherine A. (eds.). The Geology of New Mexico: A Geologic History. New Mexico Geological Society. pp. 203–248.