Robert C. Speed Geologic Map Collection

Collection Home Inventory Remembering Bob Speed

Bob Speed

Robert C. (Bob) Speed was a major contributor to the understanding of Nevada geology. In NBMG section, "Remembering Bob Speed," the biographical memorial written by Richard Sedlock was published in the Geological Society of America Memorials volume 33, April 2004. The tributes from his wife and former students are excerpts from the book, Bob Speed Here: Memorials & Records of Robert Clarke Speed, edited by Christine Speed. Both describe Bob Speed's accomplishments, character and dedication to geology. This information is intended to provide a background to the Robert C. Speed Geologic Map Collection. "Collection Home" summarizes his geologic mapping and specific geologic map publications about Nevada. Bob’s work in Nevada started with his dissertation at Stanford on the Humboldt lopolith, a topic he pursued throughout his career with publications up through 2000. That introduction to Nevada geology stimulated his interest in Paleozoic and Mesozoic deformation, starting with the Sonoma orogeny and expanding into the Antler orogeny and all aspects of Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectonics, sedimentation, and magmatism. Throughout his career, Bob led and inspired numerous students to work on these topics, and those students now lead their own productive careers. Although best known for his work on pre-Cenozic geology, Bob’s interest branched into Tertiary volcanism with his study of the Candelaria Hills with student Allen Cogbill.

Bob Speed’s work was based on thorough, detailed geologic mapping, and many of his geologic maps were published through the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology and the U.S. Geological Survey. He and Ron Willden are the authors of NBMG Bulletin 83, Geology and Mineral Deposits of Churchill County, Nevada and its accompanying geologic map. Bob’s maps published through the USGS include the Sodaville quadrangle (MF-1300), the Mina NW quadrangle (MF-1487), Huntoon Valley quadrangle (Open-File Report 81-0274), and Little Huntoon Valley quadrangle (Open-File Report 84-0503). However, as with all geologists, Bob Speed did not have time to publish everything he did, including much of his geologic mapping. NBMG was able to scan paper copies of many of his unpublished and preliminary geologic maps. Major groups of maps are in the following areas: the Candelaria Hills–Mina, West Humboldt and Stillwater Ranges–Greater Lovelock, Toiyabe and Toquima Ranges, and Clan Alpine and Augusta Mountains. The Inventory provides a list of individual sheets that are available. These are now provided as PDF files that can be downloaded for free from the Bureau’s website. We welcome contributions of any additional unpublished work by Bob Speed to add to this collection.

Acknowledgments
In order for NBMG to scan these maps, the Trustee of the Robert C. Speed Estate had to fly to Evanston, Illinois and meet us at Northwestern University Archives. We thank the Trustee for this considerable effort. We also thank Northwestern University Archives for permitting her to briefly withdraw the original maps for our digital imaging. The photographs and memorials are also courtesy of Mrs. Christine A. Speed.

Published Geologic Maps in Nevada by Robert C. Speed

Oldow, J.S., and Speed, R.C., 1985, Preliminary geologic map of the Mina NW Quadrangle, Mineral County, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map-1487, 1:24,000.

Speed, R.C., 1981, Preliminary geologic map of the Sodaville Quadrangle, Mineral County, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey, Miscellaneous Field Studies Map-1300, 1:24,000.

Speed, R.C., and Moores, E.M., 1980, Geologic cross section of the Sierra Nevada and the Great Basin along 40° North latitude, northeastern California and northern Nevada: Geological Society of America Map and Chart Series MC-28L.

Stewart, J.H,, Kleinhampl, F.J ., Johannesen, D.C., Speed, R.C., and Dohrenwend, J.C., 1981, Geologic map of the Huntoon Valley Quadrangle, Mineral County, Nevada, and Mono County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 81-0274, 1:24,000.

Stewart, J.H., Kleinhampl, F.J., Speed, R.C., and Johannesen, D.C., 1984, Geologic map of the Little Huntoon Valley Quadrangle, Mineral County, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 84-0503, 1:24,000.

Willden, R. and Speed, R.C., 1974, Geology and mineral deposits of Churchill County, Nevada: Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Bulletin 83, 95 p., 1:250,000 scale map.