Global InformationMacarao Formation information
| Macarao Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Mid-Late Eocene ~ | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Cocinetas Basin |
| Underlies | Castilletes Fm., Siamaná Fm. |
| Overlies | Guaralamai Fm. Jarara Schist (basement) |
| Thickness | 253 m (830 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Calcareous sandstone |
| Other | Siltstone, gypsum |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 11°50′00″N 71°24′46″W / 11.83333°N 71.41278°W |
| Region | La Guajira Caribbean region |
| Country |  Colombia |
| Type section | |
| Named by | Rollins |
| Location | Uribia |
| Year defined | 1965 |
| Coordinates | 11°50′00″N 71°24′46″W / 11.83333°N 71.41278°W |
| Region | La Guajira |
| Country | Colombia |
  Type locality of the formation in La Guajira | |
The Macarao Formation (Spanish: Formación Macarao, E2m) is a geological formation of the Cocinetas Basin in the northernmost Colombian department of La Guajira. The formation consists of foraminifera-rich fine to medium grained calcareous sandstones intercalated with calcareous siltstones, cross-cut by veins of gypsum. The 253 metres (830 ft) thick Macarao Formation dates to the Paleogene period; Middle to Late Eocene epoch, corresponding to the Divisaderan in the South American land mammal ages (SALMA).