A rapid clay-mineral change in the earliest Priabonian of the North Sea Basin?

  • R. Saeys K.U. Leuven, Historical Geology, Redingenstraat 16, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
  • A. Verheyen K.U. Leuven, Historical Geology, Redingenstraat 16, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
  • N. Vandenberghe K.U. Leuven, Historical Geology, Redingenstraat 16, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016774600020242
Keywords: clay minerals, Paleogene, North Sea Basin

Abstract

In the Eocene to Oligocene transitional strata in Belgium, clay mineral associations vary in response to the climatic evolution and to tectonic pulses. Decreasing smectite to illite ratios and the systematic occurrence of illite-smectite irregular interlayers are consequences of a cooling climate. A marked increase in kaolinite content occurs just after a major unconformity formed at the Bartonian/Priabonian boundary and consequently is interpreted as resulting from the breakdown of uplifted saprolites.

Published
2004-09-01
How to Cite
R. Saeys, A. Verheyen, & N. Vandenberghe. (2004). A rapid clay-mineral change in the earliest Priabonian of the North Sea Basin?. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences, 83, 179 - 185. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016774600020242
Issue
Volume 83 - 2004
Section
Regular paper
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