A contribution to the sedimentary-petrological description of the Maas deposits in Southern Limburg (The Netherlands)

Abstract

From the Plio-Pleistocene series of sediments deposited by the river Maas on the Late Tertiary peneplain of southern Limburg.(The Netherlands) three samples, one of Pliocene and two of Pleistocene age have been taken. From these samples the grains between 500 and 2 micron have been subjected to microscopic investigations. The acquired mineralogical data confirming in broad outline previous investigations, reveal that the Pleistocene materials deviate from the Pliocene especially on account of a very great content of goethite particles. It is suggested that the great amount of goethite may be of use to discern the Quaternary Maas deposits from other contemporary fluviatile sediments.