Arundel Formation
The Arundel Formation, also known as the Arundel Clay, is a clay-rich sedimentary rock formation, within the Potomac Group, found in Maryland of the United States of America. It is of Aptian age (Lower Cretaceous). This rock unit had been economically important as a source of iron ore, but is now more notable for its dinosaur fossils. It consists of clay lenses within depressions in the upper part of the Patuxent Formation that may represent oxbow swamp facies. It is named for Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
| Arundel Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: | |
Outdoor excavation on an exposed portion of the Arundel clays at Dinosaur Park at Laurel, Maryland, USA | |
| Type | Geological Formation |
| Unit of | Potomac Group |
| Underlies | Patapsco Formation (Unconformity) |
| Overlies | Patuxent Formation |
| Thickness | up to 125 feet (40 m) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Clay |
| Other | Siderite nodules |
| Location | |
| Region | Maryland, Washington D. C. |
| Country | United States |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Anne Arundel County, Maryland |
| Named by | W. B. Clark, 1897 |
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.