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3.2 Stratigraphy of the ENCI quarry
The stratigraphy of Felder & Bosch, 1998 was used
for orientation in the field and for this description of the ENCI
stratigraphy. In the ENCI quarry a rather comprehensive section
of upper Cretaceous Maastrichtian carbonates are exposed (see Fig.
1). The upper part of the Gulpen formation and most of the
Maastricht formation are exposed in the ENCI quarry. The
carbonates were deposited in a (sub) tropical carbonate platform
setting (Smit & Brinkhuis, 1996). The lacking of corals and
rudists indicates cooling in the upper part (J. Smit, pers. comm.)
Since the research was carried out in the upper member
of the Maastricht formation (IVf), a further description
of this member is given (see Fig. 2). The base of the Meerssen
member is placed at the Caster horizon. This part of
the Meerssen member consists of yellow-white carbonates alternating
with bioclast grit layers and topped by hardgrounds. These layers
are also known from the older literature as "Bryozoen schichten"
or Bryozoan layers (Voigt, 1959).
In the northern part of the ENCI quarry, bioherm
structures occur on top of hardgrounds layers. The top of the Meerssen
member is discordantly overlain by the Tongeren formation.
This contact is a slight angular unconformity (Ravensbosch horizon).
As a result of erosion, the top of the Meerssen member is
missing (IVf-7).
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