Kortrijk Formation
The Kortrijk Formation (Dutch: Formatie van Kortrijk; French: Formation de Courtrai; abbreviation: Ko; named after the West-Flemish city of Kortrijk) is a geologic formation in the Belgian subsurface. This formation crops out in northern Hainaut, southern West- and East-Flanders and in Walloon Brabant. The formation consists of marine clay from the Ypresian age (early Eocene, about 54 million years old).[1][2]
| Kortrijk Formation Stratigraphic range: Ypresian ~54 Ma | |
|---|---|
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Ieper Group |
| Sub-units | Mont Héribu Member Orchies or Saint-Maur Member Moen or Roubaix Member Aalbeke Member |
| Underlies | Tielt Formation |
| Overlies | Landen Group Tienen & Hannut Formations |
| Thickness | up to 125 m (410 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Marine claystone |
| Location | |
| Region | Hainaut, West-, East-Flanders & Walloon Brabant |
| Country | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Belgium |
| Extent | Campine Basin |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Kortrijk |
| Region | West-Flanders |
Description
The Kortrijk Formation consists predominantly of clay, sometimes sandy or silty. The formation generally becomes sandier to the east, in Brabant and the Campine area. In some places fossils or bioturbation occur. In the westernmost part of Belgium it can be 125 metres (410 ft) thick, but it gradually wedges out to the east.[2]
Subdivision
The Kortrijk Formation is subdivided into at least four members: the Mont Héribou, Orchies or Saint-Maur, Moen or Roubaix and the Aalbeke Member. The Kortrijk Formation forms the lowest part of the Ieper Group and is stratigraphically overlain by the younger Tielt Formation (late Ypresian marine sand), part of the same group. The Kortrijk Formation lies on top of late Paleocene formations like the Tienen Formation or Hannut Formation, both part of the Landen Group.[1][2]
See also
- List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Belgium
- Ypresian formations
- Fur Formation of Denmark
- London Clay Formation of England
- Silveirinha Formation of Portugal
- Wasatchian formations
- Nanjemoy Formation of the eastern United States
- Wasatch Formation of the western United States
- Itaboraian formations
- Itaboraí Formation of Brazil
- Laguna del Hunco Formation of Argentina
References
- Steurbaut, 2006, p.76
- Kortrijk Formation - National Commission on the Stratigraphy of Belgium
Bibliography
- Steurbaut, Etienne; Marleen De Ceukelaire; Tim Lanckacker; Johan Matthijs; Peter Stassen; Hervé Van Baelen, and Noël Vandenberghe. 2017. An update of the lithostratigraphy of the Ieper Group, 1–79. National Commission for the Stratigraphy of Belgium. Accessed 2020-09-07.
- Steurbaut, Etienne. 2006. Ypresian. Geologica Belgica 9. 73–93. Accessed 2020-09-07.
- Laga, P.; S. Louwye, and S. Geets. 2001. Paleogene and Neogene lithostratigraphic units (Belgium). Geologica Belgica 4. 135–152. Accessed 2020-09-07.