A Recorrelation of the Yoredale Limestones (Upper Viséan) of the Alston Block With Those of the Northumberland Trough

Abstract

Summary The paper presents a revised and detailed correlation of Yoredale limestones, from the Jew Limestone to the Great Limestone, from the Alston area across Northumberland into southern Scotland. Stratigraphical and micro-palaeontological evidence suggests that the Scar Limestone of Alston is the lateral equivalent of the “Five-Yard” Limestone of Greenhead and consequently of the Eelwell Limestone of north-east Northumberland. Lower in the sequence the Jew Limestone appears to split northwards into the Oxford and Barrasford limestones of Northumberland. Apart from a narrow area of thicker strata on the southern margin of the Northumberland Trough, the higher Yoredale beds in the trough do not exceed greatly in thickness those of the Alston Block.

Foraminiferal, calcareous algal and problematica assemblages from the Mississippian Lower Limestone Formation in the Midland Valley, Scotland

“…Holliday et al 1975) needs to be carefully assessed. This case would be the same also for the problematica, commonly related to the algae.…”

“…Burgess 1965;Holliday et al 1975;George et al 1976;Wilson 1979;Cameron & Stephenson 1985;Francis 1991;Browne et al 1999). Burgess 1965;Holliday et al 1975;George et al 1976;Wilson 1979;Cameron & Stephenson 1985;Francis 1991;Browne et al 1999).…”

“…Strank 1981), and the present authors' own survey of these data could not clarify sufficiently enough the problems detected in the foraminiferal lists recorded by Cummings (1961). Some data were extracted from the assessment and illustrations in Conil et al (1980) and Strank (1981), but correlations presented in Figure 3 have to be considered as tentative, and are based mostly on the work of Holliday et al (1975), and detailed correlation of many limestone horizons could not be corroborated precisely. Some data were extracted from the assessment and illustrations in Conil et al (1980) and Strank (1981), but correlations presented in Figure 3 have to be considered as tentative, and are based mostly on the work of Holliday et al (1975), and detailed correlation of many limestone horizons could not be corroborated precisely.…”

“…Furthermore, because of the lack of illustrated material in the study by Cummings, it seems to be impossible to use his foraminiferal and algal/problematica assemblages (FZ1-9) for precise biostratigraphic correlations. Holliday et al (1975) used the occurrence of Falsocalcifolium punctatum and Calcifolium okense as one of the main tools for the correlation of these limestones. Holliday et al (1975) used the occurrence of Falsocalcifolium punctatum and Calcifolium okense as one of the main tools for the correlation of these limestones.…”

Biostratigraphic zonation and correlation of Mississippian rocks in Western Europe: some case studies in the late Viséan/Serpukhovian

“…Many of the limestones in cyclothemic sequences (e.g. Yoredale facies in northern England and the Midland Valley of Scotland) contain distinctive macro-and microfossil assemblages which can be used for biostratigraphic correlation between platforms and basins (Holliday et al 1975;Burgess and Mitchell 1976;Johnson and Nudds 1996;Cózar and Somerville 2004). The limestone component of siliciclastic-dominated cyclothems usually represents the initial transgressive phase of the cycle (TST) when there is widespread carbonate sedimentation with attendant new biota.…”