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Lower Eocene red-clay sedimentation on the George Bligh/Rockall Channel

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Abstract

Core 7710, recovered on the George Bligh/Rockall Channel, is composed of fine grained ocher-colored sediments rich in ferriferous smectite (montmorillonite, beidellite). These sediments were deposited during early Eocene in a shallow marine environment. Their mineralogic, chemical and isotopic constituents indicate subaerial weathering of lower Eocene intermediate igneous rocks (ferrodiorite, marscoiite) eroded from the still-emergent George Bligh and Rockall Banks. Lack of any post Eocene Sediments may be due to major morphologic and hydrologic changes forming sedimentation gaps.

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Ferragne, A., Latouche, C. & Parra, M. Lower Eocene red-clay sedimentation on the George Bligh/Rockall Channel. Geo-Marine Letters 4, 77–82 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02277076

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02277076

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