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The Pleistocene rocks of the Cayman Islands

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

M. A. Brunt ,
M. E. C. Giglioli ,
J. D. Mather ,
D. J. W. Piper  and
H. G. Richards
M. A. Brunt
Affiliation:
Land Resources Division, Overseas Development Administration, Tolworth Tower, Surbiton, Surrey.
M. E. C. Giglioli
Affiliation:
Mosquito Research and Control Unit, Georgetown, Grand Cayman, West Indies.
J. D. Mather
Affiliation:
Hydrogeological Department, Institute of Geological Sciences, Exhibition Road, London SW7.
D. J. W. Piper
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge CB2 3EQ.
H. G. Richards
Affiliation:
Academy of Natural Sciences, 19th and the Parkway, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
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Summary

In the Cayman Islands a core of Miocene and Oligocene crystalline limestones is overlain unconformably by limestones of the Pleistocene Ironshore Formation. Within this Formation five separate depositional environments are recognized. A reef facies contains corals still in their growth position. This reef facies is succeeded by a back reef facies, followed by a lagoonal facies. The lagoonal facies contains a diverse molluskan fauna of 75 species which differs considerably from that found in the present lagoons around the island. Rocks of these facies are overlain in places by ridges of calcarenite, considered to be shoal deposits. Higher ridges which overlie the Tertiary limestones and reef facies rocks are interpreted as beach ridges. It is thought that the Pleistocene sediments were deposited around a gradually subsiding core of Tertiary rocks.

Type
Articles
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 110 , Issue 3 , May 1973 , pp. 209 - 221
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

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