Lyell Collection
Geological Society, London, Special Publications
Lyell Centre  |   Lyell Collection  |   Subscriptions   |   Geological Society  |   Email alerts  |   Online bookshop  |   Help

Keywords:
Author:
Advanced search>>
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Rees, J. G.
Right arrow Articles by Merriman, R. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
GeoRef
Right arrow GeoRef Citation
Geological Society, London, Special Publications; 1996; v. 107; p. 345-357;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.SP.1996.107.01.24
© 1996 Geological Society of London

Basinal Facies

The Apedale tuffs, North Staffordshire: probable remnants of a late Asbian/Brigantian (P1a) volcanic centre

J. G. Rees, J. D. Cornwell, Z. K. Dabek & R. J. Merriman

British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK

A borehole sunk in 1920–21 at Apedale, North Staffordshire, unexpectedly proved a tuff-dominated sequence, at least 840m thick, below a thin cover of Silesian sedimentary rocks. The tuffs were initially interpreted as Dinantian in age. However, there are similarities of form and lineament between an aeromagnetic anomaly centred upon Apedale and anomalies in the Welsh Marches associated with Neoproterozoic (Uriconian) rocks, suggesting that Neoproterozoic rocks occur at Apedale and that the tuffs in Apedale Borehole might also be of this age. Recent modelling of geophysical data shows that Apedale is underlain by two (magnetic) volcanic bodies — a deeper ridge of probable Uriconian rock, and a shallower, broadly stratiform body which includes the tuffs in the Apedale Borehole. Comparison of the tuffs at Apedale with others in the region suggests that they are of P1a (late Asbian to early Brigantian) age. Although our knowledge of the extent of the Apedale tuffs is poor, their thickness shows that they erupted from one of the largest centres of Dinantian volcanism in central England. The trace element geochemistry is very similar to that of Dinantian volcanic rocks in southwest England.