2.1. Berchem Formation - Bc

Authors: De Meuter & Laga (1976).

Description: green to blackish, fine to medium fine, often slightly clayey, very glauconiferous sand; rich in shells, dispersed in the sediment or concentrated in subhorizontal, sometimes massive layers; locally decalcified; basal gravel more or less developed, consisting mainly of dark rounded flint pebbles.

Stratotype: temporary exposures of the excavations for the "E3 - Kleine Ring" motorway around Antwerp (the present number of the motorway is E17), from Antwerp - Zuidstation to Borgerhout - Rivierenhof.

Area: Antwerp province: subsurface exposures and borings to the north and east of Antwerp.

Members: the formation is divided in the Antwerp area into the Edegem Sands Mbr, the Kiel Sands Mbr and the Antwerpen Sands Mbr. In the Antwerp Campine area it is divided into the Antwerpen Sands Mbr. and the Zonderschot Sands Mbr.

Thickness: 100 m

Age: Late Aquitanian to Serravallian.

Remarks: the formation is also discussed by Cogels in Van Ertborn (1879), De Heinzelin (1955a), Huyghebaert & Nolf (1979), Louwye (2000), Louwye & Laga (1998), Lyell (1852), Nyst (1845, 1861a), Vanden Broeck (1876).