1.2.2 Middle Member

Author: Renier, 1902.

Description: The Middle Mbr is characterized by predominantly fossiliferous limestone clasts in a red calcareo-argillaceous matrix intercalated with sandstone-siltstone-mudstone lenses and rare sandstone beds.

A few levels show an early stage of calcareous paleosol development (Geukens, 1986; Vandenven, 1991). Size of clasts: generally ranging from 2 to 50 cm.

Reference sections: S slope of Warche valley at Bevercé and slope at the back of the Malmédy cathedral.

Area: Malmédy, Stavelot and Basse-Bodeux.

Thickness: About 150 m in the Malmédy area; 30 to 40 m at Stavelot and about 70 m in the Basse-Bodeux area.

Age: The allochthonous limestone clasts yield conodont faunas of upper Emsian, Eifelian, Givetian, Frasnian, Famennian and Tournaisian age. Tabulate and rugose corals are of Eifelian-Givetian age and stromatoporoids Givetian-Frasnian (Smolderen, 1987). Maillieux (1931) mentioned brachiopods and corals from Emsian, Eifelian, Givetian and probably Frasnian age.

Remarks: Age, litho- and biofacies of the limestone clasts, colour alteration index of the conodonts and direction of debris supply, as determined by size distribution of the clasts, point to a mixture of sediments from different sources. One of these was the Eifel area. In the Basse-Bodeux area the limestone clasts are less frequent and smaller (2 to 7 cm) than in the Malmédy area. According to Geukens (1986) there may be two stratigraphically different units with limestone clasts.