Geologica Belgica Geologica Belgica -  volume 2 (1999)  number 3-4 

Organic components and diagenetic products in the travertine deposit at Villers-devant-Orval (S. Belgium)

An JANSSEN
Fysico-chemische geologie, K.U.Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200C, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium; An.Janssen@geo.kuleuven.ac.be.
Rudy SWENNEN
Fysico-chemische geologie, K.U.Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200C, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium; Rudy.Swennen@geo.kuleuven.ac.be.

Abstract

The travertine deposit at Villers-devant-Orval (S. Belgium) formed during the Preboreal till the Boreal. In the first terrace studied in this paper, five lithostratigraphic units were distinguished, based on the presence of gravel, loam, peat and fine, medium grained and coarse travertine. Within the latter, encrusted branches and algal and cyanobacterial filaments are the most important organic components. Vadose diagenesis of the deposit is indicated by the presence of needle-crystals, fiber calcite crystals and dendrites. Meteoric phreatic diagenetic products occur as gothic-arch calcite crystals and euhedral crystals, which cement the pores.

Keywords : travertine, algal and cyanobacterial filaments, diagenesis, needle-like calcite crystals, gothic-arch calcite crystals

Pour citer cet article

An JANSSEN & Rudy SWENNEN, «Organic components and diagenetic products in the travertine deposit at Villers-devant-Orval (S. Belgium)», Geologica Belgica [En ligne], number 3-4, volume 2 (1999), 197-212 URL : https://popups.uliege.be/1374-8505/index.php?id=1797.