--> Abstract: Stratigraphy of Belize, North of the 17th Parallel, by D.T. King, Jr., Kevin O. Pope, and Lucille W. Petruny; #90032 (2004)

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Stratigraphy of Belize, North of the 17th Parallel

D.T. King, Jr.1, Kevin O. Pope2, and Lucille W. Petruny3
1 Dept. Geology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
2 Geo Eco Arc Research, Aquasco, MD
3 AstraTerra Research, Auburn, AL

Belize, formerly British Honduras, has a thick Coastal Plain section composed of exposed and subsurface Mesozoic and Cenozoic strata. Since preparation of the relatively extensive 1952 stratigraphic study of G. Flores, which was written for the Bahamas Exploration Company, Ltd., no further detailed analysis of all stratigraphic units has been conducted in the northern area of Belize. Flores described all stratigraphic units in Belize as informal.

In 1986, a provisional geological map of Belize (1:250,000) was produced for the Petroleum Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources. This mapping effort did not include formalized stratigraphy either. The Ministry does not publish materials such as a stratigraphic guide and does not act as a clearinghouse for stratigraphic nomenclature. At present, Belize has no formal stratigraphy and there are no type localities for any of the informal stratigraphic units. Our experience in Belize, working in the interior of the country north of the 17th parallel, has been that the provisional geological map has serious deficiencies and that stratigraphic nomenclature can be confusing. For these reasons, we are presenting here a discussion of the main stratigraphic units of northern Belize, with a description of each, their provisional type localities, and pertinent references. This paper is not intended to establish formal nomenclature, but rather to help in the larger effort to more fully describe northern Belize Coastal Plain stratigraphy. This paper includes a detailed description of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary stratigraphy, which is not present in any previous stratigraphic synthesis for the area.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90032©2004 GCAGS 54th Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas, October 10-12, 2004