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Beshimah Formation
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Beshimah Fm base reconstruction

Beshimah Fm


Period: 
Paleogene

Age Interval: 
Thanetian – Ypresian, Lb1


Province: 
Libya

Type Locality and Naming

Column: Tripolitania and Sirte Basin; Middle formation in Jabal Wadden Gr

Synonym:


Lithology and Thickness

Members: 1. Rawaghah (Ruaga) chalk, composed of hard, massive dolomite and chalky dolomite. Occasionally brecciated and contains chert nodules and silicious limestone lenses 2. Wadi Zhakim (Formerly the Fluscolina limestone), which is chalky limestone and dolomite, deposited in a shallow marine environment and 3. Khier (Khayir) marl, which is composed of chalky gypsiferous marl and thin dolomitic limestone layers.


Lithology Pattern: 
Dolomitic limestone


Relationships and Distribution

Lower contact

Regionally, the schematic strat column indicates the next older unit as Shurfa Fm

Upper contact

Regionally, the schematic strat column indicates the next younger unit as Gir Gypsum Fm

Regional extent


GeoJSON

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Fossils


Age 

Thanetian - Ypresian

Age Span: 

    Beginning stage: 
Thanetian

    Fraction up in beginning stage: 
0.0

    Beginning date (Ma): 
59.24

    Ending stage: 
Ypresian

    Fraction up in the ending stage: 
0.5

    Ending date (Ma):  
52.04

Depositional setting


Depositional pattern:  


Additional Information


Compiler:  

Chart derived from: USGS Correlation Chart and Columnar Section for Rocks in Libya, 1963. Descriptions from: Hallet, Don: Petroleum Geology of Libya, 2002.