Strathclyde Group

Strathclyde Group (SYG), Carboniferous, Midland Valley of Scotland

Name

Previously Upper Oil Shale Group (URO); Lower Oil Shale Group (LRO); Oil-Shale Group; Calciferous Sandstone Measures (CSM)

Lithology

Sandstone, siltstone, mudstone and seatrock, with some coal seams, ironstones and limestones; non-marine faunas common; marine faunal bands rare except in top part.

Stratotype

Glasgow area, Strathclyde, Scotland. (Reference Sections: See Type Sections of components: Clyde Plateau Volcanic Formation, Kirkwood Formation, Lawmuir Formation, Gullane Formation, Aberlady Formation, West Lothian Oil-Shale Formation, Arthur’s Seat Volcanic Formation and Garleton Hills Volcanic Formation). Reference Section: coastal sections, east Fife: Pathhead Beds, Sandy Craig Beds, Pittenweem Beds, Anstruther Beds, Fife Ness Beds.

Lower and upper boundaries

Definition of Lower Boundary: In west at base of Clyde Plateau Volcanic Formation; in east at base of Gullane Formation or Arthur’s Seat Volcanic Formation . Conformable or (locally) unconformable. Definition of Upper Boundary: Conformable at base of Lower Limestone Formation.

Thickness

To c.1500m.

Geographical limits

Midland Valley of Scotland.

Age

Chadian Age (CI) — Brigantian Age (CX).

References

Paterson, I B and Hall, I H S, 1986. Lithostratigraphy of the late Devonian and early Carboniferous rocks in the Midland Valley of Scotland. British Geological Survey Report, 18/3.

Chisholm, J I, MacAdam, A D, Brand, P J. 1989. Lithostratigraphical classification of Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous rocks in the Lothians. British Geological Survey Technical Report, WA/89/26.

Forsyth, I H and Chisholm, J I, 1977. The geology of east Fife. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain.

McGregor, A G, 1960. Divisions of the Carboniferous on Geological Survey Scottish maps. Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, No.16, p.127-130.