Cliffs at Hunstanton, Norfolk showing three distinct layers of rock; nearest the beach is Carstone (40-58ft, 12-17m thick), thin layer of Red Rock (4f

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Cliffs at Hunstanton, Norfolk showing three distinct layers of rock; nearest the beach is Carstone (40-58ft, 12-17m thick), thin layer of Red Rock (4ft ) topped by Cenomanian chalk (18ft, ). Carstone (ginger brown) is a coarse & gritty sandstone from the Lower Cretaceous. It contains large quantities of iron & the minerals kyanite, staurolite, tourmaline, rutile & zircon. The stratum of Red Rock (young lower Cretaceous) is a continuation of the Gault Clay & consists of a pink ferruginous (iron) limestone layer with peebles scattered in it. The Cenomanian chalk layer (Upper Cretaceous) contains fine calcite crystals, making this chalk harder than average.

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Size: 2939px × 2997px
Photo credit: © DR JEREMY BURGESS/SCIENCE PHOT LIBRARY. / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: carstone, cenomanian, chalk, clay, earth, gault, geology, limestone, red, rock, sandstone, science, strata