Université de Fribourg

Geochemical fingerprinting of key lithologies and depositional processes across the upper boundary of the Opalinus Clay (Aalenian, Middle Jurassic, northern Switzerland)

Lauper, Bruno ; Deplazes, Gaudenz ; Vogel, Hendrik ; Jaeggi, David ; Wohlwend, Stephan ; Ariztegui, Daniel ; Foubert, Anneleen

In: The Depositional Record, 2021, vol. 7, no. 1, p. 25-51

The Opalinus Clay is an argillaceous to silty mudstone formation, notable in Switzerland as the selected host rock for deep geological disposal of radioactive waste. Its upper bounding unit (Passwang Formation and eastern equivalents) is composed of successions of mudstone, sandy bioclastic marl and limestone separated by ooidal ironstone beds. The lithostratigraphic transition is diachronous...