Lithofacies and depositional settings of the Coniacian–Campanian Chalks in the Mons Basin (Belgium)

[en] Three drill holes in the Mons Basin yield together 350 m of Coniacian to Campanian chalk cores. Detailed geological logging was conducted on the well-known Trivières Chalk, Saint-Vaast Chalk, and Maisières Chalk formations. A thorough sedimentological characterization was performed, from macrofacies to SEM microtexture. Petrographic observations and geochemical analysis indicate eogenetic calcite cementation and phosphatization in two benchmark levels, already known for their high glaucony content, namely in the Trivières Chalk Formation and the Maisières Chalk Formation. Upwelling currents, prevalent during the Late Cretaceous, are likely the source of the phosphates, and the cause of reduced sedimentation rates. Strong anoxic currents resulted in the formation of hardgrounds, the development of glaucony pellets and pyrite formation within shallow subtidal sediments. Multiple conglomeratic chalk intervals were identified in the Trivières Chalk Formation. They likely result from local sediment destabilization due to extensional tectonic activity. Moreover, the identification of deformation bands attests to synsedimentary tectonic activity within the basin. Overall, this research unravels various phenomena, including marine currents, sea-level fluctuations, and tectonic activity, that influenced chalk deposition in the Mons Basin. This research enables enhanced comprehension and forecasting of the heterogeneities in chalk and its spatial variability.

Disciplines :

Earth sciences & physical geography

Author, co-author :

FAY, Ophélie ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté Polytechnique > Service de Génie Minier

CLAES, Hannes

SWENNEN, Rudy

Descamps, Fanny ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté Polytechnique > Service de Génie Minier

VANDYCKE, Sara ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté Polytechnique > Service de Génie Minier

Language :

English

Title :

Lithofacies and depositional settings of the Coniacian–Campanian Chalks in the Mons Basin (Belgium)

Publication date :

30 December 2025

Journal title :

Geologica Belgica

ISSN :

1374-8505

eISSN :

2034-1954

Publisher :

Geologica Belgica

Volume :

Issue :

3-4

Pages :

147-172

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Research unit :

F408 - Génie Minier

Research institute :

Matériaux

Available on ORBi UMONS :

since 26 December 2025

Statistics

Number of views

62 (4 by UMONS)

Number of downloads

101 (1 by UMONS)

More statistics

Scopus citations^®

Scopus citations^®
without self-citations

OpenCitations

OpenAlex citations

Bibliography

Abdallah, Y., Sulem, J., Bornert, M., Ghabezloo, S. & Stefanou, I., 2021. Compaction banding in high‐porosity carbonate rocks: 1. Experimental observations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 126/1, e2020JB020538. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JB020538
Amédro, F., Graveleau, F., Hofmann, A., Trentesaux, A. & Tribovillard, N., 2023. La craie glauconieuse de Lezennes et ses « Tuns» dans le forage de la Cité Scientifique de Villeneuve d’Ascq (Nord): interprétation d’une succession ultra condensée à la limite Turonien-Coniacien. Annales de la Société Géologique du Nord, 30, 49–78.
Amédro, F., Deconinck, J.-F. & Robaszynski, F., 2025. The Cretaceous deposits of the Paris Basin. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 545, 13–34. https://doi.org/10.1144/SP545-2023-90
Aydin, A. & Johnson, A.M., 1978. Development of faults as zones of deformation bands and as slip surfaces in sandstone. Pure and applied Geophysics, 116, 931–942.
Baele, J.-M., Godefroit, P., Spagna, P. & Dupuis, C., 2012. A short introduction to the geology of the Mons Basin and the Iguanodon Sinkhole, Belgium. In Godefroit, P. (ed.), Bernissart Dinosaurs and Early Cretaceous Terrestrial Ecosystems. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Life of the Past, 35–42.
Banerjee, S., Farouk, S., Nagm, E., Choudhury, T.R. & Meena, S.S., 2019. High Mg-glauconite in the Campanian Duwi Formation of Abu Tartur plateau, Egypt and its implications. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 156, 12–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2019.05.001
Bansal, U., Pande, K., Banerjee, S., Nagendra, R. & Jagadeesan, K.C., 2019. The timing of oceanic anoxic events in the Cretaceous succession of Cauvery Basin: Constraints from 40Ar/39Ar ages of glauconite in the Karai Shale Formation. Geological Journal, 54/1, 308–315. https://doi.org/10.1002/gj.3177
Briart, A. & Cornet, F.-L., 1880. Descriptions des fossiles du calcaire grossier de Mons. Troisième partie. Supplément aux deux premières parties. Mémoires de l’Académie royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, 43/1, 1–80.
Carson, G.A. & Crowley, S.F., 1993. The glauconite-phosphate association in hardgrounds: examples from the Cenomanian of Devon, southwest England. Cretaceous Research, 14/1, 69–89. https://doi.org/10.1006/cres.1993.1006
Christensen, W.K., 1999. Upper Campanian and Lower Maastrichtian belemnites from the Mons Basin, Belgium. Bulletin de l’Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Sciences de la Terre, 69, 97–131.
Colbeaux, J. P., 1974. Mise en évidence d’une zone de cisaillement nordartois. Comptes Rendus hebdomadaires des séances de l’Académie des Sciences, Série D: Sciences naturelles, Paris, 278, 1159–1161.
Cornet, F.-L. & Briart, A., 1866. Description minéralogique, paléontologique et géologique du terrain crétacé de la province de Hainaut: Mémoire couronné par la Société des Sciences, des Arts et des Lettres du Hainaut (concours de 1863-1864). Dequesne-Masquillier, Mons, 199 p.
Cornet, J., 1922. V. The Cretaceous and Tertiary formations of the Mons District. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association, 33/1, 26–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7878(22)80016-X
Descamps, F., Faÿ-Gomord, O., Vandycke, S., Gonze, N. & Tshibangu, J.-P., 2020. Connecting engineering properties of chalk to geological logging. In ISRM International Symposium - EUROCK 2020. p. ISRM-EUROCK-2020-039.
Dunham, R.J., 1962. Classification of carbonate rocks according to depositional texture. Memoir of American Association of Petroleum Geology, 1, 108–121
Dupuis, C. & Robaszynski, F., 1986. Tertiary and Quaternary deposits in and around the Mons Basin, documents for a field trip. Mededelingen van de Werkgroep voor Tertiaire en Kwartaire Geologie, 23/1, 3–19.
Dupuis, C. & Vandycke, S., 1989. Tectonique et karstification profonde: un modèle de subsidence original pour le Bassin de Mons. Annales de la Société géologique de Belgique, 112/2, 479–487.
Faÿ-Gomord, O., Soete, J., Katika, K., Galaup, S., Caline, B., Descamps, F., Lasseur, E., Fabricius, I.L., Saiag, J., Swennen, R. & Vandycke, S., 2016. New insight into the microtexture of chalks from NMR analysis. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 75, 252–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2016.04.019
Faÿ-Gomord, O., Verbiest, M., Lasseur, E., Caline, B., Allanic, C., Descamps, F., Vandycke, S. & Swennen R., 2018. Geological and mechanical study of argillaceous North Sea chalk: Implications for the characterisation of fractured reservoirs. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 92, 962–978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2018.03.037
Flexer, A. & Reyment, R.A., 1989. Note on Cretaceous transgressive peaks and their relation to geodynamic events for the Arabo-Nubian and the Northern African shields. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 8, 65–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-5362(89)80010-7
Gale, A.S., 2024. Correlation of the Coniacian and Santonian stages of the Upper Cretaceous in the Anglo-Paris Basin. Acta Geologica Polonica, 74/2, e8. https://doi.org/10.24425/agp.2024.150001
Gaviglio, P., Bekri, S., Vandycke, S., Adler, P. M., Schroeder, C., Bergerat, F. & Coulon, M., 2009. Faulting and deformation in chalk. Journal of Structural Geology, 31/2, 194–207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2008.11.011
Georgieva, T., Descamps, F., Gonze, N., Vandycke, S., Ajdanlijsky, G. & Tshibangu, J.-P., 2023. Stability assessment of a shallow abandoned chalk mine of Malogne (Belgium). European Journal of Environmental and Civil Engineering, 27/6, 2358–2372. https://doi.org/10.1080/19648189.2020.1762752
Godet, A., Suarez, M.B., Price, D., Lehrmann, D.J. & Adams, T., 2023. Paleoenvironmental constraints on shallow-marine carbonate production in central and West Texas during the Albian (Early Cretaceous). Cretaceous Research, 144, 105462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2022.105462
Godfriaux, I. & Sigal, J., 1969. Les foraminifères de la craie de Maisières et de la craie de Saint-Vaast (bassin Crétacé de Mons). Bulletin de la Société belge de Géologie, de Paléontologie et d’Hydrologie, 78/3-4, 187–190.
Gräfe, K.-U., 1999. Foraminiferal evidence for Cenomanian sequence stratigraphy and palaeoceanography of the Boulonnais (Paris Basin, northern France). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 153/1-4, 41–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-0182 (99)00080-2
Haq, B.U., 2014. Cretaceous eustasy revisited. Global and Planetary change, 113, 44–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2013.12.007
Ineson, J.R., Lauridsen, B.W., Lode, S., Sheldon, E., Sørensen, H.O., Wisshak, M. & Anderskouv, K., 2022. A condensed chalk–marl succession on an Early Cretaceous intrabasinal structural high, Danish Central Graben: Implications for the sequence stratigraphic interpretation of the Munk Marl Bed. Sedimentary Geology, 440, 106234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2022.106234
Ineson, J.R., Stemmerik, L. & Surlyk, F., 2005. Chalk. In Selley, R.C, Cocks L.R.M. & Plimer, I.R. (eds), Encyclopedia of Geology, Volume 5. Elsevier, Oxford, 42–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/B0-12-369396-9/00307-5
Jarvis, I., 1980. The initiation of phosphatic chalk sedimentation – The Senonian (Cretaceous) of the Anglo-Paris Basin. The Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Special Publications, 29, 167–192. https://doi.org/10.2110/pec.80.29.0167
Jarvis, I., 1992. Sedimentology, geochemistry and origin of phosphatic chalks: the Upper Cretaceous deposits of NW Europe. Sedimentology, 39, 55–97. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.13653091.1992.tb01023.x
Jarvis, I., 2006. The Santonian–Campanian phosphatic chalks of England and France. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association, 117/2, 219–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7878(06)80011-8
Jørgensen, L.N., 1992. Dan Field – Denmark, Central Graben, Danish North Sea. In Foster, N.H. & Beaumont, E.A. (eds), Atlas of Oil and Gas Fields. Structural Traps VI. American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Tulsa, 199–218.
Kennedy, W.J., 1987. Late Cretaceous and early Palaeocene Chalk Group sedimentation in the Greater Ekofisk area, North Sea central graben. Bulletin des Centres de Recherches Exploration-Production Elf- Aquitaine, 11/1, 91–126.
Kominz, M.A., Browning, J.V., Miller, K.G., Sugarman, P.J., Mizintseva, S. & Scotese, C.R., 2008. Late Cretaceous to Miocene sea‐level estimates from the New Jersey and Delaware coastal plain coreholes: An error analysis. Basin Research, 20/2, 211–226. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2117.2008.00354.x
Ladant, J.B., Poulsen, C.J., Fluteau, F., Tabor, C.R., MacLeod, K.G., Martin, E.E. & Rostami, M.A., 2020. Paleogeographic controls on the evolution of Late Cretaceous ocean circulation. Climate of the Past, 16/3, 973–1006. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-973-2020
Lasseur, E., Guillocheau, F., Robin, C., Hanot, F., Vaslet, D., Coueffe, R. & Neraudeau, D., 2009. A relative water-depth model for the Normandy Chalk (Cenomanian–Middle Coniacian, Paris Basin, France) based on facies patterns of metre-scale cycles. Sedimentary Geology, 213, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2008.10.007
Lauridsen, B.W. & Surlyk, F., 2008. Benthic faunal response to late Maastrichtian chalk–marl cyclicity at Rørdal, Denmark. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 269/1-2, 38–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.07.001
López-Quirós, A., Escutia, C., Sánchez-Navas, A., Nieto, F., Garcia-Casco, A., Martín-Algarra, A. & Salabarnada, A., 2019. Glaucony authigenesis, maturity and alteration in the Weddell Sea: An indicator of paleoenvironmental conditions before the onset of Antarctic glaciation. Scientific reports, 9, 13580. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-50107-1
Marlière, R., 1967. Carte géologique de la Belgique à l’échelle 1/25 000. Texte explicatif de la feuille Mons-Givry, n° 151. Hayez, Bruxelles, 71 p.
Marlière, R., 1970. Géologie du bassin de Mons et du Hainaut: Un siècle d’histoire. Annales de la Société géologique du Nord, 4, 171–189.
Mendenhall, M.H., Henins, A., Hudson, L.T., Szabo, C.I., Windover, D. & Cline, J P., 2017. High-precision measurement of the x-ray Cu Kα spectrum. Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, 50/11, 115004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6455/aa6c4a
Minde, M.W. & Hiorth, A., 2020. Compaction and fluid—rock interaction in chalk insight from modelling and data at pore-, core-, and field-scale. Geosciences, 10, 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/ geosciences10010006
Moorkens, T.L., 1969. Quelques Globotruncanidae et Rotaliporidae du Cénomanien, Turonien et Coniacien de la Belgique. In Brönnimann, P. & Renz, H.H. (eds), Proceedings of the First International Conference on Planktonic Microfossils, Geneva 1967, Vol. 2. E.J. Brill, Leiden, 435–459.
Mortimore, R.N., Gallagher, L.T., Gelder, J.T., Moore, I.R., Brooks, R. & Farrant, A.R., 2017. Stonehenge–a unique Late Cretaceous phosphatic Chalk geology: implications for sea-level, climate and tectonics and impact on engineering and archaeology. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association, 128/4, 564–598. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pgeola.2017.02.003
Müller, R.D., Sdrolias, M., Gaina, C., Steinberger, B. & Heine, C., 2008. Long-term sea-level fluctuations driven by ocean basin dynamics. Science, 319/5868, 1357–1362. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1151540
Muscente, A.D., Michel, F.M., Dale, J.G. & Xiao, S., 2015. Assessing the veracity of Precambrian ‘sponge’ fossils using in situ nanoscale analytical techniques. Precambrian Research, 263, 142–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2015.03.010
Naujokaitytė, J., Garb, M.P., Thibault, N., Brophy, S.K., Landman, N.H., Witts, J.D. & Myers, C.E., 2021. Milankovitch cyclicity in the latest Cretaceous of the Gulf Coastal Plain, USA. Sedimentary Geology, 421, 105954. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2021.105954
Odin, G.S. & Matter, A., 1981. De glauconiarum origine. Sedimentology, 28, 611–641. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.13653091.1981.tb01925.x
Pickering, K., Stow, D., Watson, M. & Hiscott, R., 1986. Deep-water facies, processes and models: a review and classification scheme for modern and ancient sediments. Earth-Science Reviews, 23/2, 75–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-8252(86)90001-2
Philip, J. & Floquet, M., 2000. Late Cenomanian (94.7–93.5 Ma). In Dercourt, J., Gaetani, M., Vrielynck, B., Barrier, E., Biju-Duval, B., Brunet, M.F., Cadet, J.P., Crasquin, S. & Sandulescu, M. (eds), Atlas Peri-Tethys: Palaeogeographical Maps. Commission de la Carte géologique du Monde, Paris, 129–152.
Quinif, Y., Vandycke, S. & Vergari, A., 1997. Chronologie et causalité entre tectonique et karstification. L’exemple des paléokarsts crétacés du Hainaut (Belgique). Bulletin de la Société géologique de France, 168, 463–472.
Richard, J., Sizun, J.-P. & Machhour, L., 2005. Environmental and diagenetic records from a new reference section for the Boreal realm: The Campanian chalk of the Mons basin (Belgium). Sedimentary Geology, 178/1-2, 99–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2005.04.001
Robaszynski, F. & Martin, M., 1988. Late Cretaceous phosphate stratiform deposits of the Mons Basin (Belgium). In Boissonnas, J. & Omenetto, P. (eds), Mineral Deposits within the European Community. Springer, Berlin, 515–529. https://doi.org/10.1007/978 -3-642-51858-4_28
Robaszynski, F. & Christensen, W.K., 1989. The Upper Campanian-Lower Maastrichtian chalks of the Mons basin, Belgium: a preliminary study of belemnites and foraminifera in the Harmignies and Ciply areas. Geologie en Mijnbouw, 68/4, 391–408.
Robaszynski, F., Dhondt, A. & Jagt, J., 2001. Cretaceous lithostratigraphic units (Belgium). Geologica Belgica, 4/1-2, 121–134. https://doi.org/10.20341/gb.2014.049
Roduit, N., 2008. JMicroVision: Image analysis toolbox for measuring and quantifying components of high-definition images. Ver, 1/7, 2002–2007.
Ruban, D.A., 2015. Mesozoic long-term eustatic cycles and their uncertain hierarchy. Geoscience Frontiers, 6/4, 503–511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2014.06.001
Saïag, J., Collin, P.-Y., Sizun, J.-P., Herbst, F., Faÿ‐Gomord, O., Chateau Smith, C. & Lasseur, E., 2019. Classifying chalk microtextures: sedimentary versus diagenetic origin (Cenomanian–Santonian, Paris Basin, France). Sedimentology, 66/7, 2976–3007. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12618
Spagna, P., Yans, J., Schnyder, J. & Dupuis, C., 2012. The paleoenvironment of the Bernissart Iguanodons: Sedimentological analysis of the Lower Cretaceous Wealden facies in the Bernissart area. In Godefroit, P (ed.), Bernissart Dinosaurs and Early Cretaceous Terrestrial Ecosystems. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 87–95.
Surlyk, F., 1997. A cool-water carbonate ramp with bryozoan mounds: Late Cretaceous-Danian of the Danish Basin. In James, N.P. & Clarke, J.A.D. (eds), Cool-Water Carbonates. SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology, Tulsa, SEPM Special Publications, 56, 293–308. https://doi.org/10.2110/pec.97.56.0293
Surlyk, F., Dons, T., Clausen, C.K., Higham, J., Evans, D., Graham, C., Armour, A. & Bathurst, P., 2003. Upper Cretaceous. In Evans, D., Graham, C., Armour, A & Bathurst, P. (eds), The Millennium Atlas: Petroleum Geology of the Central and Northern North Sea. Geological Society of London, London, 213–233.
Swanger, W.R., Thigpen, J.R., Goldsby, R.C., Preece, M.B., Powell, N.E., Spencer, B.M., & Helfrich, A.L., 2023. Understanding deformation band formation across a range of length scales in the Paradox Basin, Utah. Journal of Structural Geology, 166, 104775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2022.104775
Thibault, N., Harlou, R., Schovsbo, N.H., Stemmerik, L. & Surlyk, F., 2016. Late Cretaceous (late Campanian–Maastrichtian) sea-surface temperature record of the Boreal Chalk Sea. Climate of the Past, 12, 429–438, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-12-429-2016
Thiry, M., Quesnel, F., Yans, J., Wyns, R., Vergari, A., Théveniaut, H., Simon-Coincon, R., Ricordel, C., Moreau, M.-G., Giot, D., Dupuis, C., Bruxelles, L., Barbarand, J. & Baele, J.-M., 2006. Continental France and Belgium during the early Cretaceous: paleoweatherings and paleolandforms. Bulletin de la Société géologique de France, 177/3, 155–175. https://doi.org/10.2113/gssgfbull.177.3.155
Tribovillard, N., Lyons, T.W., Riboulleau, A. & Bout-Roumazeilles, V, 2008. A possible capture of molybdenum during early diagenesis of dysoxic sediments. Bulletin de la Société géologique de France, 179/1, 3–12. https://doi.org/10.2113/gssgfbull.179.1.3
Vandycke, S., 2002. Palaeostress records in Cretaceous formations in NW Europe: extensional and strike–slip events in relationships with Cretaceous–Tertiary inversion tectonics. Tectonophysics, 357/1-4, 119–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1951(02)00365-7
Vandycke, S., 2010. Fractures, faults and joints in chalk and limestones. In Tectonics and Structural Geology in Belgium: Contact Forum, 14 May 2010. Académie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux -Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles, [5–6].
Vandycke, S. & Bergerat, F., 1989. Analyse microtectonique des déformations cassantes dans le Bassin de Mons. Reconstitution des paléo-champs de contrainte au Crétacé-Tertiaire. Annales Société géologique de Belgique, 112, 469–478.
Vandycke, S. & Spagna, P., 2012. Geodynamic and tectonic context of Early Cretaceous Iguanodon-bearing deposits in the Mons Basin. In Godefroit, P (ed.), Bernissart Dinosaurs and Early Cretaceous Terrestrial Ecosystems. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 63–68.
Vandycke, S., Bergerat, F. & Dupuis, C., 1991. Meso-Cenozoic faulting and inferred palaeostresses in the Mons Basin, Belgium. Tectonophysics, 192, 261–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951 (91)90103-Y
Velde, B. & Odin, G.S., 1975. Further information related to the origin of glauconite. Clays and Clay Minerals, 23/5, 376–381. https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.1975.0230509
Wennberg, O.P., Casini, G., Jahanpanah, A., Lapponi, F., Ineson, J., Wall, B.G. & Gillespie, P., 2013. Deformation bands in chalk, examples from the Shetland Group of the Oseberg Field, North Sea, Norway. Journal of Structural Geology, 56, 103–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2013.09.005
Young, R.A., 1993. Introduction to the Rietveld method. In Young, R.A. (ed.), The Rietveld Method. Oxford University Press, Oxford, International Union of Crystallography, Birmingham, IUCr Monographs on Crystallography, 5, 1–38. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198555773.003.0001
Ziegler, P.A., 1988. Evolution of the Arctic-North Atlantic and the western Tethys-a visual presentation of a series of paleogeographicpaleotectonic maps. AAPG Memoirs, 43, 164–196.
Ziegler, P. A., 1989. Geodynamic model for Alpine intra-plate compressional deformation in Western and Central Europe. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 44, 63–85. https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1989.044.01.05