coal measure

A coal measure (stratigraphic unit) is the name given to any rock sequence that occurs in the upper part of the Carboniferous System in Europe. It is equivalent to the Pennsylvanian of North America. These rocks are typically coal-bearing. The term coal measure is also used to describe a succession of sedimentary rocks comprising of claystones, shales, siltstones, sandstones, conglomerates, and limestones that are interstratified with beds of coal. Such succession occur worldwide and may not necessarily be Carboniferous in age (such as the Permian coal measures of Australia and the late Cretaceous and early Tertiary coal measures found in New Zealand).

References and further reading

CJ Cleal and BA Thomas, Plants of the British Coal Measures, The Palaeontological Association, 1994.

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