LA ROSA, "Coal Measures"

TERTIARY (Paleocene)

State of Zulia, Venezuela

Synonym of MARCELINA FORMATION

Author of name: Garner, 1926.

Original reference: Garner, 1926, p. 680.

Original description: ibid.

The La rosa "coal measures" were originally named and described by Garner (1926, p. 680). The type-locality is found in the neighborhood of the La Rosa CoalMine, along the Guasare River, Districts of Mara and Páez, western State of Zulia.

The unit is made-up of sandstones interbedded with shales and coallayers. The sandstones are commonly light-gray; locally calcareous and massive. The shales constitute, approximately, a 25% of the formation and are dark-gray to black. The numerous coal beds reach their maximum development towards the base.

The name Marcelina formation was introduced by Sutton (1946, p. 1664) to designate a unit that he thought to be equivalent to "La Rosa Coal Measures". The latter is obsolete.

G. Rivero N.