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R.W. White

Publications and source records attributed to R.W. White.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

Liberian age province (about 2,700 m.y.)and adjacent provinces in Liberia and Sierra Leone

Whole-rock Rb-Sr dating of rocks from the crystalline basement has disclosed an age province in Liberia and Sierra Leone of about 2,700 m.y. The approximate eastern boundary of this province with the adjoining Eburnean age province of about 2,000 m.y. has been found in eastern Liberia. Much younger rocks of PanAfrican age (about 550 m.y.) bound the ancient province in Sierra Leone and western Liberia in a belt adjacent to the coast. Groups of infolded metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks have been tentatively identified as associated with two of these ages. The Kambui Schists of Sierra Leone show whole-rock Rb-Sr ages of about 2,700 m.y. The pelitic and iron-bearing metamorphic rocks in the Marampa Formation of Sierra Leone, and similar sections in the Nimba Range, Liberia, appear to be about 2,200 m.y. old, and may fall within the typical Eburnean age range. The age values are scattered, however, and the Nimba rocks may be equivalent t o the Kambui. The Kasila Group of Sierra Leone, and a coastal belt in Liberia believed to be a continuation of the Kasila, yield typical PanAfrican ages of about 550 m.y. © 1971, The Geological Society of America, Inc.

Geological Society of America Bulletin↗

Geologic reconnaissance in western Liberia

Irazu volcano, a large composite cone, consists of interbedded lava flows, lahars, and ash beds. This rock sequence, named the Irazu Group, has been divided into four formations; from the base: Reventado Formation, Sapper Formation, Birris Formation, and Cervantes Formation. Only the Reventado and Sapper Formations crop out in the Reventado watershed. The Reventado Formation consists of at least four widespread medium-gray finely porphyritic lava flows and interbedded lahar and some ash. Where not excessively jointed, lava flows within the formation are structurally sound and generally fresh. The Sapper Formation also consists of interbedded lava, lahar, and ash; lavas are black dense and coarsely porphyritic and in the middle part of the watershed are structurally sound if not excessively jointed. In the upper part of the watershed Sapper lavas are deeply altered, pyritic and structurally unsound. At least three major inactive and six major active landslides have been recognized In the Reventado watershed, all apparently in the Sapper Formation. Mudflows in the Reventado watershed have been supplied with debris from the caving of oversteepened stream banks and to a lesser extent from the active landslides.

Open-File Report↗