The BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units — Result Details

Burghead Sandstone Formation

Computer Code: BRSF Preferred Map Code: BRSF
Status Code: Full
Age range: Early Triassic Epoch (TE) — Carnian Age (TC)
Lithological Description: Water-lain poorly sorted, brownish to grey arkosic pebbly sandstone; fine- to coarse-grained. Commonly cross-bedded or laminated, some massive. Some conglomerate beds and beds with common mudstone interclasts. Few siltstone beds.
Definition of Lower Boundary: Around Lossiemouth the base of the formation is the base of the predominantly waterlain pebbly sandstones unconformably overlying the Upper Old Red Sandstone strata. Farther to the west the formation overlies the Triassic Hopeman Sandstone Formation.
Definition of Upper Boundary: The top of the formation is the base of the aeolian beds belonging to the Lossiemouth Sandstone Formation or, where that is absent, the base of the Stotfield Cherty Rock Formation.
Thickness: Up to 73 m.
Geographical Limits: Moray Firth area.
Parent Unit: New Red Sandstone Supergroup (NRS)
Previous Name(s): Burghead Sandstone [Obsolete Name and Code: Use BRSF] (-3875)
Burghead Beds (-726)
Alternative Name(s): none recorded or not applicable
Stratotypes:
Type Area  Coastal section at Burghead, Moray. [Peacock, et al. 1968]. 
Reference(s):
Westoll, T S. 1951. The vertebrate-bearing strata of Scotland. 18th International Geological Congress, London, 1948, Vol. 9, p. 5-21. 
Frostick, L, Reid, I, Jarvis, J and Eardley, H. 1988. Triassic sediments of the Inner Moray Firth, Scotland: early rift deposits. Journal of the Geological Society (London), Vol. 145, 235-248. 
Peacock, J D, Berridge, N G, Harris, A L, May, F. 1968. The geology of the Elgin District. Memoir of the Geological Survey of Scotland. Sheets 86 and 96 (Scotland). (Edinburgh: HMSO). 
Warrington, G, Audley-Charles, M G, Elliott, R E, Evans, W B, Ivimey-Cook, H C, Kent, P E, Robinson, P L, Shotton, F W and Taylor, F M. 1980. A correlation of the Triassic rocks in the British Isles. Special Report of the Geological Society of London, No.13. 
1:50K maps on which the lithostratigraphical unit is found, and map code used:
S095