Southern France (west of Perpignan)
Scott Campbell, Cardiff University

I would again like to greatly thank the PESGB for their funding which gave me the opportunity to complete my fieldwork of an area in southern France near Perpignan. The geology of the area was complex but the experience was fulfilling and has given me a new perspective to the subject and inspired me to continue working hard and to enjoy my degree.

Overall, the aim of the project was to determine the rock type, depositional environment, structural framework and geological history of the 18km² area. The area which was located between the villages of Calce and Baixas in SE France consisted of Mesozoic sediments that were deformed and shaped by the Alpine Orogeny. Structural measurements and the dating of fossils such as the Amalthus Ammonite helped me determine the shape of the area which turned out to be an easterly plunging syncline. The depositional environment greatly varied as the discovery of the Ruditic limestone suggested a warm, shallow marine environment which transitioned into a darker, sand rich limestone. The Alpine Orogeny helped determine metamorphic events and this was consolidated by the discovery of metamorphosed bivalves.

The funding provided by the PESGB has enabled me to visit this area to extensively map it and broaden my overall knowledge. If I could return to the area, I would investigate surrounding areas and try to get an idea of the regional scale geology extending down into the Pyrenees. The reservoir potential of some units should also be explored as field samples indicate a high porosity in numerous rock types.