5. CLAY MINERALOGY OF THE CAPE MAY, ATLANTIC CITY, AND ISLAND BEACH BOREHOLES, NEW JERSEY¹

Steven G. Van Valkenburg,² David B. Mason,² James P. Owens,^2,3
and Lucy McCartan^2,4

ABSTRACT

Three boreholes on the New Jersey coast drilled by Ocean Drilling Program Leg 150X have been analyzed mineralogically. The dominance of kaolinite in the clay fraction of upper Eocene, lower Miocene, and lower middle Miocene strata indicates a warm, wet terrestrial climate at those times. Lack of kaolinite in Oligocene strata suggests a cool, dry climate.

¹Miller, K.G., and Snyder, S.W. (Eds.), 1997. Proc. ODP, Sci. Results, 150X: College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program).
²926 National Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192, U.S.A.
³Deceased.
⁴Correspondence author:lmccarta@usgs.gov