Volume 24 1981

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Revised stratigraphy of the Beaufort Group in the southern Karoo Basin
(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1981) Turner, B. R.
The Beaufort Group in the southern Karoo Basin between Graaff-Reinet and Sutherland has been divided into three formations based primarily on the changing ratio of sandstone to mudstone. The former Abrahamskraal Formation is elevated to subgroup status and divided into two new formations, the Lootskloof Formation and the Verlatenkloof Formation, whilst the Teekloof Formation is retained but more precisely defined. The Verlatenkloof Formation includes two members, the Jakhals Valley Member and the Paalhuis Member. The Teekloof Formation includes the Oukloof Member in addition to the previously defined and described Oudeberg Sandstone Member. Stratotypes are erected for the new formations and members in accordance with the recommendations of the South African Committee for Stratigraphy. Subdivision of the formations and their relationship to the established biostratigraphy and facies patterns provides a means of fixing and correlating the most important uranium mineralised units in the succession with greater accuracy. These comprise the Paalhuis Member, the Oukloof Member and the Jakhals Valley Member, although the most important mineralised unit is the Paalhuis Member which contains up to 90 per cent of all known uranium occurrences in the Beaufort West area.