Baicaoping Fm
Type Locality and Naming
West Henan. The Baicaoping Fm was named by Han Yingshan, Li Shengsi and Yan Lianquan in 1952. The type section is in Baicaoping of Ruyang County, Henan. Coordinate: 34°13´00″N；112°23´00″E. It is the middle formation of the Ruyang Gr.
Synonym:
Lithology and Thickness
In the type area, the formation consists of purple-red and grey-green silty shale, intercalated with thin-bedded quartz sandstone, with conglomerate and dolomite locally. It is characterized by a bright red color. Shale occurs in greater amounts in the lower part. The sandstone bears platy oblique bedding, and desiccation cracks and ripple marks are common on the bedding surfaces. It is relatively stable in thickness, but changeable from 100 m to 200 m.
[Figure: Outcrop photos of Baicaoping Fm]
Relationships and Distribution
Lower contact
It is in conformable contact with underlying Yunmengshan Fm (lower formation of the Ruyang Gr) or unconformable rests on the Sushui Gr
Upper contact
The upper part is conformably overlain by light-colored quartz sandstone of the Beidajian Fm (upper formation of the Ruyang Gr).
Regional extent
West Henan. The formation is not over 200 m thick, spreading in western Henan and Taihang Mts.
GeoJSON
Fossils
The upper part yields microplants, with the main elements being: Shuiyousphaeridium macroreticulatum, Shuiyousphaeridium membraniferum, Tasmanites sp., Trachyhystrichosphaera stricta, Cymatiosphaeroides sp., Trematasphaeridium holtedahlii and Leiopsophasphaera apertus. Stromatolites are seen occasionally in dolomite.
[Figure: The column of the Baicaoping Formation and sphaeromorphic microfossils]
Age
Depositional setting
Additional Information