Honghuatao Fm
Type Locality and Naming
Jianghan Basin. The Honghuatao Formation was erected in the Geological Annals of the Zigui-Yichang of West Hubei and Shaanxi written by the Beijing College of Geology and the Sanxia Stratigraphic Team in 1959 (unpublished). The type locality for the designation is at Honghuatao of Yido of Hubei. The reference section is from Songjiazui of Yichang to Shilingzi of Dangyang.
Lithology and Thickness
The Honghuatao Formation is mainly represented by brown red fine sandstone, brown yellow siltstone and bright red massive siltstone. It is 491 m thick.
[Figure: Honghuatao Formation in Sunjiaxi section of Yidu, Hubei]
[Figure: Honghuatao Formation in Gaoqiao- Yanwumiao section of Dangyang, Hubei]
Relationships and Distribution
Lower contact
Its base marked by brown and bright red thick-bedded siltstone is distinguished from the Luojingtan Fm consisting of gray red and brown red conglomerate with sandstone bands. It is in conformable contact with the underlying formation.
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Upper contact
It top is bounded by the appearance of brown red siltstone interbedded with purple red mudstone with thin-bedded shale at the base of the Paomagang Fm. It is in conformable contact with the overlying formation.
Regional extent
The formation occurs in Yichang, Dangyang, Jingmen and Zhongxiang of the Jianghan basin of central Hubei. It varies considerably in lithology. In the Chongzi and Huangjiagang areas north of Yaqueling of Yichang, the formation is not intercalated with conglomerate while in Dongchong of Dangyang there is only 20-cm thick conglomerate in the lower part of the formation. In the Yangping area of Yuanan considerable amounts of silty mudstone and thin-bedded marl are developed. In Doupo of Huangjia west of Youjiaji of the Zhongxiang County 20 m thick basalt is intercalated in the top of the formation; and the formation ranges from 158.94 to 1050 m in thickness.
GeoJSON
Fossils
The formation in Zhongxiang yields ostracods Cypridea cavernosa and Talicypridea amoena and in the eastern part of the Jianghan basin, the Gonganzhai Formation yields ostracods Talicypridea amoena and T. longa; and Charophytes Porochara anluensis, etc.
Age
Depositional setting
It is of continental facies, possibly intercalated with sediments of aeolian origin.
Additional Information