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Tertiary limestones cover more than 70% of the surface geology of Jamaica. Pre-Tertiary rocks are exposed in Cretaceous 'inliers' scattered over the island dated sedimentary rocks are Albian limestones and a Late Cretaceous to Recent stratigraphic succession is exposed on the island. Metamorphic rocks of greenschist and amphibolite facies derived from greywackes and volcanogenic sediments are probably Cretaceous in age. Most of the Early Cretaceous (Valanginian to Aptian) comprises rudist-bearing limestones, lava flows and volcaniclastic conglomerates, sandstones and shales. The Campanian to Maastrichtian of western Jamaica is represented by interbedded sandstones and shales more than 2000m thick, with minor conglomerates and thin limestones. Lava flows, volcaniclastics and limestones of equivalent age are present in central and eastern Jamaica. Tertiary stratigraphy is marked by a gradual upward transition from clastic to carbonate sedimentation. Paleocene to Early Eocene sections over Jamaica are characterised by clastic sedimentation. A reduction in clastic input gave rise to the impure Yellow Limestone Group of Early - Middle Eocene which grades upwards into the pure cherty micrites and sparites of the White Limestone Group (Middle Eocene - Middle Miocene).

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15y ago

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