Document Type

Report

Department/Program

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Publication Date

1972

Series

Special scientific report; no. 64.

Abstract

The sedimentary materials and bottom topography of more than 2400 square miles of the inner continental shelf floor north off the Chesapeake Bay entrance have been surveyed for potential mineral resources. Sediments consist of two principal types: (1) fine sand and (2) medium to coarse sand. The fine sand is grey-colored, subrounded, rich in quartz and relatively 11clean 11 and well sorted. The medium-coarse sand is typically iron-stained, rich in shell and poorly sorted. The fine sand covers inner parts of the shelf floor whereas medium to coarse sand covers seaward parts. Additionally, shell-rich medium to coarse sand occurs on isolated ridges of inner parts. These preliminary geologic findings delineate several localities which contain concentrations of dark minerals, shell and gravel. ii

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/m2-h4sj-6g72

Keywords

Marine sediments -- Virginia -- Atlantic Coast; Ocean bottom; Sedimentation and deposition; Submarine geology

COinS