On the Upper Cretaceous Series and the Phosphatic Beds in the Neighbourhood of Mons (Belgium)

Abstract

The increasing importance of the use of phosphate of lime in agriculture induces me to give to English geologists some account of the beds that have been worked in Belgium during the last few years. The phosphatic beds of which I wish to speak are situated in the province of Hainaut, near to the town of Mons, on the lands of the Communes of Cuesmes, Ciply, Mesvin, Nouvelles, Spiennes, Saint Symphorien, and Havré. This part of Belgium is traversed by numerous railways and by a canal which enables boats of from 200 to 300 tons to penetrate to the centre of France, and to reach the ports of Ghent, Ostend, Antwerp, Dunkirk, &c. The working of the phosphate of lime began in 1870, and its production, small at first, was not developed until 1877. The following figures will show its increase from that date :— A large portion of this mass was sold in Great Britain and Ireland, about 35,000 tons having been sent there in 1883. It is probable that the annual yield will soon exceed 100,000 tons; but the description which I am about to give will show that a much higher figure may be reached. Our beds of phosphate of lime occur in the Upper Cretaceous series, the thickness and variety of the strata which constitute it attaining greater importance in the neighbourhood of Mons than in any other part of Western Europe. The Cretaceous series of the province of Hainaut belongs to the great Anglo-French geological