Lede Formation

The Lede Formation is a geologic formation in the subsurface of Belgium. The formation is named after the town of Lede in East-Flanders. It consists of shallow-marine limestone and sandstone, deposited in the former sea that covered Balgium during the Eocene.

The Lede Formation crops out in East-Flanders, Flemish Brabant, Antwerpen and parts of Hainaut, Walloon Brabant and West-Flanders. It forms a laterally continuous unit of calcareous and glauconiferous sandstone, sandy limestone and calcareous sandstone, which reaches a thickness of up to 15 meters. The formation is characterized by fossils of the nummulite Nummulites variolarius. It is not subdivided into members.

The age of the Lede Formation is middle Lutetian (about 44 million years old) and it is part of the Zenne Group. On top of the Lede Formation is normally the younger Maldegem Formation (marine clays and sands of Bartonian age). Below the Lede Formation are the Brussel Formation and Aalter Formation, both also part of the Zenne Group.