Geophysical investigation along parts of the Dent and Augill Faults

Abstract

The areas covered in the present investigation lie near the towns of Brough and Kirkby Stephen. They include parts of the Dent and Augill Faults, which form the western margins of the Askrigg and Alston Blocks respectively. I The higher ground is open moorland used for sheep-grazing and is difficult of access except to cross-country vehicles, but the lower ground is in I agriculturai use , generally as pasture, and is well served by roads and tracks. I The airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey was restricted to the areas of known mineral veins (Fig. 1) along the Dent and Augill faults. NO geochemical exploration was undertaken because of widespread contamination from the numerous mine dumps. GEOLOGY The northern part of the area shown in Fig. 1 was re-surveyed between 1958 and 1967 (Burgess and Holliday, in press) following the 19th-century primary survey. The southern part has not been completely re-surveyed, although parts of it were revised for the 1 inch to 1 mile scale geological map (Kirkby Stephen sheet 40) published in 1972 and detailed mapping of selected areas has formed part of the present investigations. The area is mainly underlain by Carboniferous rocks (Fig. 2) and details of the successions are given in Figs. 2, 5 and 6. Permo-Triassic deposits are present to the west, j ust beyond the areas of detailed work (Fig. 2). The oldest Carboniferous rocks exposed are the Orton Group, comprising marine limestones with sandstones and shales. The lower part of the overlying Alston Group consists of the massively bedded Great Scar Limestone, about 100 m thick. The succeeding beds comprise alternating limestones, mudstones, siltstones and sandstones deposited in a sequence of cyclothems. These are internally very variable and any one cyclothem is rarely fully developed