Geology

Full course description

Ever wondered why the south of Limburg is so distinctly different from the rest of the Netherlands? Being uniquely situated between foot of the Ardennes mountain range and the river delta in the low lands, Maastricht and surroundings are very interesting from a geological point of view. Moreover, the presence of the Maastrichtian Stage, a period demarking the end of the era of the dinosaurs, highlights the global importance of south Limburg to the study of geology. Millions of years of climatic variation, sea level changes, mountain building and erosion have formed the Limburg landscape into its current shape. This geological history has also a huge impact on the development of the area. The hills in the Limburg surroundings and their loess deposits, resulting in fertile grounds; the effects of the Meuse, dividing the city of Maastricht; and the ENCI quarry, excavating ancient sea deposits in order to provide building resources. During this course we will use various field techniques to investigate how these structures came into existences and how they have developed since. You will read and create geological maps, draw and measure outcrops, identify specific types of rock and learn how to look at a landscape in order to understand its geological past.