The mineralogy and major-element geochemistry of samples of the Lias Group of England and Wales

This report presents the results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, X-ray fluorescence (XRFS) analysis and surface area determinations of rocks from the Lias Group of England and Wales. It forms part of an ongoing project entitled Ground Movements: Shrink/Swell which aims to investigate the relationship between the shrinkage and swelling properties of UK clays and mudrocks (e.g. Jones, 2001). The aim of this report is to provide mineralogical and geochemical characterisation of the samples of the Lias Group collected by this project (see also Bouch, 2003 for SEM characterisation of these samples). The reader is also referred to Kemp and McKervey (2001) for a recent review of the mineralogy of the Lias Group in relation to its engineering properties.