Tertiary volcanic rocks from Bontekoe Ø, East Greenland

Abstract

In East Greenland Tertiary igneous rocks are found from Kap Gustav Holm (66°30'N) in the south to Shannon (75°30'N) in the north. Within this region three areas are covered by plateau basalts; (a) south of Scoresby Sund (700N), (b) far inland on the nunataks at 74°N and (c) along the coast between 73° and 75°30'N. Bontekoe ø belongs to the third region (fig. 1). The geology of this part of East Greenland is largely known from the activities of Lauge Koch's expeditions during which, curiously enough, the areas dominated by Tertiary volcanism were almost neglected. To remedy this the Geological Survey of Greenland supported some reconnaissance work that was carried out in connection with other geological activity in the region over the last few years. Results of this work were given by NoeNygaard & Pedersen (1974), Upton & Emeleus (1977), Hald (1978), Brooks et al. (1979) and Upton et al. (1980, 1982, in press).