Geology

The Jura mountains were formed between 3 and 12 million years ago and comprise the Plateaujura (Freiberg and France), the Tafeljura (e.g. the Ajoie region) and the Faltenjura (Jura folds). The Mont Terri rock laboratory is situated in the Faltenjura. The rock of the Jura mountains consists of hard limestone and dolomites and of fairly soft marls and argillaceous rock. All these rocks were formed in marine environments of different depths and coastal proximity.