Contourites are sediments deposited or substantially reworked by bottom currents. The study of contourites is nowadays crucial for several fields of fundamental and applied research:
1. palaeoclimatology and palaeoceanography, since these fairly continuous and relatively high-resolution sediments hold the key for priceless information on the variability in ocean circulation patterns, current velocities, oceanographic history and basin interconnectivity;

Previous to the publication in 1869 of Vol. II, Palaeontology of California, the deposits on the Pacific Coast now recognized as Cretaceous were not divided into groups or formations. In that volume Professors Whitney and Gabb gave the name Shasta group to the complex series of Lower Cretaceous beds which they recognized to be of different ages, probably from the Keocomian to the Gault, inclusive. They also proposed the names Chico group, Martinez group, and Tejon group for the beds overlying the Shasta in the order named. Of these the Tejon is now generally believed to be of Eocene age, and the Cretaceous portion of the ill-defined and heterogeneous Martinez group is inseparable from the Chico.

1. The Jurassic Badamu Formation in the Kerman Region with Remarks on the Jurassic Stratigraphy of Iran
2. Eocene Fish Remains from the Pabdeh Formation North of Ham
3. Upper Permian Corals from Julfa

This article and a future article in the SEG Newsletter will serve as previews to an SEG-sponsored forum to examine and discuss the origins of gold deposits in the Carlin and Witwatersrand camps. The forum will be held in Reno, Nevada, on May 14, 2005, in conjunction with Geological Society of Nevada’s Symposium 2005 – Window to the World. Both districts have been the focus of major controversies. In this article, three short papers discuss the origin of Carlin-type deposits in north-central Nevada. Over the last few decades, Carlin-type deposits have been seen as shallow hot spring deposits, distal products of porphyry copper deposits, and the uppermost parts of deep mesother-mal systems. The first paper, by Jean Cline, provides an introduction to the characteristics of Carlin-type deposits and a framework for discussions of their origin. The second paper, by Marcus Johnston and Michael Ressel, argues for a magmatic origin for the deposits, and specifically that plutons are the source of heat and probably fluids and metals. The third paper, by Eric Seedorff and Mark Barton, discusses amagmatic models for the origin of Carlin-type deposits, as well as pointing out shortcomings in magmatic models. These authors will give talks at the May 2005 forum, which will be followed by panel and open discussions with the aim of identifying what we need to know to better understand and explore for these deposits.