The type locality is the Edward Steichen Industrial Zone near Bascharage and it is part of a near-continuous layer of hard, finely laminated, micritic carbonate nodules.

[2] The Schistes bitumineux underlies the middle Toarcian Marnes à Bifrons Formation,[1] which outcrops in both Luxembourg and France.

[7] The Schistes bitumineux was identified as being a unit of the Sachrang Formation shortly after its discovery.

[5] The Serpentinum Chronozone and Exaratum Subchronozone were identified by Page (2003) based on ammonite remains found in the area.

[8] In May 2022, during the Lost Ocean Digging, the Luxembourg National Museum of Natural History excavated the lower part of the formation for the first time.