Sedimentology and carbonatogenesis of the Upper Campanian limestones in Jebel Berda (south central Tunisia)
In: Journal of African Earth Sciences. Elsevier: Oxford & Amsterdam. ISSN 1464-343X; e-ISSN 1879-1956, more
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| Author keywords |
Carbonate facies; Carbonatogenesis; Campanian; Jebel berda; Southern central Tunisia |
| Authors | | Top |
- Zidi, M.
- Touir, J.
- El Albani, A.
- Boulvain, F., more
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| Abstract |
The Berda Formation corresponds to an inner-shelf stratigraphic equivalent of the Campanian-Maastrichtian outer-shelf Abiod Formation of Tunisia. The present work aims to carry out a sedimentological study of the lower unit (Upper Campanian) of Berda Formation limestones in order to interpret the limestone depositional environment and the origin of the associated micrite particles. This work is based on the study of a geological section surveyed in the Jebel Berda, typic locality, completed by microscopic observation of thin sections that allowed us identifying different carbonate facies and interpreting their depositional environments. The micrite particles have been examined with the SEM. The mineralogical and geochemical proportions and the magnetic susceptibility of the Berda Formation limestone, have been evaluated using respectively XRD, Atomic Absorption Techniques and KLY-3 Kappabridge susceptometer. The studied succession of Berda Formation includes five carbonate facies that developed within different depositional environments (1) calcisphere-rich bioclastic mudstone-wackestone within a circalittoral environment, (2) echinoderm-rich bioclastic wackestone-packstone within a shallow-marine environment (3) bioclastic rudstone within an open-marine environment, (4) peloid-rich bioclastic grainstone within high energy littoral shallow-water marine environment and (5) bioclastic dolomicrite-dolomicrosparite within a continental to marine transition environment. The studied limestones are composed of two kinds of micrite particles, (1) irregularly shaped particles resulting from fossils and micro-fossils desintegration and (2) regularly shaped polyhedral particles resulting from inorganic chemical precipitation. The carbonate facies are arranged into shallowing-up parasequences. The sedimentary facies variation and carbonate accumulation are controlled by eustatic sea-level fluctuation. In this way the biodetrital micrite occurred mainly during the transgressive intervals whereas the inorganic chemical micrite is related to the regressive intervals. |
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