Aggradational directions and biofacies in the youngest postorogenic deposits of southeastern Spain; a contribution to the determination of the age of the east Mediterranean coast of Spain
Voelk, H.R.
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 2(4): 313-331
1966
ISSN/ISBN: 0031-0182 DOI: 10.1016/0031-0182(66)90022-8
Accession: 029940631
The stratigraphic investigation of the basin of Vera on the east coast of Spain gave evidence of the presence of Tertiary marine formations ranging from lower Miocene up to Quaternary. Strata of the older upper Tertiary appear only at the margin of the basin, and cover only small areas. The basin is filled by a pelitic to sandy rock sequence of later Miocene and Pliocene age, at times interrupted by volcanic eruptions. The rock complex shows fluviomarine features and lateral interfingering of facies. The majority of the sediments are conglomerates with sedimentary structures that permit recognition of the original transport direction. Directions indicate an eastern origin, i.e. transport of detritus from the present sea to the present land. The thick conglomerate facies passes laterally, from east to west, into a finer grained facies with a marine-brackish mixed fauna. Along the western margin of the basin thin conglomeratic layers are found. It is concluded that the east coast of Spain near Vera is of Quaternary age, since a marine pelitic intercalation of the deltaic sediments can be determined as upper Pliocene on the basis of the foraminifera present.