Evaporite sedimentation in foreland basins: the Southeastern Pyrenean Basin (Cuisian-Lutetian)

Carrillo, E., Rosell, L. and Ortí, F.

Departament de Geoquímica, Petrologia i Prospecció Geològica, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
(ecarrillo@ub.edu, lrosell@ub.edu, f.orti@ub.edu)

Riudaura-1 well, in the foreland. The Borró unit, which is the

INTRODUCTION AND GEOLOGICAL SETTING
440000 445000 450000 455000 460000 465000 470000 475000 480000

thickest evaporite unit, consists of secondary gypsum in

4680000

4680000
(
(
outcrop, and anhydrite and halite in subsurface, although

(
(
Foreland evaporites are typically characterized by thick salt bodies in ( ( (
( ( ( (

the foredeeps and thin sulphate deposits in the platforms. Despite the (
(
( (

CADÍ THRUST 1
minor amounts of lutites, marls and carbonates also occur.
fact that many papers are focused on these halite bodies, the present
Serrat-1
SHEET
3
This unit overlies the platform carbonates of the Penya Fm

4675000

4675000
work considers that the study of the platform deposits and their ( (
and the Armàncies Fm (Fig. 3). The Beuda unit is formed by
( ( ( ( ( (
transitions to the deep basins are also important to decipher the tecto- 2 (
( ( (
(
(
(
secondary gypsum (outcrop) and anhydrite (subsurface).

(
( ( ( ( (
( ( ( ( (
sedimentary processes operating during the evaporite sedimentation. (
( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
Vallfogona ru
th st This unit lies on the turbiditic deposits of the Vallfogona Fm.

4670000
4670000
Evaporite facies rarely can be studied in thrusted, foreland basins, as
Riudaura-1
The Besalú unit, integrated by secondary gypsum (outcrop),
EVAPORITE UNITS BORRÓ UNIT PALEOENVIRONMENT
they usually act as detachment levels. In the Southeastern Pyrenean OUTCROP Halite basin ( ( Thrust shows a discontinuous distribution across the basin. This unit
Basin (NE Spain), several evaporite units accumulated coevally to the EBRO BASIN Besalú
Beuda
Sulphate slope-basin Well is associated with the non-evaporitic, deltaic sediments of the
Sulphate platform-slope

4665000
4665000
Eocene compression (Fig. 1). Subsequently, these units acted as 0 3 6 12 Borró Sulphate platform
2 Section
Banyoles Fm, the Coubet Fm and the Bellmunt Fm.
Km

major decollement layers in the thrust fronts. 440000 445000 450000 455000 460000 465000 470000 475000 480000
S N W E
Thick-
Age Formation Lithology Marginal platform Foredeep Foredeep Active margin
ness (m)
Fig. 2. Outcrop map of the Cusian-Lutetian evaporites and the Borró unit paleoenvironments. Bellmunt Conglomerates 150-1100
Coubet Sandstones
FRANCE Besalú Gy. Unit Gypsum-Anhydrite 10-30
Marls Eroded
Banyoles
100-350

Lutetian
This work is focused on the sedimentary evolution of three evaporite units, called Beuda Gy. Unit Gypsum-Anhydrite 30-160

EOCENE
Silty limestones
Vallfogona Marls 70-500

Borró evaporite unit, Beuda gypsum unit and Besalú gypsum unit, which were formed Sandstones
an sea

Limestones
Borró

100 Km
at different moments during the Cuisian and Lutetian times as a result of the marine evaporite
unit
Halite
Shales
Gypsum-Anhydrite
30-550

Cuisian
terrane

SPAIN
Paleozoic Pyrenean Tertiary
EBR
O BA
SIN
Tremp restrictions caused by the emplacement of the thrust sheets during the Lower Eocene. Armàncies

Penya
Marls

Limestones
100-400

These units are currently located in two main tectonic zones: in the foreland zone (Ebro
edi

Studied area
Mesozoic Tertiary in Foreland M

Basin), which was not or was only weakly deformed, and in the Cadí thrust sheet, which Fig. 3. Cuisian and Lutetian stratigraphy of the Southeastern Pyrenean
Fig. 1. General tectonic map of the Pyrenees. Modified from Teixell (1996). Red was heavily deformed by thrusts and folds (Fig. 2). Lithologic information of two deep Basin. Modified from Carrillo (2009).
box indicates the studied area (Fig. 2). boreholes is available: the Serrat-1 well, located in the Cadí thrust sheet, and the

FACIES OF THE BORRÓ UNIT

The assemblage of evaporitic facies recognized by us (Figs. 4 to 7) in this unit suggests the existence of four main depositional subenvironments (Fig. 8): 1) sulphate platform; 2) sulphate platform-slope transition;
3) sulphate slope-basin transition; and 4) halitic basin. However, changes in both thickness and facies distribution are common in this unit, suggesting a syntectonic control.

1) Sulphate platform 2) Sulphate platform-slope transition 3) Sulphate slope-basin transition 4) Halitic basin

In the Riudaura-1 well (Fig. 4), three anhydrite intervals (A1, A2 and In section 1 (Fig. 5), the Borró unit shows a facies In section 2 (Fig. 6), the Borró unit is The Serrat-1 well cuts halite and shale
A3) are recognized in the Borró unit. In this well, the main facies association integrated by gypsum resedimented by formed by a rhythmic facies association, layers at the base of the Cadí thrust
identified are the following: nodules, nodulized-selenites and selenite gravity flows (breccias and turbidites). In other composed of laminated and massive sheet (Fig. 7). The salt layers are
pseudomorphs. On the basis of the upward succession of these facies, sections, also some olistoliths and blocks occur with gypsum, suggesting very stable conditions. interpreted by us as being a member of
it can be interpreted that a progressive change in the sedimentary selenite pseudomorphs, suggesting a transport from the Borró unit, which was formed in a
conditions occurred from the A1 to the A2 and A3 intervals. These the platform area. deep sub-basin before the sedimentation
intervals display a deepening upward trend. of the A2 anhydrite interval. Overlying
this interval, terrigenous turbidites bearing
A B C thin gypsum layers were accumulated
FORMATION Gypsum breccias
within the Vallfogona Fm.
1300
BANYOLES
Laminated gypsum
BEUDA FORMATION
VALLFOGONA 1200
1400

EVAPORITES
A3
Selenite pseudomorphs A2

BORRÓ
Depth (m)
1300
1500 Salt
C
member
Depth (m)

A2
BORRÓ EVAPORITES

1400
1600 0 40 80 120 1.6 2.0 2.4 2.8 3.2
Gamma Ray (API) Bulk density (g/cm3)

Halite Anhydrite
1700 B Shale Carbonate and marl

1800 A1 Fig. 7. Serrat-1 well stratigraphic interpretation.

Anhydrite
See Fig. 2 for location.
Carbonate and marl 2

1900 LEGEND (Figs. 4 to 6)

PENYA
Gypsum blocks & olistoliths
0 2 4 6 8 5 cm 1
LITHOLOGY FACIES
Gamma Ray (API)

0m
Gypsum Nodular anhydrite Banded - Massive
Fig. 6. Section 2. See Limestone Nodulized-selenites Laminated
Fig. 2 for location
Sandstone Selenite pseudomorphs Turbidite
Nodular anhydrite
Lutite Massive Breccia
Nodulized-selenites

2
2

1
1

SULPHATE PLATFORM- SULPHATE SLOPE-

SULPHATE PLATFORM HALITIC BASIN
0m
SLOPE TRANSITION BASIN TRANSITION
0m

5 cm
Fig. 5. Section 1. See Gypsum selenites
Fig. 2 for location Gypsum blocks & olistoliths
Nodular anhydrite Nodulized-selenites
Gypsum breccias
5 cm Gypsum turbidites Laminated gypsum
Halite & shale

Fig. 4. A) Riudaura-1 well stratigraphic interpretation. See Fig. 2 for location. B) Facies
interpretation of a core in the A1 interval. C) Facies interpretation of a core in the A2
interval. Fig. 8. Sedimentary model and facies distribution of the Borró unit.

FACIES OF THE BEUDA UNIT FACIES OF THE BESALÚ UNIT STABLE ISOTOPES 24

This unit displays relatively homogeneous This youngest, and also

facies associations (Fig. 9), which prevent thinnest unit, displays very
Cross bedding in gypsum The isotope composition of the sulphate 23

(gypsum and anhydrite samples) ranges

CDT (‰)

any clear distinction between platform and homogeneous facies consisting 34

basin subenvironments. However, the on massive to banded gypsum from 20,2 ‰ to 23,2 ‰ for δ SCDT and 22
34

18
11,3 ‰ to 16,9 ‰ for δ OSMOW indicating
δ

predominance of more laminated and layers, in which cross bedding 21

Besalú

banded gypsum facies in some areas can be present locally. This unit a marine origine of the brines. The gypsum Beuda
Vallfogona

suggests relatively deeper settings, was sedimented on a marine layers intercalated in the Vallfogona Fm Borró
34 18 20
whereas the predominance of more shelf at the moment when the show δ SCDT and δ OSMOW values that are 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

massive and even (pseudomorphic) Cadí thrust sheet started to consistent with dissolution/reprecipitation 18
δ OSMOW (‰)
selenitic and nodular facies in other areas undergo uplift. of gypsum of the Borró unit, given the
suggests shallower waters. Moreover, the expected crystallization enrichment (Thode Fig. 10. δ34SCDT versus δ18OSMOW. Isotopic values of the
Cuisian-Lutetian evaporites.
vertical distribution of the gypsum facies and Monster, 1965; Lloyd, 1968).
shows a shoaling upwards trend. Thus, the
assemblage of these facies displays a
basin-wide, basin-fill distribution of PALEOENVIRONMENTAL EVOLUTION CONCLUSIONS
evaporites.
Nodular facies Besalú unit Margin Foredeep Active margin - The successive evaporitic episodes reflect the basin
Small sulphate basins evolution during the Cuisian and Lutetian times. A
Detrital sedimentation progressive transition from shallower to depper marine
environments (Borró unit), and from deeper to shallower
Uplift Uplift (Beuda and Besalú units), as well as from thicker to thinner
Beuda unit stratigraphic units is recorded in the evaporitic sediments,
Moderately deep-to-shallow with a final change to continental deposits overlying the
Banded - pseudomophic Sulphate basin evaporite units.
gypsum facies

Turbidite basin (Vallfogona Fm)

Some resedimentation and High subsidence
- The different evaporitic units were influenced by
dissolution/reprecipitation of syntectonic deformation phases which occurred in the basin
ancient evaporites Uplift during the Cuisian and Lutetian time. Besides eustatism,
20
the thrust sheet movements as well as the action of some
A2+A3 intervals (Borró unit) fractures and folds could have exerted an important control
Deep sulphate platform Subsidence on the paleogeographic distribution of the evaporites.
Massive gypsum facies Re-sedimentation of evaporites
10 Sulphate basin Uplift

34 18
- The isotopic composition of the sulphate (δ SCDT, δ OSMOW)
A1 (Borró unit) indicates chemical recycling from the Borró unit in the
0m Low subsidence
Shallow sulphate platform Vallfogona Fm. All evaporite units were deposited from
Fig. 9. Section 3. See ? marine brines.
Deep halitic basin Shallow
Fig. 2 for location. Deep

REFERENCES ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Carrillo, E. (2009). Eocene evaporite units of the Southeastern Pyrenean Zone (La Garrotxa area). Geogaceta 47, 73-76. This research was funded by project
Lloyd, R.M. (1968). Oxygen isotope behaviour in the sulfate-water system. J. Geophys. Res. 73, 6099-6110. CGL2009-11096 of the Spanish
Teixell, A. (1996). The Anso transect of the southern Pyrenees: basement and court crust geometrics. Journal Geological Society of London (London) 153, 301-310. Government and project 303754 of
Thode, H.G., Monster, J. (1965). Sulfur isotope geochemistry of petroleum, evaporites and ancient seas. Fluids in subsurface Environments. Mem. AAPG, vol. 4, 367-377. CEPSA-Universitat de Barcelona.