Abstract
This study reports the first accurate record of the Messinian Resedimented Gypsum in the forearc and back-arc basins connected to the Calabrian-Peloritan orogen. A multidisciplinary approach has been used to investigate a gypsum deposit located in the Benestare’s area (Calabria, Southern Italy). Such deposit is made of bedded gypsrudites displaying clastic selenite with chaotical textures. On the top, the gypsrudites are interspersed with gypsum lenses belonging to the branching-like facies. Despite these two facies seem different macroscopically, they show petrographic features, fluid inclusions, organic matter and Strontium isotopic values very similar to each other. On the other hand, both facies show fractured and folded crystals. Crystals are only locally corroded and preserve primary structure relict as well as allochthonous (organic debris) and autochthonous putative microbial remains. All crystals are rich in fluid inclusions but these are visibly affected by stretching and leaking (re-equilibration processes) suggesting a moderate plastic deformation during re-sedimentation and subsequent burial. Minimal transport of the deposit is testified by subangular shapes of the gypsum crystals. The gypsrudite and branching-like facies reveal an 87Sr/86Sr average value of 0.709045 and 0.709082, respectively. These values suggest a strong connection with the global Ocean and reduced freshwater input. The Benestare’s deposit originated from the partial to complete dismantling of selenite crystals related to the first stage (5.97–5.60 Ma) of the Messinian Salinity Crisis through gravitational collapse due to local controlling factors.
Highlights
The Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC), which occurred approximately 6 Ma ago, is a complex geological event which transformed the Mediterranean Sea into a giant saline basin, causing a catastrophic hydrological and biological crisis [1]
MSC triggered the formation of extensive evaporite deposits known as Lower Evaporites, Halite and Upper Evaporites which, in less than 640 ka, accumulated on the bottom of the Mediterranean basin [2,3,4,5]
Stage 1 (5.97–5.60 Ma) is the first evaporitic stage associated with the deposition of Primary Lower Gypsum (PLG)
Summary
The Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC), which occurred approximately 6 Ma ago, is a complex geological event which transformed the Mediterranean Sea into a giant saline basin, causing a catastrophic hydrological and biological crisis [1]. This event is one of the most important and controversial topics being debated in the scientific community. The. MSC triggered the formation of extensive evaporite deposits known as Lower Evaporites, Halite and Upper Evaporites which, in less than 640 ka, accumulated on the bottom of the Mediterranean basin [2,3,4,5]. Stage 2 (5.60–5.55 Ma) is the MSC acme where the Resedimented Lower Gypsum (RLG) Stage 1 (5.97–5.60 Ma) is the first evaporitic stage associated with the deposition of Primary Lower Gypsum (PLG).
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