Abstract
Biostratigraphical and sedimentological study of the Sarmord Formation (Upper Valanginian - Upper Hauterivian) at the southern limb of Maten anticline is conducted within a well-exposed section. The formation is composed of marl, marly limestone, limestone, and dolostone, which yielded moderately diversified benthonic foraminiferal fauna, green algae, echinoderms, gastropods and some bioclast. The stratigraphic distribution of the benthonic species permits the recognition of two well-defined biozones. These are Everticyclammina kelleri Assemblage Zone, which represents the Late Valanginian age and Pseudocyclammina lituus Assemblage Zone, indicating Hauterivian age. These larger benthonic foraminiferal biozones are correlated with other zonal schemes inside and outside of Iraq, which indicates that the age of the Sarmord Formation in Maten anticline extends from Late Valanginian to Late Hauterivian age. The Sarmord Formation in the studied section is composed of limestone, dolomite, marl and conglomerate lithofacies types. Limestone lithofacies is represented by lime wackestone microfacies. According to the characteristic features of these facies, the depositional environments extend from tidal flat to shallow open marine environments.
Highlights
The Sarmord Formation was firstly described by Wetzel in Bellen et al (1959) from the Surdash anticline, Sulaimaniyah District, north-eastern Iraq
According to Jassim and Buday (2006a), the Lower Sarmord Formation occurred in the High folded and Foothill zones of NE Iraq, while the upper Sarmord Formation just appeared in foothill zone as the subsurface between Kirkuk in the East and Mosul in the West
The current study is based on the examination of thin sections, prepared in the Department of Earth Sciences workshop at Mosul university and about 30 thin sections were made to carry out a biostratigraphy and facies analysis
Summary
The Sarmord Formation was firstly described by Wetzel in Bellen et al (1959) from the Surdash anticline, Sulaimaniyah District, north-eastern Iraq. Previous stratigraphic studies are demonstrated that the Sarmord Formation belongs to Valanginian-Aptian age for the formation (Bellen et al, 1959). Al-Abbasi (2017) studied the sedimentary facies of Sarmord Formation with other formations in northern Iraq and indicated that the formation was deposited in Tidal flat to shallow open marine environment. According to Jassim and Buday (2006a), the Lower Sarmord Formation occurred in the High folded and Foothill zones of NE Iraq, while the upper Sarmord Formation just appeared in foothill zone as the subsurface between Kirkuk in the East and Mosul in the West. 2021, 54 (2F), 1-12 biostratigraphic zones for age determination, as well as facies analysis and paleoenvironmental reconstruction
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