Sedimentation of a Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) coral mound complex, Zaraya Mountains, northern Spain

Abstract

AbstractA Lower Cretaceous mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sequence is well exposed in the Zaraya Mountains in Guipuzcoa Province, northern Spain. The sequence begins with interfingering deltaic platform facies and marine patch-reef carbonates. This unit is dominated by mudstones and sandstone with minor interbeds of shallow-water carbonates (calcareous mudstones and sandstones and grainstone-packstones). A thick mixed carbonate-terrigenous unit overlies the siliciclastics and is composed principally of limestones and marls. Periodic influx of terrigenous sediments over a dominantly carbonate sea-floor gave rise to repeated cycles typical of a mixed shallow-water platform. Demise of the southerly derived deltaic input allowed the development of a mainly carbonate third unit. Large (several metres across) bioherms resulted from high in situ organic productivity (mechanical breakage of bioclasts, algal-induced precipitation, trapping and baffling of lime mudstone). The mounds grew making up a coral carbonate mound complex. This prograded to the south, towards a small backreef basin, and slightly retreated in its forereef margin. A period of tectonic instability is thought to have been responsible for the drowning of the shallow-water complex, which was unable to keep pace with relative sea-level rise.