Abstract
The Upper Cretaceous Shiranish Formation outcropped close to Bade village and Bekhere anticline, Kurdistan region at northern Iraq and consists of alternating mixed tough grey limestone, marly limestone, marl beds interpreted as a middle - outer shelf – upper bathyal environments (basinal) depositional environment. Fifteen thin sections were studied under a polarized microscope to find out the petrographic component, fauna content, and for microfacies analysis. The major petrographic constituents are fossils, bioclastic grains, micrite matrix, and extraclast (quartz grains). Planktic foraminifera and nannofossils are the major particles within wackestone and packstone microfacies types. The planktonic foraminifera biozones from previous study (such as Globotruncana aegyptiaca, Gansserina gansseri, Racemiguembelina fructicosa, Plummerita hantkeninoides) and the recorded calcareous nannofossils biozones of Broinsonia parca, Reinhardtites levis, Arkhangelskiella cymbiformis, suggest a late Campanian to late Maastrichtian age.
Highlights
The Shiranish Formation was first described near the village of Shiranish Islam, northeast of Zakho, from the High Folded Zone of northern Iraq by Henson, 1940
This study aims is to describe the lithology, vertical and horizontal facies changes, petrophysical properties, in addition to record the calcareous nannofossils content and establish the biostratigraphic zones and correlate them with their equivalent biozones in and regional Iraq to determine the age of the studied section
Correlation and discussion: This biozone is correlated with CC24 (Reinhardtites levis biozone) which was studied by Sissingh (1977) at the age of the late Campnian - early Maastrichtian, and correlated with UC18 biozone which is studied by Bown (1998) and aged Maastrichtian age (Gradstein et al, 2012)
Summary
The Shiranish Formation was first described near the village of Shiranish Islam, northeast of Zakho, from the High Folded Zone of northern Iraq by Henson, 1940 (in Van Bellen et al, 1959). The Shiranish Formation consists of thin-bedded argillaceous limestones, dolomitic in the same interval of the formation and overlain by blue pelagic marls. The Shiranish Formation has been described too by Al-Shaibani (1973) in Azmer area, north Sulaimani and he mentioned that the formation is consisting of blue and yellowish marls interbedded with layers of marly limestone. Kassab (1973) studied the formation in Shiranish area, northeast of Zakho city, and determined the age as Middle Campanian-Upper Maastrichtian The Shiranish Formation has been described too by Al-Shaibani (1973) in Azmer area, north Sulaimani and he mentioned that the formation is consisting of blue and yellowish marls interbedded with layers of marly limestone. Kassab (1973) studied the formation in Shiranish area, northeast of Zakho city, and determined the age as Middle Campanian-Upper Maastrichtian
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
