Very Low Grade Metamorphism of Upper Paleozoic–Lower Mesozoic Sedimentary Rocks Related to Burial and Thrusting in the Central Taurus Belt, Konya, Turkey

Abstract

Metasedimentary and sedimentary rocks that represent the allochthonous Bolkardagi Unit crop out in the Central Taurus Belt. Devonian units include mainly slate, metadolomite, metadolomitic limestone, and metasandstone. Slates with slaty cleavage and chlorite-mica stacks are characterized by phyllosilicate, quartz, calcite, dolomite, feldspar, and goethite. Phyllosilicates consist of 2M1 and lesser amounts of 1M muscovite, IIb chlorite, pyrophyllite, paragonite. PM, C-V, C-S. rectorite, and dickite, and reflect conditions of the low epizone-anchizone. In the Carboniferous-Triassic units, limestone, clayey limestone, dolomitic limestone, marl, shale, and sandstone retaining primary textures are composed of calcite, dolomite, quartz,1Md illite, chlorite, and I-S, and locally smaller quantities of 2M1 muscovite, PM, paragonite, pyrophyllite, and rectorite. In contrast, the Triassic formation is made up of calcite, 1Md illite, I-S, kaolinite, smectite, chlorite, C-S, C-V, dolomite, and quartz. Textural and mineralogical data indicate that development of the diagenetic-metamorphic grade in the Central Taurus was related to sedimentary burial and thrusting; moreover, the metasedimentary rocks were metamorphosed in a typical anticlockwise P-T-t pathway in an extensional setting.