Abstract
The Sachun Formation in the Zagros Mountains Ranges was sampled on the basis of changes in lithology and 150 vertically oriented thin-sections were prepared and subjected to detailed petrographic study. Evaporite, carbonate and shale/marl facies are identified here. These facies which have been laid in 4 facies belts of supratidal, intertidal, lagoon and barrier, deposited on a ramp platform. Petrographic studies showed that the Sachun Formation has had a complex diagenetic history. The following diagenetic events occurred in the carbonate microfacies: micritization, dissolution, silicification, dolomitization, hematitization, compaction, fracturing and stylolitization. The diagenetic features observed petrographically in the carbonate microfacies represent changes which took place under three diagenetic environments (eogenic, mesogenic, and telogenic) with three different marine, burial, and meteoric diagenetic conditions. The diagenetic sequence of events that affected the Sachun Formation includes micritization and micrite envelope features which have been reported from an eogenic/marine environment.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References Cited
Adabi, M. H., Rao, C. P., 1991. Petrographic and Geochemical Evidence for Original Aragonitic Mineralogy of Upper Jurassic Carbonates (Mozduran Fm.), Sarakhs Area, Iran. Sedimentary Geology, 72: 253–267
Alavi, M., 2004. Regional Stratigraphy of the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt of Iran and Its Proforeland Evolution. American Journal of Science, 304: 1–20
Alsharhan, A. S., Nairn, A. E. M., 1997. Sedimentary Basins and Petroleum Geology of the Middle East. Elsevier, Amsterdam. 843
Alsharhan, A. S., Whittle, L., 1995. Carbonate-Evaporite Sequences of the Late Jurassic, Southern and Southwestern Arabian Gulf. AAPG Bulletin, 79: 1608–1630
Bathurst, R. G. C., 1966. Boring Algae, Micritic Envelopes and Lithification of Molluscan Biosparites. Geological Journal, 5: 15–32
Bathurst, R. G. C., 1975. Carbonate Sediments and Their Diagenesis. Developments in Sedimentology, 12: 658
Bathurst, R. G. C., 1980. Deep Crustal Diagenesis in Limestones. Revista del Instituto de Investigaciones Geologicas, Deputacion Provincial, Universidad Barcelona. 34: 89–100
Berelson, W. M., Hammond, D. E., McManus, J., et al., 1994. Dissolution Kinetics of Calcium Carbonate in Equatorial Pacific Sediments. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 8: 219–235
Boles, J. R., Ramseyer, K., 1987. Diagenetic Carbonate in Miocene Sandstone Reservoir, San-Joaquin Basin, California. AAPG Bulletin, 71: 1475–1487
Bordenave, M. L., 2002. The Middle Cretaceous to Early Miocene Petroleum System in the Zagros Domain of Iran, and Its Prospect Evaluation. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting, Houston, Texas. 10–13
Burford, E. P., Fomina, M., Gadd, G. M., 2003. Fungal Involvement in Bioweathering and Biotransformation of Rocks and Minerals. Mineralogical Magazine, 67: 1127–1155
Choquette, P. W., Pray, L. C., 1970. Geologic Nomenclature and Classification of Porosity in Sedimentary Carbonates. AAPG Bulletin, 54(2): 207–250
Choquette, P. W., James, N. P., 1990. Limestones-The Burial Diagenetic Environment. In: McIlreath, I. E., Morrow, D. A., eds., Diagenesis. Geoscience Canada, Reprint Series, 4: 75–112
Coogan, A. H., 1970. Measurements of Compaction in Oolithic Grainstone. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 40: 921–929
Dunham, R. J., 1962. Classification of Carbonate Rocks According to Depositional Texture. In: Ham, W. E., ed., Classification of Carbonate Rocks. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir, 1: 108–121
Dunnington, H. V., 1967. Aspects of Diagenesis and Shap Change in Stylolitic Limestone Reservoirs. Proceedings of 7th World Petroleum Congress, Mexico City. 2: 339–352
El-Saiy, A. K., Jordan, B. R., 2007. Diagenetic Aspects of Tertiary Carbonates West of the Northern Oman Mountains, United Arab Emirates. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 31(1): 35–43
Falcon, N. L., 1974. Southern Iran: Zagros Mountains, in Mesozoic-Cenozoic Orogenic Belts, Data for Orogenic Studies. Geological Society of London Special Publications, 4: 199–211
Flügel, E., 2004. Microfacies of Carbonate Rocks. Analysis, Interpretation and Application. Springer, New York. 976
Friedman, G. M., 1965. Terminology of Crystallization Textures and Fabrics in Sedimentary Rocks. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 35: 643–655
Gao, G. Q., Land, L. S., 1991. Nodular Chert from the Arbuckle Group, Slick Hills, SW Oklahoma: A Combined Field, Petrographic and Isotopic Study. Sedimentology, 38: 857–870
Garcia-Pichel, F., 2006. Mechanistic Models for the Phototrophic Microbial Boring on Carbonates. Sedimentary Geology, 185: 205–213
Golubic, S., 1969. Distribution, Taxonomy and Boring Patterns of Marine Endolithic Algae. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 9: 747–751
Heckel, P. H., 1983. Diagenetic Model for Carbonate Rocks in Midcontinent Pennsylvanian Eustatic Cyclothems. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 53: 733–759
Hempton, M. R., 1987. Constraints on Arabian Plate Motion and Extensional History of the Red Sea. Tectonics, 6: 687–705
Homke, S., Vergés, J., Bernaola, G., et al., 2009. Late Cretaceous-Paleocene Formation of the Proto-Zagros Foreland Basin, Lurestan Province, SW Iran. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 121: 963–978
Houten, F. B. V., 1973. Origin of Red Beds. Annual Review Earth Planetary Science, 1: 39–61
Illing, L. V., 1959. Deposition and Diagenesis of some Upper Palaeozoic Carbonate Sediments in Western Canada. Fifth World Petroleum Congress, New York. 23–52
James, G. A., Wynd, J. G., 1965. Stratigraphic Nomenclature of Iranian Oil Consortium Agreement Area. AAPG Bulletin, 49: 2182–2245
Kalantari, A., 1976. Microbiostatigraphy of the Sarvestan Area, S. W. Iran. National Iranian Oil Company, Geological Laboratories Publications, Iran. 129
Knauth, L. P., 1979. A Model for the Origin of Chert in Limestone. Geology, 7: 274–277
Kobluk, D. R., Risk, M. J., 1977a. Calcification of Exposed Filaments of Endolithic Algae, Micrite Envelope Formation and Sediment Production. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 47: 517–528
Kobluk, D. R., Risk, M. J., 1977b. Micritization and Carbonate Grain Binding by Endolithic Algae. AAPG Bulletin, 61: 1069–1082
Land, L. S., 1985. The Origin of Massive Dolomite. Journal of Geological Education, 33: 112–125
Lasemi, Y., Afghah, M., Arzaghi, S., 2007. Facies Analysis and Sedimentary Environments of Sachun Formation in Kuh-e-Siah Section, Southeast of Sarvestan (Fars Province). Journal of Applied Geology, 3(3): 213–218
Longman, M. W., 1980. Carbonate Diagenetic Textures from Nearsurface Diagenetic Environments. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletine, 64: 461–487
Machel, H. G., 2004. Concepts and Models of Dolmitization: A Critical Appraisal. In: Braithwaite, C. J. R., Rizzi, G., Darke, G., eds., The Geometry and Petrogenesis of Dolomite Hydrocarbon Reservoirs. Geological Society of London Special Publication, 235: 7–63
MacIntyre, I. G., Prufert-Bebout, L., Reid, R. P., 2000. The Role of Endolithic Cyanobacteria in the Formation of Lithified Laminae in Bahamian Stromatolites. Sedimentology, 47: 915–921
McKenzie, J. A., 1981. Holocene Dolomitization of Calcium Carbonate Sediments from the Coastal Sabkhas of Abu Dhabi: A Stable Isotope Study. Journal of Geology, 89: 185–198
Maliva, R. G., 2001. Silicification in the Belt Supergroup (Mesoproterozoic), Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. Sedimentology, 48: 887–896
Moore, C. H., Druckman, Y., 1981. Burial Diagenesis and Porosity Evolution, Upper Jurassic Smackover, Arkansas and Louisiana. AAPG Bulletin, 65: 597–628
Morrow, D. W., 1990. Dolomite-Part 2: Dolomitization Models and Ancient Dolostones. In: McIlreath, I. A., Morrow, D. W., eds., Diagenesis. Geoscience Canada Reprint Series, 4: 125–139
Morse, J. W., 2002. The Dissolution Kinetics of Major Sedimentary Carbonate Minerals. Earth-Science Reviews, 58: 51–84
Mossop, G. D., 1972. Origin of the Peripheral Rim, Redwater Reef, Alberta. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, 20: 238–280
Sanford, W. E., Whitaker, F. A., Smart, P. L., et al., 1998. Numerical Analysis of Seawater Circulation in Carbonate Platforms: I. Geothermal Convection. American Journal of Science, 298: 801–828
Scholle, P. A., Halley, R. B., 1985. Burial Diagenesis. In: Schneidermann, H. P. M., eds., Carbonate Cements. Society Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Special Publication, 36: 309–334
Shogenova, A., Kleesment, A., 2006. Diagenetic Influences on Iron-Bearing Minerals in Evonian Arbonate and Siliciclastic Rocks of Estonia. Proceedings of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. Geology, 55: 269–295
Sibley, D. F., Gregg, J. M., 1987. Classification of Dolomite Rock Textures. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 57(6): 967–975
Smith, G. L., Dott, J. R., Byers, C. W., et al., 1997. Authigenic Silica Fabrics Associated with Cambro-Ordovician Unconformities in the Upper Midwest. Geoscience Wisconsin, 16: 25–36
Steinsund, P. I., Hald, M., 1994. Recent Calcium Carbonate Dissolution in the Barents Sea: Paleoceanographic Applications. Marine Geology, 117(1–4): 303–316
Tobin, K. J., 2004. A Survey of Paleozoic Microbial Fossils in Chert. Sedimentary Geology, 168(1–2): 7–107
Wanless, H. R., 1979. Limestone Response to Stress: Pressure Solution and Dolomitization. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 49: 776–780
Wilson, M. E. J., Evans, M. J., 2002. Sedimentology and Diagenesis of Tertiary Carbonates on the Mangkalihat Peninsula, Borneo: Implications for Subsurface Reservoir Quality. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 19: 873–900
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Arzaghi, S., Afghah, M. Diagenetic aspects of the Lower Paleocene Sachun Formation carbonates, Zagros Basin, southwestern Iran. J. Earth Sci. 25, 884–894 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-014-0480-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-014-0480-0