Palynologiczne badania wód słonych i solanek karbonu górnośląskiego

Abstract

PALYNOLOGICAL STUDY OF CARBONIFEROUS SALT WATERS AND BRINES IN UPPER SILESIA

Summary

Palynological examinations of 50 samples of salt waters and brines from the Upper Silesia mines have in 20 cases unexpectedly shown the presence of sporomorphs.

Sporomorphs, the general age of which is thought to range from Devonian to Lias, have been found in 10 samples. Most probably, these are Carboniferous sporomorphs occurring in rock interstices from the very beginning of their sedimentation. After the sedimentary Carboniferous waters had been removed due to the pressure of infiltrating salt waters, probably at the Permian time, these sporomorphs were flooded by salt waters, in which they still occur at present.
General stratigraphical data, which come from palynological observation, are as a rule, in accordance with the hydrochemical examinations or, at least, do not contradict each other.
Younger pollen grains (Tertiary-Quaternary), ascertained one time only; have been found to occur in salt water which is in a contact with that of surface origin, as it was later proved by hydrochemical methods. Apart from this case no younger sporomorphs, characterized by short stratigraphical range, have been encountered.
This may be regarded as an indirect evidence of an older age of the brines, particularly of those which do not contact with the surface waters. This excludes any suggestion concerning the Tertiary, e.g. the Miocene age of these waters, as it has previously been accepted by numerous authors mentioned at the beginning of the paper.