Sedimentology of deposits from around the Late Caledonian unconformity in the western Holy Cross Mts.

Abstract

The Upper Silurian-Lower Devonian section of the western part of the Holy Cross Mts. is composed of greywackes of the Niewachlów Beds, Kielce Beds and Miedziana Góra Conglomerates. They are separated from the terrestrial Gruchawka Conglomerates and Barcza Beds by an erosional surface. Depositional structures recorded in the Silurian greywackes indicate the deep-water sedimentary environment of a flysch facies. The uppermost part of the Kielce Beds and the Miedziana Góra Conglomerates accumulated on a submarine delta fan. These deposits correspond to Late Caledonian molasse and are associated with closure of the Late Silurian basin in the Holy Cross Mts. The Gruchawka Conglomerates, containing fish remains, mark the beginning of the Early Devonian marine transgression. Together with the overlying sandstones and mudstones of the Barcza Beds they form the Old Red Sandstone succession. The Late Caledonian unconformity occurs between the Upper Silurian molasse deposits and Lower Devonian Old Red Sandstone facies, and the stratigraphic gap most likely spans the Pridoli, Lochkovian and lower Pragian. Large thicknesses of Silurian greywackes in the NW part of Kielce, and the high degree of thermal maturity of organic matter, indicate a geotectonic affinity of this region with the Łysogóry Block.