Tertiary basins of Spain

the stratigraphic record

of crustal kinematics Edited by PETER F. FRIEND AND CRISTINO J. DABRIO

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERS1TY PRESS

Tertiary basins of Spain

the strati graphic record of crus tal kinematics

EDITED BY

PETER F. FRIEND

Department of Earth Sciences, University af Cambridge

AND

CRISTlNO J. DABRIO

Departamento de Estratigrafia, Facultad de Ciencias Geo16gicas and Instituto de Geologia Economica, CSIC, Universidad Compiutense, Madrid, Spain

_CAMBRIDGE ::: UNIVERSITY PRESS

Published by the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1 R P 4 0 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011--4211, USA 10 Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia

© Cambridge University Press 1996

First published 1996

Printed in Great Britain at the University Press, Cambridge

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress cataloguing in publication data

Tertiary basins of Spain : the stratigraphic record of crusta] kinematics / edited by Peter F. Friend and Cristino J. Dabrio.

p. cm. - (World and regional geology series) Includes bibliographical references. SBN 0 521 461715 1. Geology, Stratigraphic - Tertiary. 2. Geology, Structural­Spain. 3. Basins ( Geology) -Spain. I. Friend, P.F. H. Dabrio, Cristino J. Ill. Series. QE69l .T465 1995 551.7'S'0946 - dc20 94-21724 CIP

ISBN 0 521 46 l 7 l 5 hardback

SE

Contents

List of contributors ix Preface P.F. FRIEND and c.]. DABRIO xiii Dedication 10 Professor Oria! Riba I Arderiu c. PUlGDEFABREGAS xv Memorial, Etienne Moissenet 1941-1994 P. ANAD6N, N. MOISSENET and O. RIBA

PARTGGENERAL

GI. Tertiary stages and ages, and some distinctive stratigraphic approaches P.F. FRiEND

G2. Cenozoic latitudes, positions and topography of the Iberian Peninsula

A.G. SMITH G3. Tertiary tectonic framework of the Iberian Peninsula

C.M. SA NZ DE GAlDEANO G4. Deep crusta I expression of Tertiary basins in Spain

E. BANDA GS. Oil and gas resources of the Tertiary basins of Spain

F. MELENDEZ-HEvIAand E. ALVAREZ DE BUERGO G6. Mineral resources of the Tertiary deposits of Spain

M.A. GARciA DEL CURA, C.l. DABRlO and S. ORD6NEZ

PART E EAST

El. Geological setting of the Tertiary basins of Northeast Spain P. ANA DON and E. ROCA

E2. The lithosphere of the Valencia Trough: a brief review M. TORNE

E3. 'Depositional sequences in the Gulf of Valencia Tertiary

E4.

ES.

E6.

E7.

basin w. MARTiNEZ DEL OLMO

Neogene basins in the Eastern Iberian Range P. ANAD6N and E. MOISSENET The Tertiary of the Iberian margin of me Ebro basin:

sequence stratigraphy 1. VllLENA, G. PARDO, A. ptREZ, A. MUNOZ and A. GONZALEZ

Tertiary of the Iberian margin of the Ebro basin: paleogeography and tectonic control J. VILLENA, G. PARDO, A. PEREZ, A. MUNOZ and A. GONZALEZ

Stratigraphy of Paleogene deposits in the SE margin of the Catalan basin (St. Feliu de Codines-St. L1oren� del Munt sector, NE Ebro basin)

1. CAPDEVILA, E. MAESTRO-MAIDEU, E. REMACHA and J.

SERRA ROW

xvii

3

6

9

15

20

26

43

49

55

68

77

83

89

EB. Onshore Neogene record in NE Spain: Valles-Penedes and El Camp half-grabens (NW Mediterranean) L. CABRERA and F. CALVET

E9. The Paieogene basin of the Eastern Pyrenees ].M. COSTA, E. MAESTRO-MAIDEuand CH. BETZLER

EIO. The Neogene Cerdanya and Seu d'UrgeU intramontane basins (Eastern Pyrenees)

E. ROCA Ell. Eocene-Oligocene thrusting and basin configuration in the

97

106

114

eastern and central Pyrenees (Spain) 120 J. VERGES and D. w. BURBANK

E12. The Late Eocene -Early Oligocene deposits of the NE Ebro basin, west of the Segre River 134 E. MAESTRO-MAlDEU and 1. SERRA ROIG

Eil. Chronology of Eocene foreland basin evolution along the weslern oblique margin of the South-Central Pyrenees 144 P. 8ENTHAMand D.W. BURBANK

E14. Evolution of the Jaca piggyback basin and emergence of the External Sierra, southern Pyrenees 153 P.l. HOGANand D.W. BUR BANK

EIS. Long-lived fluvial palaeovalleys sited on structural lineaments in the Tertiary of the Spanish Pyrenees 161 S.l. ViNCENT and T. ELLIOTT

E16. Evolution of the central part of the northern Ebro basin margin, as indicated by its Tertiary fluvial sedimentary infill P.F. FRIEND, M.J. LLOYD, R. MCELROV, J. TURNER, A. VAN GELDER and S.l. VINCENT

Et7. The Rioja Area (westernmost Ebro basin): a ramp valley with neighbouring piggybacks M.l. JURADO and o. RIBA

PART W WEST

W I. The Duero Basin: a general overview 1.1. SANTISTEBAN, R. MEDIA VILLA, A. MART1N-SERRANO and C.l. DABRlO

166

173

183

. W2. Alpine tectonic framework of south-western Duero basin 1.1. SANTISTEBAN, R. MEDIAvILLAand A. MARTiN­SERRANO

188

vii

W3. South-western Duero and Ciudad Rodrigo basins: infill and dissection of a Tertiary basin 1.1. SANTlSTEBAN, A. MARTiN-SERRANO, R. MEDIAVILLA and c.J. DABRIO

W4. Teetono-sedimentary evolution of the Ajmazan basin, NE

Spain 1. BOND

196

203

Vlll

W5. Tertiary basins and Alpine tectonics in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) J.L. ALONSO, l.A. PULGAR, J.C. GARciA-RAMOS and P. BARBA

W6. Lacustrine Neogene systems of the Duero Basin: evolution and controls R. MEDIAVILLA, C.l. DABRlO, A. MARTIN-sERRANoand l.l. SANTISTEBAN

W7. North-western Cainozoic record: present knowledge and the correlation problem A. MARTiN-SERRANO, R. MEDIA VILLA and J.I. SANTISTEBAN

W8. Onshore Cenozoic strike-slip basins in NW Spain L. CABRERA, B. FERRUS, A. SAEZ, P.F. SANTANACH and J. BACELAR

W9. Tertiary of Central System basins A. MARTiN-SERRANO, 1.1. SANTISTEBAN and R. MEDIA VILLA

PART C CENTRE

Cl. Structure and Tertiary evolution of the Madrid basin G. DE VICENTE, J. M. OONZALEZ-CASADO, A. MUNOZ­MARTiN, 1. GINER and M.A. RODRIGUEZ-PAscuA

C2. Neogene tectono-sedimentary review of the Madrid basin G. DE VICENTE, l.P. CALVO and A. MUNOZ-MARTIN

C3. Sedimentary evolution of lake systems through the Miocene of the Madrid Basin: paleoclimatic and paleohydrological constraints J.P. CALVO, A.M. ALONSO ZARZA, M.A. GARciA DEL CURA, S. ORDONEZ, l.P. RODRlouEz-ARANDA and M.E. SANZ-MONTERO

C4. Paleomorphologic features of an intra-Vallesian paleokarst, Tertiary Madrid Basin: significance of paleokarstic surfaces in continental basin analysis 1.C. CANAVERAS, 1.P. CALVO, M. Hoyosand S. ORD6NEZ

C5. Tectono-sedimentary analysis of the Loranca Basin (Upper Oligocene-Miocene, Central Spain): a 'non-sequenced' foreland basin 1.1. 06MEZ FERNANDEZ, M. DiAZ MOLINA and A. LENDiNEZ

C6. Paleoecology and paleoclimatology of micromammal faunas from Upper Oligocene - Lower Miocene sediments in the Loranca Basin, Province of Cuenca, Spain R. DAAMS, M.A. ALVAREZ SIERRA, A.J. VAN DER MEULEN

and P. PELAEZ-CAMPOMANES C7. Fluvial fans of the Loranca Basin, Late Oligocene - Early

Miocene, central Spain M. DiAZ-MoLINAand A. TORTOSA

Contents

C8. Saline deposits associated with fluvial fans. Late Oligocene -214 Early Miocene, LOTanca Basin, Central Spain

1. ARRIBAS and M. DIAZ-MOLINA e9. Shallow carbonate lacustrine depositional controls during

the Late Oligocene -Early Miocene in the Loranca Basin 228 (Cuenca Province, central Spain)

237

M.E. ARRIBAS, R. MAsand M. DiAZ-MOLlNA

PART S SOUTH

SI. The Betic Neogene basins: introduction

247 CH. MONTENAT

255

263

268

272

278

285

295

300

S2. Neogene palaeogeography of the Betic Cordillera: an attempt at reconstruction C.M. SANZ DE GALDEANO and 1. RODRiGUEZ­FERNANDEZ

S3. Depositional model of the Guadalquivir - Gulf of Cadiz Tertiary basin c. RIAZA and w. MARTINEZ DEL OLMO

S4. Late Neogene depositional sequences in the foreland basin of GuadaJquivir (SW Spain) F.l. SIERRO, LA. GONZALEZ DELOADO, C.l. DABRIO, J.A. FLORES and J. CIYIS

SS. Miocene basins of the eastern Prebetic Zone: some tectono­sedimentary aspects CH. MONTENAT, P. OTT D'ESTEVOU and L. PIERSON

D' AUTREY S6. Stratigraphic architecture of the Neogene basins in the

central sector of the Betic Cordillera (Spain): tectonic control and base-level changes 1. FERNANDEZ, 1. SORIA and c. VISERAS

S7. Pliocene-Pleistocene continental infiUing of the Granada and Guadix basins (Betic Cordillera, Spain): the influence of allocyclic and autocyc1ic processes on the resultant

stratigraphic organization J. FERNANDEZ, C. VISERAS and 1. SORIA

S8. Late Neogene basins evolving in the Eastern Betic transcurrent fault zone: an illustrated review CH. MONTENAT and P. OTT D'ESTEVOU

S9. Tectonic signals in the Messinian stratigraphy of the Sorbas basin (Almeria, SE Spain) J.M. MARTIN and 1.C. BRAGA

StO. Basinwide interpretation of seismic data in the Albonin Sea c. DOCHERTY and E. BANDA

Index

308

313

321

323

330

339

346

353

366

372

387

392

399

W7 North-western Cainozoic record: present knowledge and the

correlation problem

A. MARTIN·SERRA NO. R. MEDIA VII.I.A AND J.I. SANTISTEBAN

Abstract

Tertiary deposits oflhe north-western Iberian I'eninsula

are heterogeneous because they occur In severnl morpho-slTuclural

positions as isoial("-d and dispersed basin.� and mucTops. The quality

of the palaeontological record is usually very poor and there are scarce data. Correlation depends on a wide range of criteria which arc not always equivalent: palaeontology, mineralogy IInd petro­

logy. geomorphology. tectonics aud !,;omparison wilh helter-known

and beller-dmed fades in regions nearby. The results lack homogeneity and there arc notable discrepancie.�.

IntrOOllction

Tertiary scdiments ofGalicia, Bicrzo ;{nd Ihe Cantabrian Range (norlh-wcstern Spain) occur in small basins and isoluted

outcrops.

Galicia Basins

Many !!t:o�ruphieal features and the Tert;<lry basi ns of Galicia are related to fault-systems trending N-S. NNE-SSW. NE

SW, E-Wanu WNW NW-I�ESE(Fig.I).

I .. ugo Basins

The most important outcrops of Tertiary sediments in Galieill. arc located in Lugo. between the central peneplain und thc eastern mountains. The main basins (Terra Chu. Sarria and Mon­

forte) are asynmletrical: Tertiary sediments rest unconfonnably upon Palaeozoic rocks in the west and arc separated from crystal­

line basement (igneous rocks) hy N 20 .... 30 and N50-60 faults (Fig. 2).

The sedimentary fills of the $.1rria and Monforte basins, up to 200 m thick, have been divided in various strutigraphical schemes (Birot & Sole, \954; Rrell & Doval. 1974. 1979; Yirgili & Urel!. 1975;

Martin-Serrallo. 1979, 1980, 1982: del Olmo, 1986; Vergnolle, 1984.

1985.1987. 1990) with sevcnll Jithostratigraphic units which were

groupC:.'d into the Monteforte formalion (Vergnolle, 1988). The

scclimentary record of the largcr basins includes two superposed

meg<lsequenees of opposed tn:nr.l (Figs. 3, 4), hut it is ditJieult to differentiate thl.-'Sc trends in the smaller, moderately subsiding basins. Thc lower, fining-upwards megasequence comprises:

- Green arkoscs with minor clay lIlutriX (smeelile) :lrranged in channel-form bodies sep<lr<lled by mud

l:lyecs. These arc interpreted a� lne deposits of rivCI"5 that nowed from the granite area of Villalba-Chunluda.

- Red-green alluvial·1"<l11 conglomerates. These ,Ire depoSits ofsmall. hut thick, alluvial eOlles ruutl.--U in the metamorphic and granitic source areas of the eastern

edges of the basins. - Banded, red-green induniled clay series in the areas

where the arkoscs :md conglomerates coalc$l,:e. This fal.-ics is more extensive upwards and there is also a progres..�ivc increase in the content of carbonate and

the genemtion of dolomitic crusts as."ociated with

palygorskite and Sl:piolite (Sarria Hasin).

The upper. coarseuin!!-upwards mega.<;tqucnce contains green arkosic gravel as the last deposits oflhe b.1SlIlS infill.

SECalida

Three distinct basins Ol,:cur in the small tilled (towards the

Sand SE) mountain blocks ofOrcnse: Maeed<l, Ginzo de Limia and

Verin. Maeeda is u complex, 160 m deep. half-grabcn bounded to the

NNE by <l l<lrge fault scarp. Thc lithofm::il.-'$are different from those of the Lngo basins: the largest part of the basin fill is a fining­

u pwa rds fluvial unit of fine-grained sedl men t� (Del Corno and Dc la Ye-ga Members of Brell. 1975; Dc los MiI<lgros Member of del

0lmo, 1986). Thcy arc while, grey and ochre fernlginous sund and

day (55-65% kaolinite) with organic matter. deposited in nuviatiic

cnvironments. The marginal scdiments are red muddy sands and gravel. comparable wiIh one of Ihc lilhofacics of the Monforte

Formation; they arc interpreted as alluvial-fan dcposiL� related to

the tectonic activity of the border.

217

238 A. Martill-Serrano. R. Mcdiavillu and J.1. S;Lnti�tt:blLn

\ • •

Sontonder

.. � ;. ��'i'OO"" . . . �

.... > c7�g.� ��¥ ;�+� . .DUERO· / ' : : . : . . c . • : ./ . • • .. ::. : .. .... . . . ' . . �.I'.< . .. , •...

-_/�""" ." ... . ::: .

....

.. ; : :

-

.

'.

:

J'

. .... : . . ,' . . .. . . . · · · · ·· BASIN

" . ... '

�'::w' ES : •.• 5N;<I/ > ," ' :.' . \. :.:' . ..

I l BORDER

-' h f .. "

'"" •

, •

Fi!l.' I. Murphustruelural situHli'.m ur the north-"'estcrn Teniarr. I: Pala('{)l'.oic baS('menl �nd MesolOic: 2: Calnol'.oic: 3: I\lorpholl'Clonic lines; 4: isnhypses of

{dief contours.

The Ginzo de Limia Basin is a suh-Recent tectonic trough

bounded by N70. N--S and NI2U faults and filled with alluvial

sediment$. The fill consists of250 III of Tertiary sediments. includ·

inga lignite ami clay laycr, located betwecn 80-130 m in dcpth. and

interbedded between [WO thick sandy series (IGM E, 1979 -19!!4) .

Thc nilrrOW Verin llasin. in the morphostructunll region ofTrus­

Os-Montcs. reaches u milximum depth or 100 III and is fill<..x.l with

red and grey clay, sand and gravel.

Littora/ BI/sills

related tu ,I regressive episode. These :Ire .fir/",olilhi, 1:1cies. with

mature con.�tituents from a mineralogical ajJd petrological point of

view: bolinileand unalterable 1l1incrals. They :Ire wmparable with

Maccda. Gillzo de Lilllia. Pucntcs de Garcia Rodrigucz :lOd

Meirama basin fills. The Meirama n[lsio cont[lins the best dc\'c­loped Cainozoic record of these f[lcies.

The basins of San Saturnj[\o-Pedro�o-Mo�:chc-Puentes-RolJ­

par Moiuonovo and Lcndo--Meirama-Visantna-Juaneecl[l­

LUI1l:il-Orros-Boimil arc relatcd to dextral faults (Fig. 5) Ihat

strongly influenced the sedimentation (Maldonado, 1977: Gareia

Aguilar. 1987; MOll.ge. 1987; Baeclar et (1/., 1988, 1991; Sant:lnach ('.1 These arc small, isolated outcrops. Some of them are (I/.. 1988). They weft:" small. complex. compartmentalised. asym­

relaled to a structural corridor (the so-c.11led Depresion Mericiiana, metrical and strongly suhsiding basins (Fig. 6) filled with green.

Nonn. 1966): Porriil{), Deva and Salvatierra. Other outcrops - grty and blue kaolinitic muds und sands. In sume busins (Pedroso.

(Fazaouro Fonnation) arc located on the Cantabrian side (Mou- Pucntc$ de Garcifl Rodrigucz. Roupar. Juaneeda and Meirama)

cide. Burela and Loren7..ana). and they are interpreted [IS a pied- there is lignite as weU. They were tilled by small alluvial and fluvi'll

monl (Vergnolle. 19!!!!) made up 01" tine si!ieic1astic sediments systems associated with lacustrine and paludal environmcllts (iig-

W7 North-wC'.stern Cainozoie record 239

e

N

t

PORTUGAL

Fig. 2. Terliary ha�;ns in t'�ltm GlIlicia. I. Igneous rockli: 2.l'ahll·tuoic Mild pre-l'alaem:olc basellW'nl: 3. CJdnolui ....

nilc lInd clIrbonaceousdays) and were controlled hy their struetuml

evolution. Successive extcnsional or compres$ion:ll phases in the

basin of I'ucntcs were r('(;ordcd as expansions and retractions or rhe

lignite bed�. Equilihrium between subsidence and sedimentation

favoured the development or thick coal deposits in the Miramar

Basin (Santanach el (11 .. 191111)_

Si! corridor This is rhe depressed a;(ial area or a NE SW.trending

mounlain system. The cnmplcx Uierzo (Jasin (Fig. 7). is the 111051

important Tertiary development. It is a depres.�ion wilh two large

basins (Ponft'IT'olda Villafranea and Ikmhihre) surrounded by !\econdary subbasins 10 the nOl'lh (Parradaseca. Finolledo, Fahcro

.....- , . .. " .-... ..

t:=r:: : t

•

:!i".' ft I� .1 --

. .':,r--

- -

. :. "

•• ...... -

Fig. 3. Lillioslraligrllphyoflhfi main 1Ia.�illllorl..ul:O rrm'iMt (rrom Vugnolk •

• 9AA). I. Ra..-.emtul; 2. raulls; J. Caino1.oic MpMits; a; br«:du; b: rongloml'r­alH: c: arkllSf5: d: days; e: dolomllic crust: r: blocks (If infill: 4: Quall'rnyry allu.'ial.d!ftl.

and Noccda) and south (Lus Mcdulas and Carucedo). The other

southern depressions (El Barco de Valdeorras, u Rua, Quiroga

and Quinlela) are small, narrow. rault-bounded deep basins.

The up 10 700 m thick sedimentary fill oflhe Bienw Basiu eun be

divided inlo several units (Fig. X) (Vida[ Boix, 1941, 1954; Birol & Soli:. 1954; Pannekoek & Sluiter. 1964: Dclamire-Uray, 1911: Hemil, 1919, 1981, 1984) which scrve as a model for Ihe remaining Sil basins:

- Toral Formation: fiuviatilc gravel and sands and palu.

dallimestonc and dolosloncs (r.:rusts). These are green

to pink polymielic smcclllic-rieh sediments with f..:lds­

par, micas and polymlneral graIns. Sourcearcasarc far

away to lh� west with a few local sources (Fig. 9). - Santalla Fonllulion: beige-ochre or grey-red smeiclastic

conglomerates and muddy sands deposiled in con­

tinuously flowing. high-compctencc f\uvio-torrential

alluvial fans.

Las Medulas Formation: matrix-rich silicielastic gravel

with boulders, deposited in high-competence. inter­

mittently flowing. alluvial fans.

-These deposits an: topped by a weathered rmia-Iike sheet of gravel.

All Sil basins underwent a similar evolution as witnessed by Ihe

similat'ity of their S«Iimentary rccords. The Ouiroga Fonnalion fonns the lower infill of the Si! basin. and is laterally equivalent to

the Toral Fonnalion; lhe overlying Monforte FormatIOn has

l1uviallacicseomparahle with theSantulla Formalion (Figs. lOand

12).

Morphote(;lonie fe,lIures are evident in the Uierzo Basin (NE­SW und E W bordcrs):lIld all alongtheSil ValJey(with narrow and

240 A. Marlin.Scrrano, R. Mcdiavi1Ja and J.t S.1nli�teb;ln

regional Terliary record ill discOlltillUOUS outcrops (La Espmn.

Grado. Oviedo. Illfiesto .... ) with u relative concordance of faC1e�

(Uopis Llado & Martim;..r: Alvllfcl. IlJ5g. 1959. 1960: IGME, 1979-NI. 84.1986: Truyuls et al .• 1991).

!-';1:.4. Paltflt:tcll:ral'hinl rec(JmlrucliQn or tlw bairns RUed by the Monfnne Fonnatlon (simplifiM fmm Vereuollc. 1988).

clap N50-60and Nl40 basins)(Birot & Sole, 1954: tlc:Groot. 1974;

del Olmo. 1986: Vergnolle. 1988). The infill of alIthcSl: small basins

�hows a coarsening-upwllrds scqucnl'C. Strong deformation can

also be seen aff\."Cling the Toral or Quiroga Formations. This

ddurmalion has not affected younger sediments such as the San­

talla or La!! Medulas Formations. The fomler arc syntcclonic

deposits synchronous with the opening of the Bicrzo Basin and

Lugo basins.

Asluril1s outcrops

The Cantabrian Range. an old massif uplifted and

deformed from I.uteli<'ln 10 Neogcne times. is divided into mountain

masl,il:�, narrow and deep nuvial valleys :.I(u..1 basins (Fig. 11). The

SI/reo Preli(Qrul (pre-littoral furrow) is It H:clonic scar with ftag­ments ofPemlian and Meso . .:o ie rocks that contains almost all the

The I.."Ontinental Tertiary deposit�. up to 250 m thick. between

OVledo and Infiesto rest upon the k.arstificd top of Upper Creta­

ceou� carbonate rocks. They can be divided into two units (T ruyols ('I al .. 1991): 11 lower mud ullit with yellow-red or grey-green sand� IS

overlain by red-ydlow clllYS and marls with ealearenll� S;:lnds :lnd

bn.:cciated limestone rich in gastropods and oSlraeoos ofOligOCCJ)c

age. To the north. these twO units change laterally into calcareous

gravels and brcccias (fudillga df' Pos(ula).

Three units have been differentiated in Grado:

i\ lower flllinl!!j-upwllrds sequence of conglomerates anel

sandstone with carbonate cement and laminateel. hur­

rowecl mlld8 or braided river origin.

- A thick intermediate coarsening-upwards unit of clay

and laminated mud passilll! upwards inlo conglomer­ates and sandstOIl<: with intercalations of laminated. burrowcd muds. This is mterpreted :IS scdimc:nts of

ephememl river systems and flnod-plain deposits

including (jmestone and mads.

- The top of the section consists of alluvial·ran, massil'e

gravel. supplied froUl thc south.

The weSlernmost fraglllcnts of this Tertiary AstUrias IIlls;n occur

isolatoo and perched high ncar Pola dc Alande. They arc alluvial­

fan dcposits th:11 change upwards to fluvial racies; they arc related

tu a structural l;ne. The proximal fan facies are massive gral'c1s with

sands and hUTToweel mlld�: distal fan and fiuvial racies cot(sist uf gravels, s...1nds and green burrowed muds (IGME. 1986).

All these oucrops an: tlw H'mainsofll unique basin thllt extended

from east to west with un IIctivc nurthern boundary (i-"rtlllja M/wit /rw:rmedia) which gOI·crned scdimentation and strongly influenced

the termlnal leclofacics (fudillga (M Posm/a). Faults broke up tbc outline or the hasin and p..·"lrtS or it were eroded some time

afterwards.

Strllti�rlolphi�' corrt'ill.tion, frll.gmenlation, Cainolnic:

"Iriety and dispersion

As previously indicated. the Tertiary of the north-west is

varicd because it is locatcd in scveral morphostructural positions, which nre isolutt:d from eUl:h other. Furthennorc. oUlcrnp.� ar� usunlly of very pour 4ulllily and thc palaeontological rccorel IS scarce. As a consequence, correlation depends on a wide range or

criteria which are nOt always equivalent: palaeontology. miner­

alogy and petrology, geomorphology. tectonics and comparison

with beller known and dated facies in regions nearby. As cxpt"Ctcd,

the results lock homogencity and contain notable discrepancies

(Fig. 12). Pulaeontological data arc scarce, frequently conflL� "nd in

di�agreement with other data: in ract these data play a negative role

because they impose forced correlation. The reason is that the

W7 North-westC'rn COIinozoie TCI.:ord 241

++++

UNDO

� � 2

s.w.

D a 10"-. ------

A

VWNTQN"

N.E. S.W. S N.E.

[� "'" "'"

'"'' "'" ,,� -"'" "'"

"0.

r§d - _ <" 7 D· fig. 5. Tl'CIOnie bul", of Mflrama and PnflII�de Cardll Rodrigl>t1. .. ilh 1"'0 InUM'COil' �r(lS!Il-!;I.'C:lio�(Pl'TfiI-A Hnd Prrtil-K)to iIIustratt the deformation 51)"1e

of sedlmenu In I'utnl" de GaKia RodriglH'z b3.�in (from RlIcelar /!I .. I., 1988 and SllnIHl11ll'" (01 ul .. 1983). I: Caioozok: Palaeo�ok. 2: Igneous rocks.: 3: Quarlzlt« and SIllIl'S: 4; Schists and otMr melaMdiment�; 5: PlIlaeo1Dir bD'leIll",n'; 6: COIlI domillllled inlcrbcdding (silicklasLic beds subordinated): 7: Silicidpslic altumtnc« (1II1thout coal beds): 8: Coakilklelastics allem.llion.

palaeontological a.\scmblages are J)Qor: only some layers of ver­

tebrates and charophytes near Qviedo. dated as Rhcnaninn

HeaJoniun in age (Truyols 1:'1 ul .. 1991), and palynomorph� in

lignitc beds in the Cormia basins. 311ributed to the Middle-Upper

Miocene to Pleistocene (Medus. 1963: Nonn & Medus. 1963:

Mencndez Amor. 1975: Maldonudo. 1977; Arnujo 1:'1 ul.. 1988).

Rr.:ccntly. these silcs also yielded vertchrates of Oligocene-Lower

Miocene :lge (Esteban l'I (1/., 1989).

The problem is that Cainozoic outcrops show a great variability

or thickm:ss, fades. sequential arrangemcnt and petrologle and

mineralogical composition. �ueh a diversity seems incompatibl�

with the idea of a unique (and coeval) pa\aeogeography and

palaeoclimllte as especially suggested by the basins in Gulida. In

some areas. there lire siderolitllic facies and lignite (Atlantic basiM).

whereas ill others, arkosic scdiments dominate (Lugo ba.\ins). Is

there 11 single geological background for all these basins? An

affirmative answer implies that lhe age rungcs bct ..... l,:cn UPl'Cr OligOttne alld Ncogcne and also requires an explanation for the

diversity or faeie� in terms of local palaeogeographical and palat:o,

geomorpho[ogical features(Birot& Soli!. 1954; Noon. 1966; Brell&

Doval, 1974). Ir the answer is negativc, the diversity has to be

explained as the result of stratigraphic superposition (Fig. 13),

which implies discontinuous sedimentation in steps and a prolonga'

tion of tlte time-durutiun of the strdtigraphic record (Martin-

242 A. Martin-Scrrano, R. Mediavilla and 1.1. Santisteban

-, '

" . ' , " ,

. . . ' , , • ,

! , -

,. .

1 �

;' ________ '-______ -".m

?

�-' . ,

. .

Ft!:. 6. Slroclllral �nlt o( Xaoceda Dasln. RaM!menl iMlbalh� deduced rrom eltclrk and mechanical wrdcal drllUnl:s (rrom San la nlch tf al., 1988).

Serrnno. 1982: Ve rgnol1e, 1988). r n Ihis second mode. it is possible

tu correlute the bllsins of Galieia with the Duero Basin vill the

Uierzo lIasins.

As with other major geologica l bells. the north·weste rn C:lino·

zoic busills wcrc cUlltro l1cd by several fnull systems leading to Ibe

nnalY1ii1i of the different bnsins on the basis of parlieu lllT fellluTcs.

These fealures c.1n be correlaTed TO Olher lithoslr<ltigraphic or

gcomorphologic anributes. but tileS(' comparisons lead straighl

back 10 the basic problem: poor knowledl!:e of the uI!:e and SUI."CI.'S· sion or geOleclonic and geomorphologlc evcnt1i duc 10 the poor

cbronostraligraphy of the associated sediments. On Ihe OIher hand.

erosion surflll."cs have bt.-CII largely obliterated by faulting. For this

rearon, a conru1iing variety of geOlcctonic hypotheses have been

proposed: for example: that the Pyrenc.1n. s'1avicor fonner Alpine

phases were responsible for initial tilting and that more rccent

topographic changes and mstability(evident through the Ncogcm:)

extends until Plio-Qu:ucrnary I1me.'. This problem can only be overcome by \he combination of geo­

morphologic. tl.'Clon ic and stratigraphic studies. Systematic IlIIaly­

sis should focus on geomorpho logic inve.�t;g.·\I;on hccause. in thcse

Tertiary studies. relief is not only the p.."\laeogeomorphological

eont�xt of the basins but also the result of the Alpine ;gI."Otectonic rramework . Thi.' approach makes it clea r how rmportant lhc study

of weathering profiles. as ;aherites' is like ly 10 be. These occur both

still resting upon the basement and o.lso incorporated into the

Tcrtiary sediments, hceause through timc the main hulk of ahcritcs

mllst have been erodcd and incorporated into the basin tills. Then i r

should b e possible t o compare scwmcnts and wcathcfing profiles

:lnd in conseq uenl."C correlate them Wilh pJanation surfaces. With It special link like Ihe aiteritcs, we can plan TO CorrelaTe The lilhOSlral1-

graphy of basins with the evolution of re\ief and vice-versa .

Ar.tujo, P .• Hcrnandc7.·Enrilc, J.L. and ScaTa, J.R. (19!Sl!). Tcclol1lca cxtcnsional y cstructura de la Cucncli de Mliccda (Gulicla MCTldlonal)./1 COfll-!r. Gtol. t.:rp(llll1. 2: 107-1 to.

Haccllir. J.. Alunw. Mu Kaiser. Cu Sillldcl, Mu Cubfl:ru. L., S:J��, A.llnd Sanlanach. P. (1988). Lu cu�ne� h:rduTiIl d� As Puntes (Gulica): su desarrollu asociado ;. innexiones oonlrnctivas de una fall" direccional 11 C'<mgr. GI'OI. Espnim, Simp.: 1I '-121.

Ibeelar, 1 .. Atonso, M., Kaiser, c., Siinr.hel� M., Cahrull, 1.., rcrr.l.�, It,

MU� A. and Sanlanach, P. (1991). RelacionC1l tecToniCII·sedi· mentation de la CUC1Xa cc:no7.0ka de A� l'ontc5 (A Coruria). I COIIgr. Grupo Esponol d� T�rciar;o, Cornun.: 2�27.

Dirot. P. and Sole Sab.aris. L (1954). Recherches morpbologlqucs aans le !'Iord·Oucst de la I'cmnsulc IbCnque. Aft",. tlD«. (:I'ntrt JJoc. aJrt. �I Glogroph. C.N.R.S .. 4: 11-61.

Hn:U. J. and Duval. M. (1974). Un cjcOJplu tle �"ofld'lI:ilUJ Illoe:.tr�lignjJlC3 �pJ.ic-"du a las cucrl\.-"� Icrdarill� del NO de la Peninsula. E.".I,,<I. G�()I .• 30; 63 t 638.

Brell. J_ ;lud Doval. M. (1979). Rclaeiones cutre lossedimenlOS neO�nosde Galici" y la_,aiteracionesdesusuhsrralo.lnlerpn:lacion p.t1eocli· rn,irica. ArM G.·ol. Hi .. ,.imiro, 14: 190-194.

Dellll3irc·flray, M.M. (1977). w grandes etapes de !'individualisation du hassin du Diel7.o (Lean. Espagne) apartir du Neo�ne. MMlltr· ral1/�. 19--34.

Esleban. J.. Lopez. N. and Dc La I'ena. A. (191:19). I'rospcccion d e micromamifcros fOSllcs e n l a 7.Ul1a tic Gall":la. III/ormt illll.'mo. Pro)'tC/o Mopo NfOltCI(mico.ITGE.

Gurdu AguilllT. J.M. (1987). Carli't�rw.ciOn ��lr"ligl'ulka y Iet:tullosedi· mCl1lana dc la cucnca Jignilireru tie Mdruma (A CUlUiia). C"",/ Lub. XI'()I. LII.\"(". 11: 37 49.

GrQUt. R. Dc (t 974). QlIlmllwll'''' (mllf)'J-I'S ,,11,,-·<I"'I<'IIls 1I",ljl"..,,,II,'rr("·"$ "pplh'" Iv '/'t· bllJ'ill 0/ /lfr,,!rortl' Ill> 1.l'I/!(Js. Goliria, NW S(Iflhr Amsterd;Jnl, 127 ['['_

Her"il, G. (1979). L1 �{Iimenlacion lerciaria en la parte occidental del 3ierzr"l (Leoo, E�pajja) y �u� irnplicacione� geomorfologie;Js. I RI!UIli/)11 .�Q/)re la Gl'Ologfo dl' 10 CIIl'I1CIl del Duero. Salol1/ollctl 1979. Tl'mas Gt!Ol. Mill. 6: 323-337.

Hcrail. G. (19HI). El IJiCI7.o: gi:omorphogcnesc finl-tcrtiulfC trun b�SSln lnrra·mon1ugncux (Espagnc). IUJ.PS.O .. 52 (2): 21 7-2J2.

Hcr"li. G. (1984). Gcomorphologjc et litologi� tic ror tlclriti4uc. Pi�ruonls cl bassins inl(ulIlQlltuglleu� till NUJtI·Oue�1 dc l'Espagllc. C.N.R.S.: I 456.

IGME (t979 34). Pro�eclO para la invesrig.1eion de liguitoen la region de

Galacia. Fases 1.111. Un published. IGME(t986). Exptor�don lignitirw. en la region Astur·Galaica ye�pcrien·

cia pilolo rn l1 c:uenca del Quem (fIotde 1A1moraoo-lcooes). h:llcmal rcpon. 226 pp.

L10pis L1ad6. N. and ManillC7. Alvam:, J.A. (19S8). Contribucion al oonocimienro del Terciario de los alredcdores de Ov,ooo. AfI)tW-­gral GroI .. 9: 287-304.

LJopis LJado, N. and MlIninC7.AlvaTC7� J.A. (1\159). EstudiuhrdrugoologK."u del TeTClano de I()l; aln:rn.-dufC'S de Grudo. E$mu. Gt<JI .. 24: 287-304.

Uopis Lludo. N. und Murti1K"� Alvurrl.. J.A. (1960). SubJ� el T�rciari ...

W7 Nonh-wCSlern Cllinozoic record 143

� . . . . , • • •

_ 6

/

N 7

/

°l ____ .'===="";.. ___ "'C'====';;"� :. • , , I

t"ig. 7. SlruclUre and st4imenllllnn of RiU7.tl R •. 'lin (from Herail, 1984l1nd lGMt:, 1 979--1984 and 19116). 1. BaMm«:nl: 2, Toral FormalKln: J. SanlaUa IlIMl LIIS Mi'duh.s Furmation; 4. uPlK'rmoSI graHls: 5. terrace! (Quaternary?); 6. faul ls; 7. normal faults: 8 . ({ . .... n;,; (Mulls.

Fi¥. 8. Ulhuwlligraphy or the Diet7:o na.�ln flit (fmm Herail. 1984). I . BASl"'Il""!: 2. grM'-cllo'! 11. monogt'nk brttthls; h. quarl7.ile and .und�lo"e block� e. rounded grafels: d. nUltrh-rich poor ruunded gra."tls: 3. sand)" silly and muddy facie<!: ... �11>eC1;Ie-rkh, rddspar Mild qUIlrtt:ose !i.llnds: b. IlIi1e-rkh. schiSI and quarllok sud.�; c. mite-rich. quarlz05e SMuds: 4. l"II,bomlll� (Iimloslones and dolosIOMS): •. isollted coocl'eliflM; h. maS'ih"e /IlK! IMOO""

levels; 5. rfliln, hlahl)' altered quartzite ptbblH and bloxks; 11. sedim .. nlny di'll:onlinuily: 11. dis/:Orth'flI.1:; b. h.tenl change or fades; c. H'r1ical fadei lransilion: 7. lIullS.

o 40 If 11 �

fjg. ,. Pwlucocurrcnl dirl'Cliomi IMJlSured in Lo .. rr 1\-liocent dtpos;lS nr north­"'e;tl"rQ IJ.I<,riun Pcninsul. (Vcrgoolle. 1!mII). 1. Basement: t. �r.nilnids; b. IMlamMphic rocks; 2. pDlol'QCurr('llls.

244 A. ManilJ·Scrrano, K. McdiavUJa IInd J.1. Sllnti�IChan

N'

Fig. 10. Palatageograpl'tical Kbtme ror Quirl'lla Formation (rram V",rgoolll', 19RA).

Con ' a h " o ll

. '-'

N

t

....

7-Fi,. I L Tl.'rlillry f,lUl�'1U� in "hiI'm Astllria! (IGI\IE. 1.979-1984).

Q U41UH4.,

·"OCII,' " ' I

� "" 10

� ;

• . "'00" ,

I I " ' I

• • •

• • • Ill' .... · , -

" 0 • • " . . - . :; 0 0:

- • • O, "'OU .. , --

- " .... • , ;; , "'�O" 0 , -

• ,_11 · ., .. ,.

.. ,.OC ....

O U 4UINAtY

• . . 0""'

; " .... -•

; 0 - . • 0 "'0011

;

- '''''' .. · • --• II"OOC ,'" " -

� ., ... .

;; , "'''''" 0 i " - 'ow" • • " ....

• U ' O C l M '

I I I -

• • 3 1 . •

--

• •

W7 North-wcstern CainOlOic record

ASTuRIAS

?

COSH.O

GU.oo

LLANTt4LU

1

2

G A l I e l A

, . • ;

I 1 1 i :

,

8 1 � U O

, �

1 1

245

OCHlf U " B

• 1(0 SE"U

AI�O!oIC UNIl

$IOUOLlIIC4S

•

Fi¥_ 11_ Chro_U'ligraphyorTtrli.ryHpMil� in oorlh-,,'tsltrn lberi.n Peninsula. Upper .abk: I. Dull &: Dn�11 (1974); L ICM£(I986): 3_ 1-I.l'",il (191U): 4_

Slnlislehan,., .1. (1991). Lo""r T.bk: I. Rnli &: 1>01"11 (1974); 1. i\brti.,.Sen-.no (1981): J. Vt"'1oollt" {19KlI)j 4. IG�'lE (1986).

246 A. Martin-ScrraJ)o, R. Mediavi1la and J.I. Sanristcban

•

GI.-oIIITIE or. LPIOS �. SUBBAS'N eaRl , I.' ...

IlIEIIU,1U COII( .t 11,21',..

I'2Z3 �AOu"'H[ c::::J OT�£� CLAVI

• ", .. i>Lf LOCAL'"

Fil:' 13. KN ... r;II;I� vw�rti ... " ill dh�'S uf t .. u diITt're"t Cllliein basins (data fur

M ... irama 811Sill fro'lm MHldo'"lIlo. 1977; IIl1d dlllll for Mo"r ... rlt' d.' u.,lIlI,ISfr ... '" Promotora !lt' R�III'S(I:S NalurAles, 1978).

cunlineu till del OI....:idcntc de A�t unali y su slgnlficaelon murrOI«"-1011;"01. Br ... �. G ... oI. AJ'I .. I.U: 3 18.

Maldonado. A. ( 1977). Esludio �1';Silv S«Ifbicu dd sureQ BlllcJll\'Q­Meimllla 80imil Doclul'al n,,!sb. UIl;V. Pulil':':n. Madnd. IITSIM. Madrid.

Martin-Scrrano. A. (1979). El ct'lnOcimienlo del lignilO y dd Terciario en Galicia. Exposicibn y erilica. Tt'm;ft'rrtlt'. 31: 46--55.

Martin-Scrranu. A. (1982), I!I Terdario de Ga1ie�. $ignifieado y prn;ieion eronocslraligrifica de sus yacimientos de Hgnito. Trmi/('rro". 48; 1-23.

Marlin-$crrano. A. (19<.10). Noul!cJlcs h�'polhc.scs concernanl la significa-

tion geologique du lignilc de Galicc (Nnrd-Onc.�1 dl'.: t'F,!;[>.1S"I'.:) IlId, Mill" lel Tulm .. Juin: 249- 258.

Mcncndez Amor, J, ( 1<J75), HoJa Gto/6g/ca E. /:JOOOO MAGNA "0. 22 (l'ufn/fdfUllltj. IOME.

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Monge, C. ( 1 981) Esllldio sedimcntulogioo de la cuenQ!. lo:maria de Mciram:l.. Un ejemplu de cuenca sobre una falla de :;allo en dirccci60. CUiIll. l�b. X,'(II. I�.�t'. I 1 51-67

Noun. 11. (1966). Lcs rellionJ coticre..� de l:t G:tlioe (F..spagne) Pub!. Fuc. ""s UllftS Ullil·. SlrIIsMurR. 3: 1 591.

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Olmu Sanl, A. Dd (1986). ESludlu s<.'�hmentario de lu cucncas tcrciarLaJ y cualenLarias ue Munfurl� de Lemo�. Mael'da y QULruga. Cl/lid. ulb. X,'ul. L,l.\"('. 10.

Sanlan:lch. P., R,�ltuaJe, J M .. Cabrem. L.. MOllse. C . • Sac/., 1\. and Villal Romani, J.R. (19RR). CuenC3S Icrci;lrins g�l1egas rehlcionndus con corredores tie falb� direccion:lles 11 C()"1:f, G('ul. £)'PUliu. simp.: 123-133.

Sluiter. W.J. and Panntkock. A.J. ( 1964). 'm O1cr7.o'. "Iude �tilllcn!olo­gique Cl geomurphologique d'un bu�in intra-monlagllcux dans le Nord-Ouesl de t'Espagnc, Ltidsl' Grrn, All'dt'(I .. J{I: 14 1- 1 R 1.

Truyuls, J.. Oarl"iu-Rumus, J.C .. Casunovlls-Uudc1tu, M .J. and S:lnlafe U"pis. J. V. (1 991 ). El T�'relariu de los alrcdcdores de Ovicdo. / e'mgr. G",pu £$,1(1;;(1/11" Tuduriu. �·omun.: 334-330.

Vcrs"olle. C. ( 1 984) Lilho$lnLtibl'uJ)IL;� ues Lmssin� t�rliuiT<'S du Nord-Est oe b G"lice (Esp.1gne). MaUl/Kt'S dl.· la CUJU ,J,. 1ft'lIb/fll.':, 20: 372-392.

Vergnoltc. C. (19R5). Geome!rie du remp1i!"�'gc de.! b.1ssins de 501rr;a el do:­Monforlc (Galicc, E.�p3Snc) el evolulion geolllorphologiquc rcglonale. MilmfgfS d" la Casu do' V,I6:qllt':, 21: 331-14/\

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Vidal Boi)(, C. ( 1 954). Ocolugia de (05 MonIes Aqullianos y borde meridio­nal de III dcprl'Sion del B,cr.w (Leon). lIomf'lwjt u 1::. I/I.'mumll.': P"c/'CCV, 8(11. R. Su.c .. I:.)-p. Hisl. "'IJII.. SIX"" pub!,: 677-6')5.

Virgili, C. and Srel!. J.M (1975). AIsullus <'ura<'lerish,'us dc lu $\!dllllCnta­

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