Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Depositional system and facies analysis of travertine deposits: Badab-e Surt Spring Mazandaran, Iran

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Quaternary to recent travertines in the Badab-e Surt Spring are distinguished in four lithofacies according to the field and microscopic features. The various recognized lithofacies of travertine deposits include (1) crystalline crust, (2) pisoids, (3) tufa, and (4) carbonate black muds. Various combinations of the distinguished lithofacies are deposited on slope, depression, and mound environments. Mud facies was analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) /energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and represent gypsum and halite crystals. Mechanical CO2 outgassing is the main factor controlling calcite precipitation on the cascades.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altunel E, Hancock PL (1993) Morphology and structural setting of Quaternary travertines at Pamukkale, Turkey. Geol J 28:335–346

  • Bargar KE (1978) Geology and thermal history of Mammoth Hot Spring, Yellwstone National Park, Wyoming. U. S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1444:1–33

  • Billi A, Valle A, Brilli M, Faccenna C, Funiciello R (2006) Fracture-controlled fluid circulation and dissolutional weathering in sinkhole-prone carbonate rocks from central Italy. J Struct Geol 29:385–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonny S, Jones B (2008) Controls on the precipitation of barite (BaSO4) crystals in calcite travertine at Twitya Spring, a warm sulphur spring in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Sediment Geol 203:36–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buck BJ, Rech J, Howell M, Prellwitz J, Brock A (2006a) A new formation process for patterned ground, Atacama Desert, Chile. Geolgical Society of America. Abstract with program 38(70):522 

  • Buck BJ, Wolff K, Merkler DJ, McMillan NJ (2006b) Salt mineralogy of Las Vegas Wash, Nevada: morphology and subsurface evaporation. Soil Sci Soc Am 70:1639–1651

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chafetz HS, Folk RL (1984) Travertines: depositional morphology and the bacterially constructed constituents. J Sediment Petrol 54:289–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Chafetz HS, Meredith JC (1983) Recent travertine pisolites (pisoids) from southeastern Idaho, U.S.A. 450–455. In: Peryt TM (ed) Coated grains. Springer, New York, p 655

    Google Scholar 

  • Chafetz HS, Rush PF, Utech NM (1991) Microenviromental controls on mineralogy and habitat of CaCO3 precipitates: an example from an active travertine system. Sedimentology, 38:107–126

  • Dickson JAD (1965) A modified staining technique for carbonates in thin section. Nature 205:587

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolenec T, Recnik A, Daneu N, Dobnikar M, Dolenec M (2005) Celestine from the Idrija mercury-ore deposit (Western Slovenia): its occurrence and origin. Mater Geoenviron 52(2):429–436

    Google Scholar 

  • Drysdale RN (1999) The sedimentological significance of hydropsychid caddis-fly larvae (Order: Trichptera) in a travertine-depositing stream: Louie Creek, Northwest Queensland, Australia. J Sediment Res 69:145–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Folk RL, Chafetz HS (1983) Pisoliths (pisoids) in Quaternary travertines of Tivoli, Italy’, 474–487. In: Peryt TM (ed) Coated grains. Springer, New York, p 655

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo L, Riding R (1992) Aragonite laminae in hot water travertine crusts, Rapolano Terme, Italy. Sedimentology 39:1067–1079

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo L, Riding R (1998) Hot-spring travertine facies and sequences, Late Pleistocene, Rapolano Terme, Italy. Sedimentology 45:163–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henchiri M (2013) Sedimentation, depositional environment and diagenesis of Eocene biosiliceous deposits in Gafsa basin (southern Tunisia). Arab J Geosci. doi:10.1007/s12517-013-0909-2

    Google Scholar 

  • Jalilian M, Afsharian Zadeh AM, Ghomashi A (1992) Kiyasar geological map. 1:100000 geological survey of Iran

  • Özkul M, Varol B, Alçiçek MC (2000) Depositional environments and petrography of Denizli travertines. Min Res Explor Bull 125:13–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Pentecost A (2005) Travertine. Springer. Springer-Verlag 445

  • Salvati R, Sasowsky ID (2002) Development of collapse sinkholes in areas of groundwater discharge. J Hydrol 264:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sant’Anna LG, Riccomini C (2004) The Paleocene travertine system of the Itaboraí basin, Southeastern Brazil. J S Am Earth Sci 18:11–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stöcklin J, Setudehnia A (1991) Stratigraphic lexicon of Iran. Geol Surv Iran Rep 18:1–376

    Google Scholar 

  • Vázquez-Urbez M, Arenas C, Sancho C, Osácar C, Auqué L, Pardo G (2010) Factors controlling present-day tufa dynamics in the Monasterio de Piedra Natural Park (Iberian Range, Spain): depositional environmental settings, sedimentation rates and hydrochemistry. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 99:1027–1049

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaziri SH (2005) Lithostratigraphy of the Elikah Formation in northeast of Jajarm (Eastern Alborz, Binalud transitional zone). J Sci (Islam Azad Univ) 15(57):271–285

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Mr. Rezae for providing the center of SEM of the University of Tarbiat Modares. We would like to extend our appreciation to our colleagues from the University of Tehran for their assistance with the field work. We would like to thank the Tehran University (School of Geology) for providing financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Natural Resources, Environmental Science Department, University of Guilan, Guilan, Iran

    Farzad Sotohian

  2. Schools of Geology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Mohsen Ranjbaran

Authors
  1. Farzad Sotohian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohsen Ranjbaran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohsen Ranjbaran.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sotohian, F., Ranjbaran, M. Depositional system and facies analysis of travertine deposits: Badab-e Surt Spring Mazandaran, Iran. Arab J Geosci 8, 4939–4947 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-014-1544-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-014-1544-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation