A mineralogical-petrographical study of evaporites from Mali Kukor, Vranjkovići and Slane Stine quarry (Upper Permian evaporites from Dalmatia, Croatia)

The evaporite deposits examined in this study are located in the central part of middle Dalmatia, Croatia. In this region, Upper Permian evaporite sediments were deposited under favourable conditions onto the Variscan basement around the northern margins of Gondwana. These sediments can be subdivided into three members, a lower evaporite unit (an anhydrite member), a middle evaporite unit (a gypsum member), and an upper unit (a clastic member), and are mainly comprised of secondary gypsum that formed via the hydration of precursor anhydrite rocks. The middle evaporite unit comprises beds of gypsum as well as early diagenetic dolomites that contain gypsum sequences, extending up to 60 m maximum thickness, and overlying clastic sequences that themselves are up to 20 m thick. These Upper Permian evaporite sediments contain horizontal, irregular, gypsum lithofacies that exhibit pronounced enterolithic and boudinage structures. The characteristics of these sediments are indicative of deposition in supratidal and sabkha settings (i.e., early diagenetic dolomites and evaporites) within a shallow epicontinental marine environment with highly varied coastlines, bays, and lagoons. The secondary gypsum seen within this Upper Permian middle evaporite unit displays alabastrine and porphyroblastic secondary textures and includes corroded anhydrite relics; associated minerals include muscovite, chlorite, potassium (K)-feldspar, quartz, and amphibole. The Upper Permian evaporite sediments discussed in this study are composed of irregular, locally brecciated secondary gypsum that probably formed as a result of multiple synsedimentary collapse of pre-existing soluble mineralsand/or synsedimentary and post-sedimentary tectonics.