New data on the mineralogy of the salt deposit from Slanic Prahova (Romania)

The middle Badenian Ocnele Mari evaporitic formation from Slănic Prahova represents one of the most important salt deposits from the outer Carpathians (Prahova district). The salt deposit is located in the sedimentary succession of the Slanic syncline belonging to the post-tectogenetic cover of Tarcău Nappe. The sedimentary environment of the Ocnele Mari Formation was dominated by evaporitic condition covering the interval from the last stage of carbonates precipitation to halite, however, without reaching the stage of K and Mg salt precipitation. During evaporitic condition, authigenic minerals precipitated: carbonates, sulfates (anhydrite, gypsum and polyhalite) and halite (predominant). Simultaneously with the precipitation processes, an important input of sediments from the adjacent areas into the basin took place. Thus, minerals of allogenic origin (quartz, plagioclase feldspars, and clay minerals) are also present, sometime as interbedded layers in the salt formation