GeolCarp_Vol59_No4_333

GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, AUGUST 2008, 59, 4, 333—344

www.geologicacarpathica.sk

Paleogene depositional systems and paleogeography of the

submarine fans in the western part of the Magura Basin

(Javorníky Mountains, Slovakia)

FRANTIŠEK TEŤÁK

State Geological Institute of Dionýz Štúr, Mlynská dolina 1, 817 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic; frantisek.tetak@gmail.com

(Manuscript received May 2, 2007; accepted in revised form March 14, 2008)

Abstract: This paper gives an overview of the depositional systems and paleogeography of the submarine fans in the
western part of the Magura Basin. Four fundamental petrographic groups were distinguished within the sandstones of this
area: Soláň, Riečky, glauconitic and Magura group. This classification responds to four source areas supplying sedimen-
tary material into the western part of the Magura Basin. The sedimentation developed in a few separated depositional
cycles. First the massive to the basin prograding wedge of the Soláň Formation was deposited along the northern margin of
the Magura Basin during the Late Cretaceous to Early Paleocene. Later the central zone of the basin subsided probably
more significantly. The coarse-clastic sedimentation shifted in the Rača Zone from the margin into the deeper part of the
basin as a result of this subsidence since the Early Paleocene. The depositional fans of the Riečky sandstone type were
formed there. Uplift of the Silesian Ridge advanced from the W to the E during the Middle Eocene. Its result was the
shifting of the source of the sedimentary material. This new source supplied to the basin glauconite sandstones from the
NE. This sedimentation represented an asymmetrical fan of the proximal coarse-grained Pasierbiec sandstone type and
pelitic distal facies. Sedimentation of the Riečky sandstone type was renewed with a reduced volume once more during the
Middle Eocene. The period of the subsided and uplifted basin floor blocks followed rather flattened subsidence of the basin
floor since the late Middle Eocene (Lutetian). Two extensive depositional fans developed parallel to the basin elongation
direction in that time. These were the glauconitic and Magura fans. Both fans existed side by side simultaneously and
interfingered each other. These fans prograded from the South into the Rača sedimentation area. The depositional systems
and paleogeography of the submarine fans in the western part of the Magura Basin were controlled mainly by basin floor
subsidence, by the local sediment supply, synsedimentary tectonics, by the progress of the subduction of the southern
Magura Basin margin and also by the depositional pressure of the adjacent fan.

Key words: Paleogene, Outer Western Carpathians, Magura Basin, paleogeography, submarine fan model, sedimentology,
petrography.

Introduction

This  paper  is  concerned  with  the  deposits  of  the  Magura
Nappe, which form the Javorníky Mts and the adjacent area.
The solution to the stratigraphic, lithofacies and petrographic
problems of this region is decisive for the paleogeographical
reconstruction of the Western Carpathians Flysch Belt. Par-
ticular  attention  was  paid  to  the  detailed  restoration  of  the
bed sequences, and the paleocurrent and petrographic analy-
ses of this area during the last geological mapping (Mello et
al.  2005).  The  present  paper  is  intended  to  give  in  short
a general  picture  of  the  depositional  systems,  paleogeogra-
phy of the submarine fans and some reconstruction of the sea
floor  relief  evolution  in  the  western  part  of  the  Paleogene
Magura  Basin.  The  correlation  of  the  relative  lithostrati-
graphic  units  between  Slovakia,  Poland  and  the  Czech  Re-
public was not the intent of this paper.

Geological setting

The Javorníky Mts are formed by the Upper Cretaceous to

Lower Oligocene flysch sediments deposited in the ancient

Magura  Basin  (Fig. 1).  The  sediments  of  this  basin  were
folded  into  the  north-vergent  imbricated  folds  and  slices  of
the  rootless  Magura  Nappe.  This  nappe  was  detached  from
its  substratum  mainly  along  the  ductile  Upper  Cretaceous
rocks. In this manner the post Oligocene accretionary prism
formed. Three tectonofacies units have been distinguished in
the western part of the Magura Nappe on the basis of the de-
posit  facies  differentiation.  These  are  from  North  to  South:
Rača, Bystrica and Krynica Units (Birkenmajer & Oszczyp-
ko  1989).  The  Krynica  ( = Oravská  Magura)  Unit  is  not
present in this area.

The Rača Unit can be divided into the outer Rača Unit

( = Siary Unit in Poland) and the inner Rača Unit. The sedi-
mentation  advanced  in  the  Rača  Unit  in  this  area  from  the
Soláň  Formation  (Campanian  to  Paleocene),  through  the
Beloveža  Formation  (Early  Paleocene  to  Middle  Eocene)
and  the  Luhačovice  Formation  (Middle  Eocene)  to  the  Zlín
Formation (Middle to Late Eocene) (Fig. 2).

The Soláň Formation is formed by the Lukov Beds

( = Mutne Sandstones in Poland) and the Ráztoka Beds (Pesl
et al. 1984; Potfaj et al. 2003; Mello et al. 2005). The Rázto-
ka Beds are subdivided into the Claystone-sandstone Litho-
facies (Soláň sandstone type) and the Sandstone-claystone

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TEŤÁK

Lithofacies (thin-bedded flysch) (Pesl 1968). This is partly
equivalent to the Inoceramus Beds (Sikora & Żytko 1959) or
the Ropianka Beds in Poland.

The Beloveža Formation represents a lithofacies variegat-

ed complex divided into the Lower and Upper Beloveža
Beds. The Lower Beloveža Beds are composed of the Riečky
sandstone type (Potfaj et al. 2003; Te ák in Mello et al. 2005,
Skawce Sandstone Member – Cieszkowski & Waśkowska-
Oliwa 2001), variegated claystones and thin-bedded flysch
(Łabowa Shale Formation or Ciężkowice Sandstones in Po-
land – Sikora & Żytko 1959). The Upper Beloveža Beds are
represented by thin-bedded flysch (Hieroglyphic Beds in Po-
land).

The Luhačovice Formation is divided by a segment of

thin-bedded flysch into the Lower Luhačovice Beds (Pesl
1968) and the Upper Luhačovice Beds (Te ák in Mello et al.
2005). The Lower Luhačovice Beds are equivalent of the
Pasierbiec Sandstones in Poland (Sikora & Żytko 1959). The
Upper Luhačovice Beds are not developed in Poland.

The Zlín Formation is divided into the Vsetín, Babiše

(Te ák in Mello et al. 2005; Te ák 2005b), Kýčera and
Bystrica Beds. It is Middle—Late Eocene in age, maybe
younger (Oszczypko-Clowes 2001). Two fundamental litho-

types of the sandstones are present in this formation – the
glauconitic and Magura sandstone types (Stráník 1965).

The Bystrica Unit ( = Sącz Unit in Poland) is formed by the

Beloveža Formation (Paleocene to Early Eocene) and the
typical Bystrica Beds of the Zlín Formation (Łacko Beds
(Marls) or the Żeleźnikowa Formation in Poland – Oszczyp-
ko 1991) (Middle Eocene).

Previous studies

Many papers have been written about the paleogeographical

evolution  of  the  Magura  Nappe  in  the  Western  Carpathians.
From the wide list of the papers the lithofacies classifications
of  Książkiewicz  (1956,  1966)  and  Pesl  (1965,  1968)  had  the
greatest weight for the writing of this article. They displayed
in detail the distribution of the lithofacies in the western part
of the Magura Basin. Also Golonka et al. (2000) and Oszczyp-
ko  &  Salata  (2005)  tried  to  reconstruct  the  evolution  of  the
Magura  Basin.  Krystek  (1963),  Winkler  &  Ślączka  (1992,
1994) attempted to identify the character of the source terrains
by  heavy  minerals  analyses.  Unrug  (1968)  interpreted  the
shifting of the Silesian Ridge from West to East. Poprawa et

Fig. 1. Informative location map and geological map displaying the setting of the investigated Javorníky Mts (Ja) in the Western Car-
pathians (sensu Te ák in Mello et al. 2005).

335

PALEOGENE DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS AND PALEOGEOGRAPHY OF THE SUBMARINE FANS (SLOVAKIA)

al. (2002) interpreted the tectonic evolution of the flysch ba-
sins of the Outer Carpathians inferred from the basin subsid-
ence analysis and sediment supply.

Methods

The lithofacies structure and petrography of the Magura

Nappe were reconstructed during the detailed geological map-
ping of the Javorníky Mts (Fig. 1 sensu Te ák in Mello et al.
2005). These allowed me to create the lithofacies scheme for
each tectonic slice of the Magura Nappe separately (Fig. 3).

I have measured the paleotransport of the gravity flows on

737  bedding  planes.  The  paleocurrent  analyses  (Fig. 5)  and
detailed  reconstruction  of  the  lithofacies  and  lithostrati-
graphic profiles (Fig. 3) of the investigated area enabled me
to interpret the paleogeographical conditions and sedimenta-
tion  evolution  in  the  western  part  of  the  Magura  Basin

(Fig. 6) (Te ák 2005a). The Magura Nappe is elongated in
the WSW—ENE direction in its western part at present. This
is not the original position of the Magura Basin. About 60

of counterclockwise rotation of the basin fill took place since
the Oligocene (Krs et al. 1994; Panaiotu 1998). In this article
I refer the azimuth orientations to the present geographical
position without clockwise restoration.

107 samples of sandstones were sampled for the petro-

graphic  analyses  during  the  detailed  geological  mapping  of
the Javorníky Mts (Gross 1997; Buček & Nagy 1997; Filo in
Filo & Siráňová 1998). These petrographic analyses (planime-
try) were evaluated by Siráňová (1997, 2001). Te ák (2005a)
verified  lithofacies  classification  of  these  samples  and  petro-
graphically  evaluated  another  53  samples.  All  these  samples
were sampled in the Javorníky Mts region from the flysch for-
mations  of  the  Magura  Nappe  (Late  Cretaceous  to  Late
Eocene).  The  following  petrographic  analyses  are  based  on
Dickinson & Suczek (1979). They identified the character of
the source areas of the submarine sandstones by the distribu-
tion  of  sandstones  analyses  in  the  QFL  triangle  petrographic
diagram (Q – quartz and quartzite, F – feldspars, L – lithic
detritus, see also Dickinson 1985). I plotted the obtained pet-
rographic values onto the QFL diagram (Fig. 4). Palinspastic
analyses  are  also  based  on  the  lithofacies  analyses  of  Pesl
(1968)  and  Książkiewicz  (1966).  (The  sandstone  types  are
understood in this article not in the stratigraphic, but wholly
in the lithofacies meaning).

Results

Evolution of the sedimentation

The results of the petrographic analyses of the sandstones

from  the  Javorníky  Mts  are  displayed  in  the  QFL  diagram
(Fig. 4).  All  the  resultant  points  fall  close  the  cusp  of  the
Quartzite.  The  points  are  distributed  into  the  characteristic
petrographic  groups.  Four  fundamental  petrographic  groups
were distinguished within the sandstones of this area: Soláň,
Riečky, glauconitic and Magura group. These groups repre-
sent four main source areas supplying sedimentary material
to  the  western  part  of  the  Magura  Basin  during  the  Paleo-
gene. Consequently several evolutionary stages were distin-
guished in the deposition of the western part of the Magura
Basin since the latest Cretaceous to Oligocene:

– marginal wedge
– longitudinal fans
– north-eastern source
– recycled orogen

Marginal wedge

The oldest sedimentation cycle in the studied area took

place  during  the  Late  Cretaceous  to Early  Paleocene.  The
deposition  with  domination  of  sandstones  and  conglomer-
ates represents this event. A massive to-the-basin prograding
wedge  of  the  Soláň  Formation  was  sedimented  along  the
northern margin of the Magura Basin (Figs. 2 and 5). It cre-
ates  the  thick  upward-coarsening  cycle  (Fig. 3).  The  thin-

Fig. 2. Lithostratigraphic scheme of the Magura Nappe (Javorníky
Mts).

338

TEŤÁK

bedded flysch of the Sandstone-claystone Lithofacies lies on
the base of this cycle and on the distal part of the wedge (150
up to 280 m thick). Sedimentation passed upward gradually
into  the  Soláň  sandstone  type  complex.  “Wild-flysch”  with
intercalations  of  the  slumps  and  olistolites  of  the  Mesozoic
carbonates  sedimented  near  the  basin  margin  on  the  proxi-
mal part of the wedge (Eliáš 1963; Chodyń 2002). The Soláň
sandstone  type  complex  reaches  a  thickness  of  almost
1000 m  to  the  North  from  the  Turzovka  town  (Lukov  Beds
sensu Pesl et al. 1984; Potfaj et al. 2003; Mutne Sandstones
sensu Sikora & Żytko 1959; Chodyń 2002). The sandstone/
claystone ratio and thickness of the sandstone wedge decline
to the SE near the Makov village to 450 m (Claystone-sand-
stone Lithofacies). The sandstone wedge completely vanish-
es to the South towards the inner Rača Zone. There it is re-
placed  by  the  distal  thin-bedded  flysch  sediments  of  the
Sandstone-claystone  Lithofacies  (Pesl  1968).  The  measured
directions of the paleocurrents are variable, but their preva-
lent  trend  is  mainly  from  the  NW  (Sikora  &  Żytko  1959;
Eliáš 1963; Krystek 1963; Te ák 2005a). Evidently the sedi-
mentary material was supplied to the basin by several sourc-
es from the Silesian Ridge.

Longitudinal fans

The Riečky sandstone type forms two massive sandstone

complexes  of  the  Lower  Beloveža  and  Upper  Luhačovice
Beds.  They  were  deposited  during  the  Paleocene  to  Middle
Eocene  (Fig. 2).  The  Riečky  sandstone  type  forms  30—
150 cm thick beds. The beds are often amalgamated in up to
40 m  thick  packages.  Their  granularity  varies  from  fine-
grained  conglomerates  to  middle-grained  sandstones  with
grains  up  to  5—15 mm  (max.  20—60 mm).  Lowe’s  S

and

Bouma’s T

ab(c)

divisions are typical. The sandstones consist

of  quartz,  subordinately  feldspar  (about  5 %),  epimetamor-
phic  rock,  igneous  rocks,  muscovite  and  quartzite  (rarely
carbonates and glauconite). The clasts are well rounded. The
Riečky  sandstone  type  represents  the  lobes  of  the  suprafan.
The sandstones are intercalated with the interchannel facies
of the variegated (red and green) non-calcareous claystones
and  thin-bedded  flysch.  The  thinner  beds  of  sandy-clayey
slumps occur in the Makov village area.

The distribution field of the Riečky sandstone type does

not reach up to the cusp of Quartzite in the QFL petrographic
diagram  (Fig. 4).  They  are  formed  by  less  mature  material
with  abundant  feldspar  and  lithic  clasts.  The  analyses  dem-
onstrate  the  slightly  different  petrographic  character  of  the
Lower  Beloveža  Beds  the  against  Upper  Luhačovice  Beds,
although these are formed by the same sandstone type. The
points of the Riečky sandstone type of the Upper Luhačovice
Beds  are  not  so  widely  diffused  in  the  QFL  diagram.  Their
distribution field shifts from the field of the recycled orogen
to the field of the continental block source area (sensu Dickin-
son  &  Suczek  1979).  These  petrographic  changes  could  be
caused  by  the  advanced  erosion  and  increased  maturity  of
the  source  area.  The  sedimentary  material  was  transported
from the W (SW) to the E (NE).

The clastic sedimentation shifted in the Rača Zone from

the margin into the deeper part of the basin after the sedi-

mentation  of  the  Soláň  sandstone  type  since  the  later  Early
Paleocene.  The  shifting  of  the  maximum  deposition  zone
sugest  that  the  central  zone  of  the  basin  subsided  probably
more significantly. The longitudinal depositional fans of the
Riečky  sandstone  type  (Lower  Beloveža  and  Upper  Lu-
hačovice  Beds)  and  the  Pasierbiec  sandstone  type  (Lower
Luhačovice  Beds)  were  formed  in  the  centre  of  the  basin
(Pesl 1965, 1968; Potfaj et al. 2003; Te ák 2005a). Orienta-
tion  of  the  individual  fans  was  parallel  to  the  basin  elonga-
tion (Fig. 6).

The fan of the Lower Beloveža Beds is thickest in the area

to the South from the main crest of the Javorníky Mts, where
their  thickness  reaches  up  to  250 m.  The  thickness  of  this
mostly sandstone complex was reduced down to 30 m in the
area  to  the  North  from  the  main  crest  of  the  Javorníky  Mts
near Makov village and only rare individual beds occur near
Klokočov village (Fig. 3). About 30 m thick complex of the
Riečky  sandstone  type  wedge  is  found  above  45 m  and  be-
low 70 m of variegated claystones and thin-bedded flysch in
the  Makov  village  area.  It  follows  that  the  Riečky  fan
reached its farthest northern extent at about half way through
its existence. This fan extended to the S as far as the Bystrica
Zone  sedimentation  area  (Te ák  in  Mello  et  al.  2005).  The
Riečky  sandstone  type  of  the  Lower  Beloveža  Beds  occur
westward, near the Valašské Klobouky town in two tectonic
slices  of  the  Bystrica  Unit.  Their  thickness  is  about  200  to
400 m (Roth in Buday et al. 1963 described these sediments
as the Soláň Formation). The fan vanished quickly eastward
in the Bystrica Zone realm. There it reached a thickness from
50  to  150 m  near  Mariková  village.  The  most  eastward  oc-
currence  of  the  Riečky  sandstone  type  was  observed  in  the
Bystrica Unit, near Dlhé Pole village (Te ák in Mello et al.
2005).

The equivalent of the Riečky sandstone type of the Lower

Beloveža  Beds  is  the  Skawce  Sandstone  Member  of  the
Łabowa  Formation  in  Poland  (Cieszkowski  &  Waśkowska-
Oliwa  2001,  previous  Ciężkowice  Sandstones  sensu  Sikora
&  Żytko  1959;  Książkiewicz  1966;  Cieszkowski  et  al.
1999). This member occurs in Poland north-east of the Babia
hora Mt. These sandstones are typical for the outer Rača Unit
(Siary Zone) in Poland. Their stratigraphic position, litholo-
gy  and  petrography  resemble  the  Riečky  sandstone  type  of
the Lower Beloveža Beds, but the Skawce Sandstone Mem-
ber has a different paleocurrent configuration (transport from
NNW to SSE). It formed a separated sedimentation fan situ-
ated along the northern margin of the basin. This fan did not
reach  the  centre  of  the  basin.  This  distinquishes  it  from  the
Riečky sandstone type fan (Książkiewicz 1966).

Sedimentation of the Riečky sandstone type was renewed

once more with a reduced volume within the Middle Eocene
as the Upper Luhačovice Beds (Pesl 1968). They form thick
amalgamated sandstone beds. This fan spread over the inner
Rača Zone (in recent the Medvedie, Luhačovice and Čertovy
kameny  Anticlinal  Zones).  The  fan  retained  its  extension
parallel  to  the  basin  elongation.  Its  width  was  about  40 km
and its length was over 80 km, which is the distance between
Luhačovice and Kysucké Nové Mesto towns. The fan thick-
ness  decreased  towards  the  fan  margins  from  its  maximal
thickness  of  120 m  (near  Papradno  village,  Fig. 3).  Clastic

339

PALEOGENE DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS AND PALEOGEOGRAPHY OF THE SUBMARINE FANS (SLOVAKIA)

material  was  transported  generally  from  the  WSW  to  ENE
(Fig. 5).  Lack  of  the  Riečky  sandstone  type  in  the  Upper
Beloveža  Beds  in  the  outer  Rača  Zone  suggests  that  the
synsedimentary fault framed the northern fan margin on the
same  place  as  the  Pasierbiec  sandstone  type  of  the  Lower
Luhačovice Beds. This fault completely inhibited the gravity
currents  to  over-flow  to  the  North  over  the  elevated  plain
(Fig. 6),  where  thin-bedded  flysch  of  the  Upper  Beloveža
Beds  was  sedimented.  The  southern  margin  of  this  fan  was
not as distinct as the northern one. The fan was interfingered
from the South by the quartz glauconitic sandstones of sug-
ar-like appearance (Medvedie and Potoky Anticlinal Zones,
Fig. 3).

A north-eastern source

The coarse-grained sedimentation of the Riečky sandstone

type was followed by the deposition of another longitudinal
fan in the central part of the Magura Basin. This newly acti-
vated north-eastern source supplied the sandstones rich in

glauconite. These glauconitic sandstones form the Lower
Luhačovice Beds (Pasierbiec Sandstones), Beloveža Forma-
tion, Bystrica and Vsetín Beds (Wątkowa Sandstones) of the
Zlín Formation (Magura Formation in Poland) (Fig. 2). The
glauconitic sandstones are green-white, fine- to medium-
grained, siliceous, laminated or massive (T

or T

abc

Bouma’s

division) and well sorted. They form beds 5 to 250 cm thick.
The  coarse-grained  massive  type  is  called  the  Pasierbiec
sandstone type. These sandstones are characterized by abun-
dant  glauconite  (many  times  over  5 %).  The  clasts  of  feld-
spar,  epimetamorphic  rocks  and  carbonate  detritus  are  also
abundant. A special type of the glauconite sandstones is rep-
resented  by  the  quartz  glauconitic  sandstones  of  sugar-like
appearance.

Sandstones of the glauconitic source area are more sili-

ceous  than  the  other  sandstones  in  this  area.  Their  distribu-
tion  field  reaches  in  the  QFL  diagram  up  to  the  cusp  of
Quartzite (Fig. 4). Majority of the points fall into the field of
the  continental  block  source  area  (Dickinson  &  Suczek
1979).

Fig. 5. Rose diagrams of the paleocurrent direction measurements in the Javorníky Mts sorted according to lithostratigraphy and tectonics
(in the circle is the number of measurements).

341

PALEOGENE DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS AND PALEOGEOGRAPHY OF THE SUBMARINE FANS (SLOVAKIA)

The eastern part of the Silesian Ridge was uplifted during

the  Middle  Eocene  (Unrug  1968).  This  source  supplied  to
the  basin  an  increased  volume  of  metamorphic  rocks  and
feldspar.  The  character  of  the  sedimentary  material  was
probably  influenced  by  its  resedimentation  in  the  littoral
area. The sediment was thus enriched by the glauconite and
carbonate organic detritus from the uplifted littoral area. The
clasts  were  well  rounded.  This  could  have  been  caused  by
long  transportation  or  by  reworking.  The  shelf  along  the
Silesian  Ridge  with  the  carbonate  platform  sedimentation
produced an enormous amount of the organic carbonate ma-
terial and glauconite.

The fan of the glauconitic sandstones was asymmetrical

during  the  Middle  Eocene  (Fig. 6).  The  central  “proximal”
part of the glauconitic fan was formed by the coarse-grained
Pasierbiec  sandstone  type  (Lower  Luhačovice  Beds).  Their
distal  equivalent  is  the  fine-grained  glauconitic  sandstones
on  the  southern  (left)  fan  side.  The  considerable  volume  of
this sedimentation consists of thick pelitic deposits (Bystrica
Beds  or  the  Lącko  Marls  in  Poland  –  Książkiewicz  1966,
Żeleźnikowa  Formation  –  Oszczypko  1992)  (Fig. 2).  The
Bystrica Beds represent the distal part of the glauconitic fan.
Equivalent  glauconitic  facies  did  not  form  on  the  northern
fan  margin.  Therefore  it  is  possible  to  suppose  that  the  fan
was blocked on its northern side by the synsedimentary fault.
The  elevation  of  the  outer  Rača  Zone  obstructed  coarse-
grained gravity currents flowing to the N over the thin-bed-
ded flysch. Thus, the elevated plane with thin-bedded flysch
deposition occasionally interrupted the turbidites of glauco-
nitic  sandstones  (Fig. 3).  This  is  proved  by  the  lack  of  the
glauconitic  sandstones  in  the  Upper  Beloveža  Beds  (Sub-
magura Member) in the outer Rača (Siary) Zone. The Pasier-
biec sandstone type occurs in the Javorníky Mts in the simi-
lar  stratigraphic  position  as  well  as  eastward  in  Poland
(Książkiewicz  1966).  The  sedimentation  of  the  Pasierbiec
sandstone  type  was  replaced  in  Poland  by  the  thin-bedded
sedimentation  of  the  Hieroglyphic  Beds.  The  equivalent  of
the Upper Luhačovice Beds was not found in Poland (l.c.).

The Magura Basin underwent significant paleogeographical

changes during the late Middle Eocene (Lutetian). The period
of the subsided and uplifted basin floor blocks followed rather
flattened subsidence of the basin floor. The separation of the
zones with prevailing coarse-clastic and pelitic sedimentation
terminated. Two extensive depositional fans spread parallel to
the  basin  elongation  (glauconitic  and  Magura  fan,  Fig. 6).
They  were  supported  by  clastic  material.  The  sediments  de-
posited  by  these  fans  reached  thicknesses  of  up  to  1000 m.
The clastic material of the quartz glauconitic sandstones origi-
nated from the northern margin of the Magura Basin (Silesian
Ridge). The paleocurrent directions of the two fans were par-
allel to the Magura Basin elongation (from the ENE), but the
paleocurrent  directions  of  the  glauconitic  sandstones  in  the
area  N-NW  of  the  Babia  hora  Mt  were  perpendicular  to  the
Magura  Basin  margin  (Cieszkowski et  al.  1999).  This  could
be one of the glauconitic sandstones source inflow areas. This
paleogeographical  situation  lasted  from  the  Late  Lutetian  to
the Late Eocene (possible longer).

The quartz glauconitic sandstones of sugar-like appear-

ance are another type of the sandstones (Te ák in Mello et al.

2005). These sandstones have only 0.1—0.2 % glauconite.
The sandstones are off-white, well mineral- and grain-sorted
quartzy sandstones. Their parting surface has a grainy sugar-
like appearance. The beds are 1 to 3 m thick. The sandstones
are massive or with water escape structures in the lower part
of the bed (Lowe’s S

division). They have weak parallel

lamination in the upper part of the bed (T

Bouma’s divi-

sion).  Besides  the  quartzite  and  glauconite  the  sandstones
contain also feldspar and the abundant flakes of muscovite.
Its  earliest  occurrence  is  in  the  Upper  Luhačovice  Beds  in
the southernmost Rača Unit. Later they formed thinner sepa-
rated  intercalations  in  the  Babiše  and  Kýčera  Beds.  These
sandstones  did  not  form  a  well  developed  fan,  but  they
formed  just  occasional  lobes  between  the  glauconitic  and
Magura fans. The source of the sedimentary material was the
Silesian Ridge. This source supplied mature clastic material
to the Magura Basin from the NE (Fig. 6).

Recycled orogen

The Magura sandstone type is represented in this area by

the Kýčera Beds. This sandstone type also forms the Magura
Formation  of  the  muscovite  facies,  Piwniczna,  Mniszek,
Kowaniec  and  Poprad  Members  in  Poland  (Birkenmajer  &
Oszczypko  1989).  Its  sedimentation  took  place  during  the
Early Eocene to Oligocene (see Potfaj et al 1991; Oszczyp-
ko-Clowes 2001; Oszczypko et al. 2005). The Magura sand-
stone  type  is  represented  by  the  lithic  wacke  sandstones.
They are mostly fine- to medium-grained thick-bedded mas-
sive sandstones with T

Bouma’s division (or Lowe’s S

di-

vision). The sandstones contain commonly disseminated
coarse grains. Their beds are 40—250 cm thick. Unweathered
sandstones are blue-grey. Weathered sandstones are rusty
grey-brown and display typical water escape structures. The
reduced T

(b)cd

Bouma’s division are usually accompanied by

frequent shale intraclasts, abundant muscovite and coalified
plant detritus in the uppermost part of the layers. The petro-
logical composition of the sandstones is found further from
the cusp of Quartzite in the QFL diagram. Majority of points
in  petrographic  analyses  fall  into  the  field  of  the  recycled
orogene  source  area  or  on  its  border  (Fig. 4)  (Dickinson  &
Suczek  1979).  The  immaturity  of  the  sedimentary  material
and high amount of lithic clasts are the signs of the recycled
orogen source. The orogen supplying clastic material of the
Magura sandstone type situated probably to the South of the
Magura  Basin.  The  source  entered  into  the  basin  approxi-
mately  in  the  East  Slovak  part  of  the  Magura  Nappe.  The
erosion  eroded  the  orogen  prograding  to  the  North  into  the
basin. It is possible that the source was just the accretionary
prism in front of the orogen (Inner Westen Carpathians). The
sediment  supply  entered  the  basin  from  the  South  and  then
turned westward. This fan was situated parallel to the basin
elongation (Marschalko & Potfaj 1982; Potfaj et al. 1991). It
was  the  largest  fan  in  the  Magura  Basin  with  more  than
250 km in length and 100 km in width. This could be inter-
preted following lithofacies and paleocurrent measurements
(Stráník 1965; Bromowicz 1992).

The paleocurrent systems of both glauconitic and Magura

sandstone types in the Javorníky Mts are directed from the

342

TEŤÁK

NE to SW (Fig. 5). This system of two fans lasted after the
sedimentation  of  the  Beloveža  and  Luhačovice  Formations
during the Middle Eocene. The subduction along the south-
ern margin of the Magura Basin progressed from the Middle
Eocene. In its consequence the fan of the Magura sandstone
type  was  pushed  to  the  North  in  front  of  the  orogen  by  the
advancing fans. Along the southern margin of the basin the
Racibor and Malcov Formations were deposited (Potfaj et al.
1991).  These  formations  represent  marginal  facies  with
slumps, slides and other unusual facies. The progradation of
the Magura sandstone type fan could effect migration of the
glauconitic sandstone type fan to the North from the Bystrica
and Lower Luhačovice Beds to the Vsetín Beds (Fig. 3). The
Magura  and  glauconitic  sandstone  type  deposition  systems
coexisted  simultaneously  side  by  side  during  the  Middle  to
Late  Eocene  (Zlín  Formation,  compare  Stráník  1965  from
East Slovakia, Te ák 2005b). Both fan systems interfingered
each  other.  This  can  be  demonstrated  by  the  alternation  of
both types of sandstone in the middle of the Rača Zone (Čer-
tovy  kameny  and  Luhačovice  Anticlinal  Zones  –  Babiše
Beds  –  Te ák  in  Mello  et  al.  2005;  Te ák  2005b;  Stráník
1965).

The relation of the Magura sandstone type to the glauco-

nitic  sandstone  type  is  evident  in  the  Babiše  Beds  of  the
Medvedie Anticlinal Zone (Rača Unit, Fig. 3), but the super-
position of those interfingering fans is less known in the old-
er  formations.  The Bystrica  Beds  are  another  formation
where  this  relation  was  observed.  The  intercalations  of  the
Magura  sandstone  type  occur  among  the  glauconitic  sand-
stone type beds. This relation was observed on the contact of
the Bystrica and Krynica (Oravská Magura) Unit south-east-
ward from the Nová Bystrica village in the Kysuce and Ora-
va regions (Potfaj et al. 2003).

Discussion – fan models

Representative models of the deep-sea fans have been of-

fered by Reading & Richards (1994). The western part of the
Magura Basin is characterized by deep-sea fans with single
point sandy and muddy-sandy sources sensu l.c. Reading &
Richards  (1994)  characterized  the  sandy  source  fan  type  as
follows  –  size  of  the  fan:  moderate;  length:  10—100 km;
shape:  radial/lobate;  the  slope  gradient:  2.5—36 m/km;
source area (size and distance): moderate/small, close; feed-
ing:  by  shelf  failure  or  canyon;  sand  percentage:  > 70 %;

principal architectural elements: proximal area – channels;
distal area: channelized lobes; channel system: braided to
low sinuosity impersistent channels and chutes, rapid lateral
migration.

They also characterized the muddy-sandy source fan type

as  follows  –  size  of  the  fan:  large-moderate;  length:  10—
450 km;  shape:  lobate;  the  slope  gradient:  2.5—18 m/km;
source area (size and distance): moderate; feeding: large del-
ta and/or canyon; sand percentage: 30—70 %; principal archi-
tectural elements: channel levees; distal area: lobes; channel
system:  moderate  scale,  meandering  to  braided  systems  lat-
erally migrating with levees.

The deep-sea fans of the Magura Basin can also be evalu-

ated according to these criterions (Table 1). The Soláň sand-
stone type formed the depositional wedge along the Silesian
Ridge margin. This wedge was probably formed by several
overlapping small-sized fans.

The Riečky and Pasierbiec sandstone types deposited in

the single-point sandy source deep-sea fan depositional sys-
tem (sensu Reading & Richards 1994). The sources of these
sandstone types were of sandy character. The supply of the
mature material from the platform source and admixture of
the shelf character material was typical for the Bystrica and
Lower Luhačovice Beds.

The glauconitic and Magura depositional systems were

different.  In  this  case  it  is  possible  to  admit  one  (or  maybe
several)  point  sources.  The  Magura  sandstone  type  was  de-
posited in a wide deep-sea fan from a sandy source. The sed-
imentary material supplied by these sources originated in the
recycled  orogen  on  the  basis  of  the  petrographic  analyses.
The material of the glauconitic sandstones was supplied by a
muddy-sandy or sandy source with a platform character.

Conclusions

The results of the petrographic analyses of the sandstones

from  the  Javorníky  Mts  area  confirm  the  division  of  sand-
stones into four fundamental petrographic groups: the Soláň,
Riečky, glauconitic and Magura groups. These groups repre-
sent four main source areas of the sedimentary material sup-
plied  into  the  western  part  of  the  Magura  Basin  during  the
Paleogene.  The  deposition  lasted  in  the  western  part  of  the
Magura  Basin  from  the  Late  Cretaceous  to  Oligocene.  It
passed through several evolutionary stages: marginal wedge,
longitudinal fans, north-eastern source and recycled orogen.

Table 1: Characteristics of the fans deposited in the western part of the Magura Basin.

A massive, to-the-basin prograding

wedge  of  the  Soláň  Formation  was
sedimented  along  the  northern  mar-
gin  of  the  Magura  Basin  during  the
Late  Cretaceous  to Early  Paleocene.
Several sources supplied sedimentary
material  to  the  basin  mainly  perpen-
dicularly  from  the  Silesian  Ridge  to
the South. This source formed sever-
al  overlapping  small-sized  fans.  The
sedimentation  of  this  sandstone
wedge  passes  gradually  from  the
proximal “wild-flysch” along the ba-

343

PALEOGENE DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS AND PALEOGEOGRAPHY OF THE SUBMARINE FANS (SLOVAKIA)

sin margin, through the massive sandstone wedge to the thin-
bedded distal flysch sedimentation.

The central zone of the basin probably subsided more sig-

nificantly from the later Early Paleocene. Therefore the clas-
tic  sedimentation  shifted  from  the  margin  into  the  deeper
part of the basin in the Rača Zone after the sedimentation of
the  Soláň  sandstone  type.  The  depositional  fans  of  the
Riečky  and  Pasierbiec  sandstone  type  were  formed  there.
The clastic material of the Riečky sandstone type was trans-
ported  in  the  longitudinal  direction  from  the  West  from  the
Middle Paleocene. The eastern part of the Silesian Ridge was
uplifted  during  the  Middle  Eocene.  This  source  supplied
glauconitic sandstones to the basin from the NE and it initi-
ated  deposition  of  the  proximal  coarse-grained  Pasierbiec
sandstone type and pelitic distal facies. Sedimentation of the
Riečky  sandstone  type  was  renewed  once  more  during  the
Middle  Eocene.  This  reappearance  of  the  Riečky  sandstone
type sedimentation was only in a reduced volume.

The Magura Basin underwent significant paleogeographi-

cal  changes  during  the  late  Middle  Eocene  (Lutetian).  The
period  of  the  subsided  and  uplifted  basin  floor  blocks  was
followed  by  rather  flattened  subsidence  of  the  basin  floor.
The separation of the coarse-clastic fans against distal pelitic
sedimentation  terminated.  Two  extensive  depositional  fans
developed parallel to the basin elongation – glauconitic and
Magura sandstone type fans. These fans prograded from the
South  into  the  Rača  sedimentation  area.  Their  current  sys-
tems were directed from the NE to SW in the Javorníky Mts.
Both fan systems interfingered each other. The clastic mate-
rial  of  the  glauconitic  sandstones  originated  from  the  plat-
form-type Silesian Ridge. The material of the Magura sand-
stone  type  probably  originated  from  the  South.  It  was  the
recycled material from the front of the prograding orogen.

Uplift of the Silesian source area advanced from the W to

the E. Its result was the shifting of the source of the sedimen-
tary material in the same direction. The maturity of the sedi-
ments gradually increased in the same way. Accumulation of
the clastic sediments was controlled mainly by subsidence of
the  basin  floor,  by  the  local  sediment  supply  and  by  the
progress  of  the  subduction  of  the  southern  Magura  Basin
margin.  The  distribution  and  shape  of  the  deep-sea  deposi-
tional  systems  was  significantly  influenced  by  basin  topog-
raphy.  For  example,  the  northern,  rather  sharp  boundary  of
the  Luhačovice  Formation  represents  the  synsedimentary
(tectonic) subsidence boundary. This boundary inhibited the
Pasierbiec  and  Riečky  sandstone  types  to  over-flow  to  the
North  over  the  uplifted  Upper  Beloveža  Beds.  The  Magura
Basin floor was segmented probably by abundant longitudi-
nal  synsedimentary  depressions  and  lifted  plains.  This  held
sedimentation  of  the  fans  in  a  longitudinal  direction.  The
shapes  of  the  fans  were  also  influenced  by  the  depositional
pressure  of  the  adjacent  fan  as  in  the  case  of  the  contact  of
the Magura and glauconitic fans.

Acknowledgment:  The  author  would  like  to  express  his
gratitude  to  Dr.  Michal  Potfaj  for  the  critical  and  construc-
tive reviews of the manuscript and for the introduction to the
Western  Carpathian  Flysch,  and  to  Prof.  N.  Oszczypko  and
an anonymous referee for their comments and suggestions.

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