Facies analysis of the oligocene succession in Sharwaldir anticline, ne of Kalar Town, ne Iraq

Abstract EN

Sixty meters thick Oligocene carbonate succession crops out in the area southeast of Derbandi Khan town and northeast of Kalar town.

The carbonate succession is exposed in the core of the NW – SE trending Sharwaldir anticline, which extends across the border into Iran.

The recorded facies have stratigraphical and paleogeographical importance for understanding of the palaeogeography of NE Iraq; the facies are: Foraminiferal wackestone – Packstone, Bufflestone, Algal – Coral bindstone, Bioclast wackestone – Packstone and Grainstone microfacies.

These facies indicated that the lower, middle and upper parts of the section are deposited in fore-reef, reef-crest and reef-back reef environment, respectively.

They belong to Baba and Anah formations (lower and upper parts of the section, respectively) while the middle part is a transitional zone between the two formations.

The chemistry of the carbonates showed them to be of good quality for Portland and white cement production.