La Formación Sácaras (Albiense p. p.) en el Prebético de Alicante

Abstract

The Sácaras Formation crops-out in the Prebetic Zone of the Betic Cordillera, although it is only well developed in the eastern areas, like in the Alicante province (SE of Spain). It is Early - Middle Albian in age, and it was deposited on a broad shallow carbonate-terrigenous mixed platform. The entire formation corresponds to a second order stratigraphic sequence, composed of three third order depositional sequences. The analysis of facies, cycles and associations has led us to the differentiation of three main depositional environments: (1) the proximal platform domain, with deposition of cross bedded calcarenites and small coral boundstones (2) the intermediate platform domain, with deposition of rhythmically bedded burrowed calcarenites and marls, and (3) the distal platform, where both calcareous and terrigenous tempestites alternated with marly levels. Special attention is paid to the tempestite facies association, in which interesting contrasting features are pointed out between terrigenous and calcareous lithologies.