Commune: Lanckorona (pow. wadowicki, woj. małopolskie)
Framework element or context represented:
Stratigraphy of Cretaceous flysch Lgota Beds of Sub-Silesian Nappe.
Primary geological/geomorphological interest:
Cretaceous flysch deposits.
Comparative assessment justification:
Very important profile of Cretaceous flysch in Carpathians. The Cenomanian/Turonian black shale is equivalent to the Bonarelli Horizon of Central Italy.
Protection status and accessibility:
Proposed for protection as documentary site, easly accessible.
Character of site: Abandoned quarry and natural outcrop.
Area: 0.5 ha
Altitude: 360-380 m a.s.l.
Lithology: sandstones, other siliceous rocks, marls, shales
Discipline: Palaeobiology, Palaeoenvironment, Stratigraphy of Phanerozoic
Process Age: *all periods
Bedrock Age: Cretaceous, *all periods
Description of primary interest:
The profile of the Cretaceous deposits crop out in abandoned quarry and along the unnamed creek, which flows into the Cedron stream. The abandoned quarry is situated on the west slope of Lanckorona Hill, which is part of Lanckorona Zone. This very deformed structure is built up of flysch deposits of Silesian Unit and Sub-Silesian Unit and crop out as a tectonic window. In the exposure there are so-called Mikuszowice Beds. These are very resistant,fine-grainedquartzitic sandstones layers and dark green shales represented highest part of the Lgota Beds (Albian). Sandstones shows depositional structure such as cross and parallel bedding and ripples. The layers are reversed and their dip direction is on the south. In the sandstones there are thick, blue layers and lenses of cherts (spongiolites) built up of sponge spicules, which are visible only in microscope preparations. Near the quarry, on the left and right bank of the creek, in several places dawn- and upstream crop out Radiolarite Beds (Cenomanian). Sequence of silicate marls, jasperand shales (red, green and black) with manganiferous concretions are strongly folded. Black shales was sediment during Oceanic Anoxic Event-2 and indicate period of maximal water depths in the Outer Carpathians. Red shales contain agglutinated foraminifera characteristic for the Foraminiferal Zonation of Uvigerinammina jankoi of Turonian and Coniacian age. Contact of Lgota and Radiolarite Beds is visible in small outcrop near the quarry.
Literature:
ALEXANDROWICZ Z., URBAN J., MIŚKIEWICZ K. (in print). Geological values of selected Polish sites of the UNESCO World Heritage List. IV Interational Symposium ProGEO on the Conservation of the Geological Heritage. Braga. BIEDA F., GEROCH S., KOSZARSKI L., KSIĄŻKIEWICZ M., ŻYTKO K. 1963–Stratigraphie des Karpates externes polonaises. Inst. Geol. Biul. 181: 5-174. KSIĄZKIEWICZ M. 1936–La structure de la zone de Lanckorona. Bull. Intern. Ac. Pol. A: 299-314. Kraków. ŚLĄCZKA A., KAMINSKI M.A. 1998–Excursion 2, Stop 11. In: A guidebook to excursions in the Polish Flysch Carpathians. Special Publ. 6. Grzybowski Foundation. Kraków. UNRUG R. 1969–Wycieczka nr 10. In: Przewodnik geologiczny po zachodnich Karpatach fliszowych (Polish only). Wyd. Geol. Warszawa.