A steep-fronted Carboniferous carbonate platform: clinoformal geometry and lithofacies (Picos de Europa, NW Spain)

A steep-margined carbonate platform is developed in the Carboniferous synorogenic foreland basin of northern Spain. Dips of 60-90 degrees produced during Late Carboniferous thrusting enable cross-sections of a 4-km-wide portion of the marginal area of this platform (Las Llacerias outcrop) to be studied in aerial photographs at a seismic scale. Three stratal domains are observed: (1) a horizontal-bedded platform; (2) a clinoformal-bedded margin with a relief of up to 500 m; and (3) a low-angle toe-of-slope, where slope beds interfinger with basin sediments. The slope shows well-bedded sigmoidal clinoforms with depositional dips ranging from 15 degrees to 32 degrees. Based on lithology and stratal patterns, four facies groups have been recognized: (1) a flat-topped platform, in which thick algal boundstone, skeletal packstone-grainstone and peloidal micrite wackestone with a poorly rhythmic character prevail; (2) the platform margin and upper slope, characterized by microbial boundstone spanning a bathymetric range of approximate to 150 m measured from the break of slope; (3) a slope, predominantly composed of margin-derived rudstones and breccias; and (4) a toe-of-slope to basin zone, where a cyclic alternation of spiculitic siltstones, packstone to grainstone calciturbidites and rudstone/breccia is visible. Five successive stages of platform development are deduced: (1) Bashkirian: flooding of the pre-existing Serpukhovian platform giving rise to the nucleation of a low-angle ramp to the south-east of the study area with microbial mud-mound accumulations, and breccias and calciturbidites on the margins; (2) Early Moscovian: an influx of siliciclastic sediment buried part of the platform and reduced the area of carbonate sedimentation; (3) Moscovian: aggradation and progradation of the carbonate system produced an extensive steep-margined and flat-topped shallow-water platform (shelf system); (4) Latest Moscovian-earliest Kasimovian: drowning of the platform; and (5) Kasimovian: covering of the platform by marly calcareous ramp sediments.