Lithologic-petrographic characterization of Silurian rocks in the Niestachów profile (Holy Cross Mountains)

Abstract

The Niestachów profile is located in the southwestern part of the Holy Cross Mountains and exposes lower Ludlovian greywacke sediments of the Niewachlów Beds that occur above graptolitic claystones of the Prągowiec Beds. Within the sequence of lithologically diversified Niewachlów Beds, more than 400 m thick, 11 characteristic lithologic complexes were identified. The lower and upper parts of the Niewachlów Beds comprise fine- and medium-grained greywacke sandstones with mudstone interbeds, whereas the middle part contains coarse-grained greywacke sandstones and conglomerates. The sediments were transported by “turbiditic currents” from the southwest. Petrographic examination of the upper part of the Prągowiec Beds and the Niewachlów Beds indicates that the greywacke conglomerates and sandstones of the Niewachlów Beds are composed primarily of volcanic and sedimentary lithoclasts, with subordinate metamorphic and scarce plutonic lithoclasts. The sandstones and conglomerates were derived from an orogen containing sandstones and mudstones as well as from the magmatic rocks of a continental volcanic arc, characterized by acidic-intermediate volcanism.