Ramona BĂLC¹, Luminiţa ZAHARIA², Erika SUCIU-KRAUSZ³ & Ferenc KRISTALY^4
1 Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Environmental Science, 30 Fântânele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, ramona.balc@ubbcluj.ro
² Babeş-Bolyai University, Department of Geology, 1 Kogălniceanu Street, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, luminita.zaharia@ubbcluj.ro
³ S.C. Geo Search SRL, 103 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400663 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, office@geosearch.ro
⁴ University of Miskolc, Institute of Mineralogy and Geology, 3115 Miskolc-Egyetemvaros, Miskolc, Hungary, askkf@uni-miskolc.hu

NEW UPPER CRETACEOUS DEPOSITS IN THE SOUTH-EASTERN TRASCĂU MOUNTAINS (APUSENI MTS., ROMANIA)

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Upper Cretaceous syn-orogenic deposits from south and south-eastern Apuseni Mountains play a crucial role in deciphering the evolution of this orogen. Therefore, the proper identification and description of the Upper Cretaceous sediments within this region is of special importance. Located in the south-eastern part of Trascău Mountains (Apuseni Mts.), the area between Ighiel and Mănăstirii valleys was described as Lower Cretaceous in age, the sediments being assigned to Meteş and Feneş Formations. For the first time, calcareous nannofossils studies were perform in the area in order to check the age of these sediments. Based on the presence of Micula staurophora and Quadrum gartneri, an Upper Cretaceous unit was identified. The lithological characteristics of this unit, as rhythmic alternation of sandstone and clay/marls are very similar with those of Râmeţi Formation, which outcrop north of the studied area. These points to the existence of a Râmeţi-like, Upper Cretaceous band in the eastern part of Trascău Mountains, which can represent a south-eastern prolongation of Râmeţi Formation.