Sideritic—kaolinitic and green clay layers in the Mecsek Mountains (SW Hungary): Indicators of Middle Triassic volcanism—Myth or reality?

Lukoczki, Georgina and Budai, Tamás and Németh, Tibor (2015) Sideritic—kaolinitic and green clay layers in the Mecsek Mountains (SW Hungary): Indicators of Middle Triassic volcanism—Myth or reality? Central European Geology, 58 (4). pp. 334-355. ISSN 1788-2281

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Abstract

Sideritic—kaolinitic and green clay layers were previously reported from the Mecsek Mountains (SW Hungary) as indicators of Tethyan volcanism in the otherwise germanotype Middle Triassic succession. The aim of the present study is to provide a review and a critical re-evaluation of the previously published data on both the sideritic—kaolinitic layers (the so-called “Mánfa Siderite”) and the green clay layers. New results of mineralogical investigation of the green clay layers are also presented. The Middle Triassic volcanic origin of the “Mánfa Siderite” cannot be confirmed. In addition to a possible volcanic contribution, the sideritic—kaolinitic layers were probably formed in a freshwater swamp under humid, tropical climatic conditions, whereby weathering in an organic-rich, acidic environment led to the formation of “underclays” and siderite in the coal-bearing formations of Late Triassic to Early Jurassic age. These layers were probably tectonically placed over Middle Triassic carbonates. The illitic green clay layers intercalated in the Middle Triassic dolostone may represent terrigenous deposits, and the illite mineralogy probably is the result of burial diagenesis of detrital clays.

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