Salt Tectonics in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco

Diagenetic evolution of lower Jurassic platform carbonates flanking the Tazoult salt wall (Central High Atlas, Morocco)

“…The occurrence of topographic highs above the regional sea level associated with diapiric structures and the rapid change in facies distribution around them and basinwards have been previously reported in the Tazoult salt wall (Joussiaume, ; Malaval, ; Martín‐Martín et al, ; Vergés et al, ), as well as in other diapiric structures of the central High Atlas (Teixell et al, ) and in diapiric basins elsewhere (Counts, Dalgarno, Amos, & Hasiotis, ; Giles et al, ; Poprawski, Basile, Jaillard, Gaudin, & Lopez, ). However, the karstification of platform carbonates forming the crest of these diapirs and their subsequent erosion and sedimentation as clastic deposists around them has rarely been reported in the literature, and thus constitutes a key diference of the Tazoult salt wall with other case studies.…”

“…In this regard, fracturing and faulting of the sedimentary overburden above salt diapirs are typically associated with reactive and active stages of diapirism (Davison, Alsop, Evans, & Safaricz, ; Jackson, Vendeville, & Shultz‐Ela, ; Vendeville & Jackson, ). Taking into account that during early Pliensbachian times the Tazoult salt wall was in a stage of reactive‐active growth linked to the Early Jurassic rifting of the central High Atlas (Martín‐Martín et al, ; Moragas et al, ; Saura et al, ; Vergés et al, ), it is suggested that the fracturing of the Jbel Choucht Fm. at that time likely provided conduits for the downward circulation of marine fluids until the crest of the diapir (Figure ).…”

“…The core of the anticlines are composed of Triassic evaporite‐bearing shales and sandstones intruded by Middle to Late Jurassic magmatic bodies (Frizon de Lamotte et al, ; Hailwood & Mitchell, ; Jossen & Couvreur, ; Laville & Harmand, ). These anticlines were recently interpreted as diapirs that started forming and were active during, at least, Early and Middle Jurassic times (Bouchouata, ; Bouchouata et al, ; Ettaki et al, ; Martín‐Martín et al, ; Michard et al, ; Moragas et al, ; Saura et al, ; Teixell et al, ; Vergés et al, ).…”

“…The study of the geometry and evolution of diapiric structures that were active from Early to Middle Jurassic times in the central High Atlas, and their interaction with the flanking rocks, has been addressed in later years (Bouchouata, Canerot, Souhel, & Almeras, ; Ettaki, Ibouh, Chellaï, & Milhi, ; Martín‐Martín et al, ; Michard, Ibouh, & Charrière, ; Moragas et al, ; Saura et al, ; Teixell, Barnolas, Rosales, & Arboleya, ; Vergés et al, ). The presented study of diagenesis in the Tazoult salt wall is part of a prolonged work of our group in the Central High Atlas, detailed below, in which extensive field work and remote sensing mapping was carried out.…”

“…The presented study of diagenesis in the Tazoult salt wall is part of a prolonged work of our group in the Central High Atlas, detailed below, in which extensive field work and remote sensing mapping was carried out. Integrated analysis of both structural geology (Saura et al, ; Vergés et al, ) and sedimentology of the lower–middle Jurassic mixed carbonate‐clastic system (Joussiaume, ; Malaval, ) allowed the discovery of well‐preserved and unequivocal halokinetic depositional sequences and to highlight the role of salt tectonics as an additional control on the evolution of the Central High Atlas rift basin during Early and Middle Jurassic times. Concerning the Tazoult salt wall, the study of stacks of halokinetic sequences with both carbonate and mixed carbonate/clastic deposits along the structure indicated its evolution as a 20‐km long, NE‐SW trending salt wall forming a structural and sedimentary high for at least 20 Myr from Pliensbachian to Bajocian times (Martín‐Martín et al, ).…”