Tectonostratigraphic model for the North Croatian and North Bosnian sector of the Miocene Pannonian Basin System

Abstract

The formation of the North Croatian Basin, which represents the south‐western marginal part of the Pannonian Basin System and the Central Paratethys Bioprovince, began during Ottnangian time (early Miocene) by continental rifting. The syn‐rift phase lasted until the middle Badenian (middle Miocene), and resulted in the formation of elongated half‐grabens characterized by large sediment thicknesses strongly influenced by tectonics and gradually increasing volcanism. Towards the end of the syn‐rift phase sinistral strike‐slip faulting took place, transverse to oblique to the master faults, which disintegrated the longitudinal structures contemporaneously with volcanic activity. The depositional environments gradually changed from alluvial and lacustrine to marine. The syn‐ to post‐rift boundary was characterized by significant erosion of the uplift fault block footwalls. The post‐rift phase extended from the middle Badenian to the end of the Pontian (latest Miocene). Tectonic influence drastically decreased, volcanism ceased, and subsidence of the basin was controlled predominantly by cooling of the lithosphere. Marine connections gradually decreased, resulting in a transition from marine to brackish, ‘caspi‐brackish’ and finally fluvial‐marsh environments. By the end of the Miocene the basin was finally infilled. The basin evolution was also complicated by an alternation of phases of extension and compression.

Early Miocene ostracods from the Sadovi section (Mt Požeška gora, Croatia)

“…Two depositional phases were recognized by Pavelić (2001). The first phase was characterized by the accumulation of predominantly breccias and conglomerates with subordinate sand and siltstones deposited in a braided alluvial plain and under semi-arid climate conditions (Pavelić et al 1998).…”

“…At the base of the Karpatian, this sequence is rapidly replaced by marine neritic to shallow bathyal sediments (Pavelić 2001). …”

Seismic stratigraphy based chronostratigraphy (SSBC) of the Serbian Banat region of the Pannonian Basin

“…Prior to the development of the Pannonian Basin, the assembly of the underlying basement from Carpathian convergence ended sometime before 12 Ma [11]. The first syn-rift extensional phase is documented by early Miocene subsidence and sedimentation [12][13][14][15][16]. This extension was also synchronous with the major extension of two microcontinents: ALCAPA and Tisza.…”

Distribution of potentially toxic metals (As, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn) in the topsoil of the Pannonian Basin System and associated parts of the surrounding orogens

“…In high-relief areas, soil is developed from different metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary rocks related to the movements of the European and African plates. These areas were formed before collision and subduction of these two plates during the Miocene Epoch and before the formation of the PBS (Pavelić, 2001). Lowlands and plains are covered by marine, lacustric and fluvial sediments formed after the collision and are overlain by Quaternary loess and alluvial sediments.…”