胜利油区早古生代沉积相

早古生代，胜利油区作为华北地台的一部分，接受了一套以海相碳酸盐岩为主的沉积，其沉积相与其他地区既有相似性，又有特殊性，文中首先按沉积岩类型，将沉积相划分碎屑沉积相系和碳酸盐岩沉积相系，根据岩石的沉积构造，指相矿物，生物化石等。将下古生界沉积相进一步划分为４个相９种亚相，并对各种相的特征进行了简要说明。在单井相分析的基础上，利用单因素和三端元做图法编制了基础图件，结合相序的变化规律和区域地质背景，对     

鄂尔多斯地区早古生代岩相古地理*

鄂尔多斯地区早古生代沉积了一套以海相碳酸盐岩夹碎屑岩为主的沉积建造,沉积厚度巨大,沉积类型多样,可以划分为海岸沉积、碳酸盐岩台地沉积、台地边缘沉积和深水斜坡—海槽沉积4大沉积类型以及数个亚相和微相,并对各个沉积相带的沉积特征和时空展布进行了归纳和总结。在此基础上,编制了早古生代岩相古地理图1套。岩相古地理研究表明,早寒武世仅在鄂尔多斯西南缘环陆发育了一套泥砂坪、泥云坪沉积;中寒武世海侵扩大,广大的鄂尔多斯中东部逐渐由砂泥坪发展为局限—开阔台地沉积,在其西缘发展为台地边缘—深水海槽沉积;晚寒武世开始海退,中东部主体演变为局限台地云坪沉积,而西侧的深水斜坡—海槽则继续发育。早奥陶世鄂尔多斯主体为一古陆,仅在东南缘形成环陆泥云坪和云灰坪相沉积;中奥陶世的大规模海侵使鄂尔多斯大部地区形成了广阔的浅水陆表海沉积,在陕北凹陷发育膏盐湖沉积,向外依次发育局限台地和开阔台地沉积,中奥陶世晚期西南侧开始发育台地前缘斜坡—深水海槽沉积;晚奥陶世的加里东运动使鄂尔多斯整体抬升为陆,仅在西南缘的狭窄海域接受沉积,由碳酸盐岩台地很快过渡为深水斜坡—海槽沉积,并在南缘发育生物礁建造,形成陆缘海型镶边台地沉积。     

四川盆地上石炭统黄龙组沉积相分析

根据四川盆地上石炭统黄龙组野外剖面和钻井岩心观察以及镜下岩石薄片鉴定分析,并结合岩性、古生物及测井等沉积相标志研究以及区域沉积背景和岩性组合特征,认为四川盆地黄龙组主要发育一套潮坪—陆棚沉积体系,其中潮坪体系主要发育碳酸盐岩潮坪相,陆棚体系以周缘受局限的海湾陆棚相为主。并进一步划分出4个亚相带和10个微相带。编制了黄龙组一段、二段和三段的沉积微相平面图,指出潮间坪浅滩、潮间藻砂坪、潮下坪浅滩、滨外浅滩微相为本研究区储层性能最有利的沉积相带。     

柴达木盆地北缘欧龙布鲁克微地块早古生代岩相古地理

通过对柴达木盆地北缘欧龙布鲁克微地块的野外地质调查及精细观察,根据剖面中发育的岩石组合关系、沉积构造特征以及地层接触关系,对该区早古生代寒武纪—早奥陶世沉积及岩相古地理特征进行了详细研究。认为早古生代欧龙布鲁克微地块处于火山岛弧弧后区域,柴北缘洋俯冲及陆陆碰撞控制了该时期的盆山格局与沉积充填演化。欧龙布鲁克微地块下古生界主要发育一套海相碳酸盐岩建造,仅在寒武系底部以及下奥陶统存在陆源碎屑沉积。从岩石组合来看,沉积相类型大致可划分为蒸发潮坪相、局限台地相、开阔台地相、台地边缘相和复理石盆地沉积5大类及相应的亚类。研究区早古生代整体处于海侵状态,欧龙布鲁克微地块早寒武世经历蒸发潮坪沉积,中、晚寒武世海侵范围逐步扩大,研究区接受了一套以浅海碳酸盐岩建造为特点的局限台地—开阔台地沉积。早奥陶世基本继承了寒武纪海侵范围,欧龙布鲁克微地块沉积环境向台地边缘浅滩—前缘斜坡转变,直至早奥陶世晚期台地相向中南方向迁移而形成于高海平面下的台缘斜坡—欠补偿深水陆棚沉积环境。     

渤海湾盆地渤中凹陷西南环古生界沉积微相及其对岩溶储集层的控制作用

渤海湾盆地渤中凹陷西南环古生界深埋碳酸盐岩潜山天然气获得重大突破,钻井资料揭示该地区碳酸盐岩岩溶储集层具有很强的非均质性。由于沉积相是岩溶储集层发育的主控因素之一,因此文中根据岩心和薄片资料、测井相、微量元素和古生物特征等多种手段综合分析沉积相特征。结果表明,研究区现存奥陶系纵向上表现为1个较为完整的海退—海进序列,主要发育开阔台地和局限台地2种沉积亚相,并可进一步划分为台内滩、滩间、潮下带和潮间带4种沉积微相。台内滩和潮下带微相横向分布连续稳定,水动力条件强,形成的储集层早期溶孔发育,且这2种沉积环境里发育的碳酸盐岩较纯净,经后期风化淋滤形成的岩溶储集层厚度大、质量好,因此是有利的岩溶储集层发育相带。该研究明确了研究区台内滩及潮下带的发育特征,对下一步油气勘探具有一定的指导意义。     

渤海及周边地区早古生代岩相古地理

根据古郯庐断裂两侧地块分布特征,渤海及周边地区早古生代具有南北高、中间低的古地理格局,以清水碳酸盐沉积为主。基于钻井岩心、薄片及露头观察,总结了典型沉积相标志,认为区内发育近岸潮坪相、局限台地相和开阔台地相等3类沉积相,台内洼地、灰泥丘、台内滩、潟湖、台坪等5类沉积亚相,以及9类沉积微相。在寒武系和奥陶系沉积相划分与精细对比的基础上,刻画了渤海及周边地区早古生代4个典型沉积时期的岩相古地理:受二级海平面升降、构造沉降和古地形的影响,早寒武世靠近(水下)古隆起区发育近岸潮坪相,中部局限台地—开阔台地发育;中寒武世厚层鲕粒滩广泛发育;晚寒武世—早奥陶世广泛发育局限台地白云岩坪、石灰岩坪;中奥陶世广泛发育开阔台地相台内洼地泥晶灰岩沉积。     

陕西省北部奥陶纪岩石地层单位厘定

陕西北部地区奥陶纪地层重新厘定后，共划分为９个组。早—中奥陶世地层由下而上划分为三山子组、贾汪组、马家沟组，均以碳酸盐岩台地相沉积为主，岩性及岩相稳定，生物化石较少。中—晚奥陶世时期沉积岩相十分复杂，东西部存在明显差别。东部区分为桃曲坡组、赵老峪组，以斜坡相泥质碳酸盐岩沉积为主，厚度在１００～４００ｍ之间；西部区分为平凉组、背锅山组、段家峡组、唐陵组，以斜坡—盆地相及深海浊积扇为主，由碎屑岩、泥质碳酸盐岩夹少量火山碎屑岩组成，岩相变化较大，厚度可达３０００ｍ，且以晚奥陶世沉积发育为特色     

渤海湾盆地临清坳陷晚古生代古地理特征*

运用沉积学、地层学、板块构造学等学科理论,分析了临清坳陷晚古生代沉积特征,采用单因素分析多因素综合作图法进行岩相古地理编图,总结出其盆地演化特征。研究结果表明：临清坳陷晚古生代沉积类型主要包括障壁—潟湖沉积、潮坪沉积、碳酸盐岩台地沉积、河控浅水三角洲沉积及曲流河—湖泊沉积。编制5张岩相古地理图,分析发现：本溪期以潮坪相和碳酸盐岩台地相沉积为主;太原期以碳酸盐岩台地相、障壁—潟湖相以及潮坪相沉积为主;山西期以河控浅水三角洲相沉积为主;下石盒子期主要是曲流河道和泛滥平原沉积为主;上石盒子期主要以曲流河与湖泊沉积为主。研究区盆地演化可以划分为3个阶段：第1阶段为晚石炭世至早二叠的本溪期与太原期,主要是陆表海充填沉积阶段;第2阶段为过渡环境沉积充填阶段,即二叠世山西期;第3阶段为陆相环境沉积阶段,包括上石盒子和下石盒子期。     

渤海湾盆地渤中凹陷西南环古生界沉积微相及其对岩溶储集层的控制作用*

渤海湾盆地渤中凹陷西南环古生界深埋碳酸盐岩潜山天然气获得重大突破,钻井资料揭示该地区碳酸盐岩岩溶储集层具有很强的非均质性。由于沉积相是岩溶储集层发育的主控因素之一,因此文中根据岩心和薄片资料、测井相、微量元素和古生物特征等多种手段综合分析沉积相特征。结果表明,研究区现存奥陶系纵向上表现为1个较为完整的海退— 海进序列,主要发育开阔台地和局限台地2种沉积亚相,并可进一步划分为台内滩、滩间、潮下带和潮间带4种沉积微相。台内滩和潮下带微相横向分布连续稳定,水动力条件强,形成的储集层早期溶孔发育,且这2种沉积环境里发育的碳酸盐岩较纯净,经后期风化淋滤形成的岩溶储集层厚度大、质量好,因此是有利的岩溶储集层发育相带。该研究明确了研究区台内滩及潮下带的发育特征,对下一步油气勘探具有一定的指导意义。     

东海西湖凹陷平湖构造带平湖组沉积特征

西湖凹陷平湖构造带始新统平湖组可划分出潮坪沉积相和潮汐三角洲沉积相2种主要的沉积相类型,潮间带、潮下带、三角洲前缘和前三角洲等4种主要的沉积亚相及微相.该区有利储集相带主要有潮道、潮坪砂坝、河口坝及前缘席状砂微相.     

燕山冀北凹陷雾迷山组沉积相研究

在收集前人及野外采集资料基础上,利用薄片鉴定、岩石密度分析,对冀北坳陷中新元古界雾迷山组的岩石类型与特征、沉积相标志、剖面相研究了其沉积相类型。结果认为研究区属于典型的陆表海碳酸盐台地沉积环境,根据岩性及叠层石特征可细分为潮下、潮间和潮上带。其中一、二段由近35个小型韵律层组成了一个完整的由海侵到海退的沉积序列,具有自潮下至潮间再至潮上的潮坪相为主的沉积样式,为典型的雾迷山韵律沉积。第三段小型叠层石只见于三段的下部,而从第12层开始出现大型叠层石。第四段灰质白云岩中含沥青质块体,层理一般平直,或微波状,有时可见斜层理和波痕,为潮间带一潮下带沉积。     

川南马边黄家坪磷矿下寒武统麦地坪组沉积相特征及磷成矿模式研究

川南马边地区下寒武统麦地坪组是昆阳式磷矿的重要赋矿层位,磷矿的分布受沉积古环境控制。以马边黄家坪地区麦地坪组含磷地层野外剖面实测及钻孔岩芯观察为基础,对麦地坪组沉积相特征、磷块岩特征、磷矿成因模式进行了详细研究。研究表明：黄家坪地区麦地坪组发育碳酸盐岩潮坪相沉积,可识别出潮上坪、潮间坪和潮下坪3个亚相共计6种微相类型：潮上坪包括潮上滩和潮上云坪微相;潮间坪包括潮汐水道、潮间滩、潮间灰坪;潮下坪则仅发育低能潮下坪,垂向上表现出海退-海侵的沉积演化序列。据此建立了麦地坪组海湾潮坪相沉积模式。磷块岩的富集严格受沉积相带控制,潮间坪内高能水动力的潮间滩和潮汐水道是最有利于磷块岩形成的微相环境,砂砾屑磷块岩是马边地区发育较为广泛的磷块岩类型。磷矿床的成矿模式为上升洋流将富磷海水带入到海湾潮坪环境内,受生物-化学作用使磷以胶体-化学的形式发生凝聚富集,形成半固结—弱固结的磷酸盐沉积物,后遭受水流的冲刷、破碎、搬运、簸选再次发生沉淀,经压实、固结即形成高品位的磷块岩。     

Temperate carbonate sediments of Northern Spencer Gulf, South Australia: a high salinity 'foramol' province

Cool-water skeletal carbonate sediments are forming in Spencer Gulf, South Australia, an area of high salinity and moderate tidal range. Four environments can be distinguished: deeper marine areas (10–20 m); shallow subtidal platforms and banks (2–10 m); intertidal and supratidal zones; and coastal springs and lakes fed by saline continental groundwaters. The sediments are predominately bioclastic carbonate sands; muddy sediments occur in protected intertidal environments. The most common grain types are gastropods, bivalves, foraminifera, coralline algae and quartz. Indurated non-skeletal carbonate grains have not been seen. Composition of the sediment varies little between environments, but considerable textural variation results from variation in the stability of the substrate, hydrodynamic conditions, depth of water, period of tidal inundation, supply of terrigenous grains, temperature, and salinity. The Spencer Gulf data suggests that temperature, and particularly minimum temperature, controls the distribution of skeletal and non-skeletal grain associations in high-salinity environments. The textures of the sedimentary facies of Spencer Gulf closely parallel those of equivalent environments in warm-water carbonate provinces.     

Milankovitch cyclicity in Purbeck peritidal limestones of the Prebetic (Berriasian, southern Spain)

Peritidal carbonate rocks (Purbeck facies) of the uppermost Portlandian to Berriasian in the type section of the Sierra del Pozo Formation in the Prebetic Zone, southern Spain, are divisible into 141 shallowing upward cycles averaging 2 m in thickness. The subtidal facies in these cycles consist of micritic or marly limestones with dasycladacean algae and lituolids; the intertidal facies are micritic limestones containing birdseyes and miliolids; the supratidal facies comprise laminated algal limestones, the tops of which display desiccation cracks and rhizocretions, or more locally palaeosols, calcretes, or palaeokarst surfaces. A statistical study, using power spectra of the Fast Fourier Transform, demonstrates that the periodicity of these cycles is in the Milankovitch frequency band. Most sedimentary cycles correspond to the obliquity cycles; eccentricity and precession cycles have also been recognized. Using a Fischer plot, third-order tectono-eustatic cycles are recognized, which can be correlated with the eustatic curve of the Exxon chart. The shallowing upward sequences are characterized by a distinctive pattern of geochemical parameters. Carbon and oxygen isotopic (δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O) variations, calcium and magnesium carbonate contents and the abundance of organic matter and trace elements (Mn and Sr) all have predictable patterns of distribution within the sequences. The Sr content of the subtidal facies is relatively high whereas the δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O ratios are quite low; in the intertidal facies the Sr and Mn levels fall concomitantly with a rise in δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O. The highest δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values occur in the lower part of the supratidal facies, whereas in the upper part of δ values and Sr contents drop sharply. Cyclic variations in evaporation and in meteoric water influence, determined from oxygen isotopic composition, reveal that the cyclicity of the beds containing the most limestones (supratidal) and those with the most marls (subtidal) is related to climatic changes. The coldest periods are those represented by supratidal deposits, when the sea level was at its lowest. During the warmest periods, when the overall sea level was higher, subtidal deposits accumulated in the region. A genetic model is proposed, according to which the asymmetrical sedimentary cycles occur in response to glacio-eustatic changes with a periodicity similar to that of Plio-Pleistocene sea-level variations, but with a much lower range due to the smaller extent of polar ice caps during the Early Cretaceous. The glacio-eustatic changes involved a rapid sea-level rise and a slow sea-level fall.     

河南省(华北型)早寒武世沉积环境演化及其痕迹化石组合

到目前为止本省内早寒武世尚未发现有梅树村期和筇竹寺期沉积,仅有沧浪铺期和龙王庙期沉积存在。在济源—博爱—武陟一线以南地区有沧浪铺阶辛集组、朱砂洞组和龙王庙阶馒头组。该线以北只有龙王庙阶辛集组和馒头组。辛集组是个受特定环境控制的穿时地层单元。早寒武世沧浪铺早—中期(辛集组)沉积环境是潮下浅水陆棚和滨岸潮下带、滨岸潮坪潮间带。沧浪铺中—晚期(朱砂洞组)沉积环境是滨岸碳酸盐潮坪缓坡—潮间—潮上蒸发坪和潮间蒸发岩洼地以及潮下碳酸盐浅水缓坡。龙王庙期(馒头组)沉积环境是滨岸碳酸盐岩潮坪缓坡和潮下碳酸盐岩浅水缓坡。早寒武世痕迹化石主要产于三个层位,可分为H-T组合和L-B组合。前者为潮下浅水陆棚风暴环境痕迹组合,后者为潮间—潮上低能泥坪环境痕迹组合。早寒武世痕迹化石共11属(1新属)、16种(1新种、1相似种、10未定种)。     

The St George Group (Lower Ordovician) of western Newfoundland: tidal flat island model for carbonate sedimentation in shallow epeiric seas

The St George Group consists of peritidal carbonate rocks deposited on the continental shelf of North America bordering the ancient Iapetus Ocean. These Lower Ordovician rocks are similar to other lower Palaeozoic limestones and dolostones that accumulated in epeiric seas and veneer cratonic areas worldwide. A wide variety of facies in the St George is grouped into seven lithotopes, interpreted to represent supratidal, intertidal and shallow, high- and low-energy subtidal environments. Rapid lateral facies changes can be observed in some field exposures, and demonstrated by correlation of closely spaced sections. The stratigraphic array of these lithotopes, although too irregular to be simplified into shallowing-upward cycles, suggests that they were deposited as small tidal flat islands and banks. Shallow subtidal areas around islands generated sediment and permitted tidal exchange. Tidal flat islands were somewhat variable in character at any one time, and evolved with changing regional hydrographic conditions. The St George rocks suggest an alternative theory of carbonate sedimentation in large, shallow epeiric seas, namely as small islands and banks built by processes that operated in a tidal regime. Furthermore, this island model provides a framework for a mechanism of cyclic carbonate sedimentation, by which small-scale, peritidal cycles represent tidal flat islands that accreted vertically and migrated laterally as local sediment supply from neighbouring subtidal areas waxed and waned during relatively constant subsidence.     

陆表海台地沉积充填模式及内克拉通碳酸盐岩勘探新启示

内克拉通陆表海盆地是古老碳酸盐建造形成的重要场所。除其顶部风化壳岩溶储层外,广泛分布的内幕非岩溶改造的白云岩勘探长期未受到足够的重视。近年来,随着深层、超深层勘探技术的进步,内幕陆表海白云岩陆续获得油气勘探新发现,但其预测难度远比镶边台地中的礁滩"移动靶"更大。为更好地揭示这类未经岩溶改造的白云岩储层的宏观发育分布规律,本文研究了鄂尔多斯盆地奥陶系马家沟期和四川盆地雷口坡期陆表海台地的高精度岩相古地理和沉积充填模式。结果表明:陆表海台地一般形成于温室期低纬度干燥气候下的稳定内克拉通盆地,与盐湖伴生的台地潮坪广泛分布是其标志性的沉积特征,微环境可进一步划分为潮上带泥云坪、上潮间带云坪、上潮间带微生物席、下潮间带席状潮缘滩、上潮下带灰云质澙湖、下潮下带膏云质澙湖;虽然内克拉通陆表海台地是一个相对静态的沉积环境,其沉积建造并非平板一块,海平面的升降变化往往会在相对平坦的陆表海内引起大幅度的相带迁移,造成潮上带、潮间带、潮下带频繁交互;相带频繁往复迁移过程中,潮间带的晶粒/颗粒/微生物白云岩受到盐湖、古隆起或潮坪岛的制约,形成大面积分布的席状富孔白云岩透镜体;陆表海沉积层序结构为典型的向上变浅序列,主要发育潮坪进积楔和潮坪岛拼嵌两种沉积充填模式,这两种模式形成的席状白云岩透镜体在层序结构和厚度都能很好地对比,通常延伸都在100km以上,甚至可跨越整个陆表海台地,是一个能够媲美台缘礁滩相的油气勘探新领域。     

Shallowing-upward sequences in Purbeckian peritidal carbonates (lowermost Cretaceous, Swiss and French Jura Mountains)

Purbeckian carbonates in the Swiss and French Jura (Goldberg Formation, lower Berriasian) comprise shallow-subtidal, intertidal, supratidal, low-energy, high-energy, marine, brackish, freshwater, and hypersaline facies. These facies are arranged in small (0–2–1.5 m thick) sequences which display a dominant shallowing-upward component, and which form the fundamental units of the highly structured Purbeckian sedimentary record. Six types of small-scale sequences can be recognized. A: intertidal to supratidal overprinting of shallow lagoonal facies; B: algal-marsh sequence with frequent dolomitization; C: sabkha sequence, often associated with collapse breccia; D: tidal-flat sequence with desiccation features; E: lacustrine sequence; F: terrestrial overprinting of subtidal or intertidal facies. Episodic event deposits such as tempestites are superimposed] Thin transgressive beds which rework elements of the underlying facies are frequently found at the base of the sequences. Green marls and black pebbles are common at the top and indicate long subaerial exposure. The sequences are often incomplete, as subtidal facies may be absent, or their upper part can be eroded. Lateral facies changes are common, which is due to the very shallow and partly emergent Purbeckian platform where various depositional environments were juxtaposed. However, many sequence boundaries are well developed and can be correlated over large parts of the study area. The Purbeckian shallowing-upward sequences were generated by climatically controlled sea-level changes. Autocyclic processes occurred locally, but were overprinted by drops of sea-level affecting the entire platform. The small-scale sequences are most probably related to the 20 000-year cycle of the precession of the equinoxes. Larger sequences with usually well-developed emersion surfaces are attributed to the 100 000 and 400 000-year eccentricity cycles of the Earth's orbit. Identification and correlation of sequence boundaries makes it possible to set up a framework of isochronous surfaces (which often cut across facies boundaries), and thus to interpret in detail the palaeogeographic, sedimentological and diagenetic evolution of the Purbeckian peritidal carbonate environments.     

云南镇雄地区新发现羊场超大型磷矿沉积环境及资源潜力分析

云南镇雄羊场磷矿是近年来新发现的超大型磷矿床,隐伏于羊场背斜核部。本文对羊场磷矿的矿床地质特征、成矿背景、沉积环境与沉积相、矿体特征及空间分布等进行了研究,认为矿床形成于早寒武世梅树村期,矿体赋存于梅树村组碳酸盐岩含磷岩系中;沉积环境为浅海碳酸盐台地干热潮坪环境(潮间-潮下带),沉积相为潮间-潮下间歇高能富白云岩、磷块岩相,由北西往南东海水逐渐变深,矿化变弱,矿体总体从聚磷盆地中心向周边有变薄趋势;矿床类型为海相沉积型层状磷块岩矿床。矿床形成过程为上升的海流把富磷的海水带到浅海地带时,由于温度升高和压力降低,使磷以磷酸钙的形式沉积于浅海地带的边缘上,形成规模巨大的磷矿;另外,沉积环境的旋回性变化伴随着生物、化学和物理作用对磷的溶解、迁移、富集和叠加改造再沉积的反复进行,致使磷矿层聚集存在多期和多层结构,矿层变厚矿石品位变富;在成矿后矿体受羊场背斜的叠加改造,使磷矿层再次变富变厚,矿床规模进一步变大。在钻探验证基础上,分Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ级品圈定了工业磷矿体,并系统估算了羊场磷矿全区控制+推断磷矿石资源量;同时采用综合地质要素法、三维空间定位模型预测法分标高段预测了磷矿石潜在资源,认为羊场地区有望成为世界级磷矿资源基地。通过地层对比和沉积环境特征分析,认为羊场背斜东约20.0 km的芒部背斜,为寻找隐伏磷矿的另一有利地段。     

Depositional environments of Upper Miocene (Messinian) evaporite deposits of the Sicilian Basin*

In Sicily, Messinian evaporitic sedimentary deposits are developed under a wide variety of hypersaline conditions and in environments ranging from continental margin (subaerial), to basin-margin supratidal, to intertidal, to subtidal and out into the hypersaline basin proper. The actual water depth at the time of deposition is indeterminate; however, relative terms such as ‘wave base’ and ‘photic zone’ are utilized. The inter-fingering relationships of specific evaporitic facies having clear and recognizable physical characteristics are presented. These include sub-aerial deposits of nodular calcium sulphate formed displacively within clastic sediments; gypsiferous rudites, arenites and arenitic marls, all of which are reworked sediments and are mixed in varying degrees with other clastic materials (subaerial, supratidal, and intertidal to deep basinal deposits). Laminated calcium sulphate alternating with very thin carbonate interlaminae and having two different aspects; one being even and continuous and the other of a wavy, irregular appearance (subtidal, intertidal, and supratidal deposits). Nodular calcium sulphate beds, usually associated with wavy, irregular laminated beds (supratidal, sabkha deposits); very coarsely crystalline gypsum beds (selenite), associated with more even, laminated beds (subaqueous, intertidal to subtidal deposits); wavy anastomozing gypsum beds, composed of very fine, often broken crystals (subaqueous, current-swept deposits); halite having hopper and chevron structures (supratidal to intertidal); and halite, potash salts, etc. having continuous laminated structure (subaqueous, possibly basinal). Evidence for diagenetic changes is observed in the calcium sulphate deposits which apparently formed by tectonic stress and also by migrating hypersaline waters. These observations suggest that the common, massive form of alabastrine gypsum (or anhydrite, in the subsurface) may not always be ascribed to original depositional features, to syndiagenesis or to early diagenesis but may be the result of late diagenesis.