Petrology of the Weissliegendes sandstones in the Harz and Werra-Fulda areas,Germany

The Weissliegendes and adjacent related Permian sediments from the Harz and Werra-Fulda areas are petrologically described. The Weissliegendes sandstones are classified as moderately sorted, multicycle subgraywackes and orthoquartzites. Petrographic data indicate that the Weissliegendes and Zechsteinkonglomerate were derived in large part from the underlying Rotliegendes. Textural and stratification data show that the Weissliegendes sandstones were deposited in a shallow marine depositional environment and that the aeolian dune origin for the sandstones should be rejected. Rotliegendes sands and gravels were reworked by the transgressive Zechstein Sea, producing the sands of the Weissliegendes and the lag gravels of the Zechsteinkonglomerate. These two closely related units are time equivalent facies which represent the initial stage of the Zechstein Series.