Holocene sedimentary cycle and heavy-mineral distribution,Romagna-Marche coastal plain,Italy

The heavy-mineral composition, facies and age of Holocene clastic sediments of the coastal plain and Adriatic beaches of the Romagna-Marche regions are examined in order to evaluate the relative influence and distribution, during a complete sedimentary cycle regression—transgression, of the sediments supplied by local Apenninic rivers versus sediments supplied by a more distal source, the Po River, debouching at the northwestern corner of the Adriatic Sea.A fairly clear result is that during the Pleistocene regression, sediments supplied by the Po River were transported a long distance southeastward along the basin. The transgressive Holocene sea mostly reworked and redistributed the sediments of the invaded coastal plain. Mineral composition of these marine deposits remains therefore that of the Po sediments.During the standstill of the sea level that followed the transgression, a lateral supply from the rivers draining the eastern slope of the Northern Apennines had a greater influence and the mineralogic composition of the prograding coastal sands began to differentiate, reflecting the composition of sediments supplied by a more local source.