Models of Upper Miocene Evaporite Genesis in the Mediterranean Region

Abstract

Many Mesozoic and Cenozoic evaporite cycles occur in the Mediterranean area, the youngest one being of upper Miocene age. None of the older models of evaporite basins, such as the barred basin with one-way flow, the deep-water, wind-driven upwelling, sebkha, or broad saturation shelf models, appears to be applicable to these Mediterranean evaporite cycles nor, for that matter, a model of a desiccating deep basin. Taking into account several accepted basic conditions for evaporite formation, Krull's (1917) modification of the Ochsenius model (1876) for evaporite basins is still applicable to the genesis of late Miocene (Messinian) Mediterranean evaporites with no further modification required.