The Geology of Lagoa Santa Karst

Abstract

This chapter provides information about the geologicalevolution and structural geometry of the Lagoa SantaKarst region, located in the São Francisco sedimentarybasin, where Neoproterozoic rocks from the BambuíGroup are deposited. This group is constituted ofkarstified limestones from the Sete Lagoas and metape-lites rocks from the Serra de Santa Helena Formation,covered by unconsolidated sediments of Cenozoic age, in a context of basin border. The area presents some detachment faults, displacing the whole stratigraphicsuccession, allowing formations of distinct ages to standalongside. The Sete Lagoas Formation, most frequent inthe region, is divided by the lower Pedro Leopoldo Member with karst dissolution features developed mostlyin impure limestone bedding planes; and the upper andbetter exposed Lagoa Santa Member, with dissolutions inpure limestones in the form of caves, small cavities and sinkholes.