Sulfate–Borate Association (Glauberite–Probertite) In the Emet Basin: Implications For Evaporite Sedimentology (Middle Miocene, Turkey)

Abstract Probertite and glauberite are the main rock-forming minerals in the lacustrine Doganlar succession of the Emet basin. The present paper seeks to characterize and interpret the facies and depositional settings of this mineral association. Probertite is made up largely of microfibers arranged in microbundles, and displays a variety of lithofacies. Many lithofacies show deformation and flowage structures which can be assigned to multistage growth of probertite under synsedimentary conditions. Glauberite displays laminated lithofacies formed by fine-grained clear crystals, and thin- to thick-bedded lithofacies composed of coarser crystals and variable proportions of siliciclastic matrix. Depositional pairs of probertite and glauberite occur at millimeter (laminites), centimeter (alternations), and meter (cycles) scales. Probertite and glauberite are primary products grown subaqueously in a relatively shallow saline lake—either on the bottom (probertite and glauberite) or as cumulate crystals (glauberite)—and interstitially below and close to the bottom. The laminites are made up of microcycles composed of several types of laminae. The microcycles are interpreted as predominantly pluriannual precipitates. In the proposed lake model, the brine body is not deep, as indicated by frequent episodes of subaerial exposure recorded in the succession. This study provides new insight into the genesis of glauberite and probertite, the interpretation of nodular lithofacies, the type of “microfiber evaporites,” the evaporite units made up of sulfate–borate alternations, and the petrographic description of glauberite laminites and their paleoenvironmental interpretation.