Upper Cretaceous geosites on Golija Mountain - objects of geoheritage

The Upper Cretaceous rudist limestones are well-known from several localities in Serbia. Three of these localities (Svilanovo, Bele Vode and Kulizino Selo) are located in SW Serbia, on Golija Mt. These localities are crucial for understanding the development of the Upper Cretaceous shallow-water environments, thus this is an area of great scientific and educational value, particularly considering palaeontology, stratigraphy, palaeoecology and palaeogeography. One of the aims of this paper is to evaluate these geosites and their geotouristic potential, using Geosite Assessment Model (GAM), which is important for their geoconservation as well as for the sustainable development of the area.</p

Lower Berriasian ammonites from Dedina (Golubac Mountains, eastern Serbia) and their biostratigraphic implication

A rich ammonite fauna was collected from the Dedina section, which is part of the Getic nappe system of the Serbian Dacia Megaunit. More than three hundred ammonites were collected from the light grey to reddish bioclastic limestones of the lower part and light grey marlstones of the upper part. From this fauna, 10 genera with 17 species were described, and 4 aptychi species were recorded. The ammonites belong to the suborders Haploceratina, Perisphinctina, Olcostephanina, and Ancyloceratina. Perisphinctids belong to the genera Pseudosubplanites, Hegaratella, Delphinella, Substeueroceras, Malbosiceras, and Strambergella. Based on the occurrence of Pseudosubplanites grandis, the studied section can be considered to belong to the Grandis ammonite Subzone of the upper part of the lower Berriasian. The association described here appears to be close to the coeval ammonite association in Crimea.Web of Science151art. no. 10562

Trans-border (east Serbia/west Bulgaria) correlation of the Jurassic sediments: Main Jurassic paleogeographic units

In the region across the Serbian/Bulgarian state border, there are individualized 5 Jurassic paleogeographic units (from West to East): (1) the Thracian Massif Unit without Jurassic sediments; (2) the Lužnica-Koniavo Unit - partially with Liassic in Grsten facies and with deep water Middle Callovian-Kimmeridgian (p. p) sediments of the type "ammonitico rosso", and Upper Kimmeridgian-Tithonian siliciclastics flysch; (3) The Getic Unit subdivided into two subunits - the Western Getic Sub-Uni - without Lower Jurassic sediments and the Eastern Getic Sub-Unit with Lower Jurassic continental and marine sediments, which are followed in both sub-units by carbonate platform limestones (type Stramberk); (4) the Infra (Sub)-Getic Unit - with relatively deep water Liassic and Dogger sediments (the Dogger of type "black shales with Bossitra alpine") and Middle Callovian-Tithonian of type "ammonitico rosso"; (5) the Danubian Unit - with shallow water Liassic, Dogger and Malm (Miroč-Vrška Čuka Zone, deep water Dogger and Malm (Donjomilanovačko-Novokoritska Zone)

Trans-border (south-east Serbia/west Bulgaria) correlations of the Jurassic sediments: Infra-Getic Unit

The Infra-Getic Unit is a palaeogeographic unit, predestined by palaeotectonics. From the point of view of geological heritage, it represents a geosites framework. For the purpose of the correlation, the Serbian sections of Lukanja, Bogorodica Monastery, Rosomač and Senokos, as well as the Bulgarian sections of Komshtitsa, Gintsi, and Stanyantsi were used. The Jurassic sediments of the Infra-Getic Unit crop out on the southern slops of the Stara Planina Mountain in east Serbia and west Bulgaria. The Lower Jurassic started with continental and continental-marine sediments (clays and sandstones) (Lukanja clastics and Lukanja coal beds in Serbia and the Tuden Formation in Bulgaria) and continue with Lukanja quartz sandstones (Serbia) and the Kostina Formation (Bulgaria). These sediments are covered by Lukanja brachiopod beds and Lukanja limestones (Serbia) and the Romanov Dol, Ravna and Dolni Loukovit Members of the Ozirovo Formation (Bulgaria) predominantly consist of bioclastic limestones. The sedimentations follow with Lukanja belemnites-gryphaea beds (marls and clayey limestones), which in Bulgaria correspond to the Bukorovtsi Member (also marls and clayey limestones) of the Ozirovo Formation. The Middle Jurassic sedimentation started with black shales with Bossitra alpine. These sediments are individualized in Serbia as Senokos aleurolites and clays and in Bulgaria they are known as the Etropole Formation. In Serbia the section continues with sandstones called Vodenički sandstones of Bajocian age, known in Bulgaria as the Dobrogled Member of the Polaten Formation. However, in Bulgaria, the age is Upper Bajocian-Lower Bathonian, and it cover the marls of the lower member (Gornobelotintsi Member) of the Bov Formation and is covered by the upper member - alternation of marls and clayey limestones - the Verenitsa Member of the Bov Formation. The Vodenički sandstones-Dobrogled Member which ended their distribution in the section of Komshtitsa, to the east (in the Gintsi section), they are not represented - build a body of sandstones, a prodelta coming from the west to the east. The Bov Formation corresponds to the Senokos ammonite beds in east Serbia. The upper boundary of the Senokos ammonite beds and of the Bov Formation is sharp. It is covered by grey limestones of the Yavorec Formation in Bulgaria and by the Kamenica limestones in eastern Serbia. They are covered by grey or red nodular/lithoclastic limestones ("ammonitico rosso" type) of the Gintsi Formation in Bulgaria and the Pokrovenik ammonitic (acanthicum) limestones in Serbia. The Jurassic section in the Infra-Getic ended with grey micritic and lithoclastic limestones, which belong to the Rosomač and Rsovci limestones in east Serbia and to the Glozhene Formation in Bulgaria

Trans-border (South-Eastern Serbia/South-Western Bulgaria) correlations of the Jurassic sediments: The Getic and Supra-Getic units

The Getic and Supra-Getic are palaeogeographic units in SE Serbia and SW Bulgaria. Based on the presence (in Eastern) or absence (in Western) of Lower Jurassic marine deposits, the Getic is divided into Eastern and Western. In the Eastern Getic, the Lower Jurassic sedimentation in SE Serbia is represented by the Vidlič Clastites covered by the Lukanja Coal Beds, Lukanja Quartz Sandstones, Lukanja Brachiopods Beds, Lukanja Marlstones, Lukanja Belemnitic-Gryphaean Beds and Lukanja Cephalopod Limestones; in SW Bulgaria, the sedimentation commenced with the Tuden Formation, followed by the Kostina Formation and the Ozirovo Formation with a few members. The Middle Jurassic in SE Serbia commenced with the Senokos Siltstones and Shales and the Gulenovci Beds, while in SW Bulgaria with black shales (the Etropole Formation), followed by marls and clayey limestones of the Bov Formation. The Middle Jurassic sediments are represented in the Western Getic of SE Serbia by the Kurilovo Clastites and the Kurilovo Limestones (synonym to Gumpina Limestones of KRAÜTNER & KRSTIĆ 2003); in the Supra-Getic of SE Serbia they are formed by the Jerma Clastites and Jerma Limestones (synonym of the Gumpina Limestones). In SW Bulgaria the Middle Jurassic sediments are represented by the sandstones of the Gradets Formation and by the bioclastic limestones of the Polaten Formation. During the Callovian (Middle?) started the formation of a carbonate platform with micritic limestones. In SE Serbia, it is Basara Limestones, Vidlič Limestones, Beljanica and Ždrelo Limestones, and in SW Bulgarian, the Belediehan Formation of Callovian-Kimmeridgian p.p. age. Characteristic for the Supra- Getic is the formation of a few grabens with specific sedimentation: the Svetlya Graben (the Zhablyano and Ozirovo Formations) and the Lobosh Formation; the Treklyano Graben (the Dobridol and Sredorek Formations), and out of it - the Methohya and Sredorek Formation. During the Callovian-Kimmeridgian p.p., in the Svetlya Graben was sedimented the Lobosh Formation, horizontally passing into the Javorets and Gintsi Formations. During the latest Kimmeridgian-Tithonian commenced a big facial diversification: on the Getic in SE Serbia sedimented reef or sub-reef limestones (the Crni Vrh and Kučaj Reef Limestones), while in SW Bulgaria, the Slivnitsa Formation. On the Supra-Getic in SE Serbia formed Lužnica Flysch and in SW Bulgaria pre-flysch of the Neshkovtsi Formation and siliciclastic flysch of the Kostel Formation

Trans-border (east Serbia/west Bulgaria) correlation of the morpho-tectonic structures

In the Bulgarian and Serbian geological literatures, many maps, both geological and tectonic, exist showing the structures, but limiting them nationally. There are very few publications correlating the structures from both sides of the border and they preserve the local Bulgarian or Serbian names. Our aim is to create a base for the unification of the names defining the major morpho-tectonic structures: the Moesian Platform, the Miroč - Fore-Balkan Unit, the Poreč-Stara Planina Unit, the Krayna Unit, the Getic - Srednogorie Unit, the Supra Getic - Kraishtide Zone, the Serbo-Macedonian - Thracian Massif and the Vardar Zone, showing their synonyms from the Bulgarian and Serbian sides

First record of a Middle Jurassic macrofauna from the Brnjica (NE Serbia): stratigraphy, palaeoecology and correlation with adjacent regions

The Middle Jurassic sediments of the Getic of Carpatho-Balkanides in the trans-border area of Serbia and Romania are insufficiently studied. This zone is composed mainly of pre-Jurassic metamorphic rocks and the Upper Jurassic/Lower Cretaceous limestones. The palaeontological and sedimentological study of the Middle Jurassic deposits of the Brnjica River (Carpatho-Balkanides), which is one of the rare well-exposed outcrops, is being carried out for the first time. The dominant lithologies are grey and yellow sandy limestones and marly limestones with intercalations of reddish shales characterized by low-diversity fossil assemblages dominated by molluscs. Eleven bivalve taxa are determined for the first time in the studied area. Litho-and biofacies analysis in the marine Jurassic strata are reported based on bivalve assemblages with additional data from brachiopods, ammonites and microfossils. The age of the fossil association is determined as the Upper Bajocian and Bathonian based on two brachiopod species Cymathorhynchia quadriplicata and Torquirhynchia asymmetrica. The first is reported from the Middle and the Upper Bajocian sediments and has a wider palaeobiogeographical distribution, while the latter is exclusively described from the Upper Bajocian and Bathonian of the Serbian Carpatho-Balkanides. Most of the collected bivalves have a wider stratigraphic extent. Retroceramus cf. obliquus and Plagiostoma rigidula have up to now been known from the Bajocian stage. The determined macrofauna is compared with the Middle Jurassic fauna of adjacent regions of Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, and show strong affinity to those of the northern margins of Tethys. By the end of the Bathonian, the depositional environment has changed from shallow-marine to deep-marine, suggesting a drowning of the carbonate platform

Ammonites (Phylloceratina, Lytoceratina and Ancyloceratina) and organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts from the Late Barremian in Boljetin, eastern Serbia

Late Barremian ammonite fauna from the epipelagic marlstone and marly limestone interbeds of Boljetin Hill (Boljetinsko Brdo) of Danubic Unit (eastern Serbia) is described. The ammonite fauna includes representatives of three suborders (Phylloceratina, Lytoceratina and Ancyloceratina), specifically Hypophylloceras danubiense n. sp., Lepeniceras lepense Rabrenović, Holcophylloceras avrami n. sp., Phyllopachyceras baborense (Coquand), Phyllopachyceras petkovici n. sp., Phyllopachyceras eichwaldi eichwaldi (Karakash), Phyllopachyceras ectocostatum Drushchits, Protetragonites crebrisulcatus (Uhlig), Macroscaphites perforatus Avram, Acantholytoceras cf. subcirculare (Avram), Dissimilites cf. trinodosus (d'Orbigny) and Argvethites? sp. The taxonomic composition and percent abundance of the identified ammonites indicate that their taxa are predominantly confined to the Tethyan realm. Ammonites with smooth and slightly sculptured shells predominate among the studied fauna. The ammonite-bearing succession from Boljetin represents the lower part of the Upper Barremian, ranging in ammonite zonation from the Toxancyloceras vandenheckei Zone to the lower part of the Imerites giraudi Zone. The associated organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts confirm the Late Barremian age of the ammonite-bearing levels.Web of Science4715914

The quality of coal and hydrogeological characteristics in deposit 'Delići and Peljave-Tobut' near Ugljevik

Geological study of 'Delici and Peljave - Tobut' coal deposit, located in north-eastern part of the Republic of Srpska (B&H), has given a new insight into geological structure of coal-bearing series and quality of coal. Coal-bearing series was formed in a lower Miocene lake and has complex geological-tectonic structure and litho-facial diversity. Two coal seam are identified within this series - the older one, so-called the Main coal seam (developed throughout the deposit; with major coal reserves) and the younger one - Upper coal seam, which is of a restricted areal extent. Coal from this deposit has a variable ash content -34.91% on average in the Main seam and 44.58% on average in the Upper seam. This coal has an average sulfur content of 3.73% in the Main seam and 2.73% in the Upper seam. An average moisture content is 19.07% in the Main seam and 18.26% in the Upper seam. An average lower heating value is 111.671 kJ/kg for the Main seam and 7.952 kJ/kg for the Upper seam. Petrographic study of coal have shown that the coal of this deposit has high content of huminite, increased content of liptinite, low content of inertinite and increased content of mineral matter. Densinite is a dominant maceral of huminite group, while ulminite is less abundant. The content of other macerals of this group is low

The Middle Cenomanian basal series of Planinica, Western Serbia

Sedimentary rocks of the Upper Cretaceous basal series found at the village of Planinica, Western Serbia, are composed of thick coarse clastics and beds and intercalations of medium- to fine-grained clastics. The series lies transgressively over Jurassic serpentinite and peridotite, and under Upper Miocene marlstone and marly limestone. Sedimentary, petrographic, paleontological, and biostratigraphic characteristics of the basal series are described and its lithological members and their structural features are identified. From medium-grained sandy matrix in thick coarse clastics, two ammonite taxa, four brachiopod taxa (including the new taxa Orbirhynchia oweni and "Terebratula" n. gen. et sp.), and eleven echinoid taxa are described. The brachiopod species Kingena concinna Owen is used in dating the basal series as Middle Cenomanian, whereas limestone fragments in coarse clastics correspond to the Late Albian and Early Cenomanian