Deposition of the Devonian Bahram Formation in the Central-East Iranian microcontinent
Depósito de la Formación Bahram del Devónico en la parte Central-Este del microcontinente de Irán
Amir Hossein Rahiminejad1,*, Hoda Bavi2
1 Department of Ecology, Institute of Science and High Technology and Environmental Sciences, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman, Bagh-e-Alavi Highway Knowledge Paradise 26WX+R86 Kerman, Iran.
2 Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Pajoohesh Sq. 76169-14111, Kerman, Iran.
Corresponding author: (A.H. Rahiminejad) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
How to cite this article:
Rahiminejad, A.H., Bavi, H., Deposition of the Devonian Bahram Formation in the Central-East Iranian microcontinent: Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana, 77(2), A060625. http://dx.doi.org/10.18268/BSGM2025v77n2a060625
Manuscript received: April 28, 2025; Corrected manuscript received: May 25, 2025; Manuscript accepted: June 3, 2025
ABSTRACT
During the Middle-Late Devonian, the Bahram Formation was deposited in the northern margin of the Gondwana. The formation was mainly precipitated on a homoclinal carbonate ramp in the central Iran and the Central-East Iranian Microcontinent (CEIM). Our studies on a mixed carbonate-clastic succession in the north of the Kerman area, south of the CEIM indicate that the Bahram Formation comprises two clastic and seven carbonate facies representing tidal flat, back-reef lagoon and coral-stromatoporoid marginal reef paleoenvironments. The identified facies and paleoenvironments point to development of a mixed carbonate-clastic shallow marine rimmed shelf during the Middle-Late Devonian. Generally, due to a shallow-trend and a gradual increase in inputs of clastic sediments from the continental environments along a direction from the northern parts of the CEIM towards its southern parts and the central Iran, mixed carbonate-clastic shallow marine depositional systems of the Bahram Formation were developed. Reefal and biostromal shoals/barriers of the inner and middle ramps and/or shelves of the formation were also extended along the same shallowing- trend. This study introduces a rare sedimentary model for the Bahram Formation’s depositional system in the northern Kerman area, contributing to broader investigations of Devonian mixed carbonate-clastic systems and paleoenvironmental dynamics on Gondwana’s northern margin.
Keywords: Bahram Formation, Iran, Devonian, mixed carbonate- clastic shelf, facies analysis, paleoenvironment.
