Facies properties of traverten type carbonate rocks in Denizli area (Western Turkey)

In this study, travertine structures and facies in Alimoglu, Kömürcüoglu quarries at Killik Travertine Zone situated in Denizli-Kaklık region, were examined and vertical changes in those travertine sequences were compared to each other. The Killik Travertine Zone was almost entirely formed by orthochemical processes. Carbonate structures, determined in this study, are i) micrite structures which are characterized by clotted (peloidal) micrite, clotted micrite clump, microbial micrite, intraclasts, ii) sparcalcite structures which are represented by intra clotted micrite spar, inner clotted micrite clump spar, inner shrub spar, encrusted spar, conchoidal spar, iii) shrub structures which are mat shrub, radial shrub, mass shrub, quill feather shrubs, iv) pore structures which are shrinkage fenestral pores, gas escape pores, micro pool water pores, water channel pores, intra frame pores, inner organism pores v) bed-laminae structures consisting of large amount of micrite and spar structures and vi) biological structures of ostracoda, gastropoda, blue green algaes, higher plant stems. Both the Alimoglu and Kömürcüoglu sequences are dominated by the clotted micrite, microbial micrite, mat shrub, radial shrub facies in their lower parts and mass shrub, quill feather shrub, higher plants shrub facies in the upper parts. Carbonate structures and facies characteristics indicate that both the Alimoglu and Kömürcüoglu sequences were formed in relatively deeper, larger, probably lowwater discharging, stagnant small lakes, in their lower parts and relatively shallower and smaller, high-water discharging, pool-type small lakes in the upper half. Shallowing upward in both seguences can be related to declerated precipitation in depositional environment or seasonal changes. Different from the Alimoglu sequence, upper part of the Kömürcüoglu sequence is relatively more regular and represented by the clotted micrite facies indicating inner parts of a pool-like small depositional environment. and quill feather shrub facies indicating coastal part of the deposition pool. Thus, upper parts of the Kömürcüoglu sequence have, probably, been formed under different conditions independent from the Alimoglu sequence. Keywords: Travertine, Carbonate rocks, Microfacies, Kaklık-Denizli