Geologija (Jun 2009)

Soils on the Late Triassic carbonate rocks in the West Karavanke Mountains and the high plateaus of the Julian Alps (Slovenia)

  • Tomaž Budkovič,
  • Dragomir Skaberne,
  • Polona Kralj

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 52, no. 1
pp. 49 – 68

Abstract

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Grain-size analysis, mineral composition of heavy and light fraction, and surface texture of quartz grains in soilsdeveloped on different parent carbonate rocks in the region of the West Karavanke Mountains and the high plateausof the Julian Alps (Mežakla, Pokljuka, Jelovica) revealed their polygenetic origin. Homogeneity of the heavymineral assemblage in the soils developed on different parent carbonate rocks indicates – besides autochthonousmaterial (insoluble residue of carbonate rocks), the presence of allochthonous (external) material in the compositionof mineral component of soils, too. Heavy mineral assemblage indicates a metamorphic-igneous source area, whichis most probably in the Central Alps. The Drava glacier transported material from there, and deposited it in tillesalong the Drava valley. They were exposed to the fluvial and eolian erosion after the Würm deglaciation. Mostly siltymaterial was transported over the ridges of the Karavanke Mountains by the northeren winds. Their deposition beganon the southern calm and protected slopes and saddles, and continued southward on high plateaus of the JulianAlps, and very possibly even farther.

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