DEPOSITIONAL STAGES AND CORRELATION OF THE PALEOGENE FROM THE GRABEN BASINS IN SOUTHWEST BULGARIA

The Paleogene basinal successions record transgressive-regressive fluvial-lacustrine/marine-fluvial depositional cycles. The graben basins and a basal gray colored, terrigenous, continental-marine association were formed during the Middle Eocene. Mature and “hot” grabens with cyclic deposition of a red-and-gray colored continental-marine and related dacite-rhyodacite association are typical of the Late Eocene–Early Oligocene stage. The Rupelian-Early Chattian and Middle Chattian–early Early Miocene stage is characterized by expanding sedimentation realm and deposition of a cyclic, gray colored coal-bearing, fluvial-lacustrine association.