The Kulm Facies of the Montagne Noire (Mississippian, southern France)

Abstract

1. IntroductionWith the beginning of geological and stratigraphical research in Western Europe in the early 19th century, two main marine facies realms have been identified in the lower Carboniferous (Mississippian) strata based on specific lithologies and organic content. The Carboniferous Limestone or Kohlenkalk represents the shallow-water platform facies and was first identified in the British Isles and Southern Belgium. The Kulm is equivalent of the deeper water, basinal facies of the German Rhenohercynian Basin (Fig. 1). Both names are still widely in use and especially the Kulm has been exported outside its regional and stratigraphical context.Figure 1. Localisation of the main outcrops of Kulm Facies in the framework of Variscan Europe. The attribution of the regions 5-6 in the southern Variscides is disputable. Kulm deposits in Variscan massifs included in Alpine mountain chains (e.g. Betic Cordillera) have been omitted except for the Pyrenees. The division into large tectonic units is from Franke (2014).One of these examples is found in southwest France. Here, south of the Massif Central, the remnants of a Mississippian foreland basin are exposed in the Montagne Noire, the Mouthoumet Massif and the Pyrenees (Fig. 1). The best-exposed and most complete succession is found in the Montagne Noire (Figs 1, 2). It is the aim of the paper to summarize the currently available data on the Kulm Facies of that region, to discuss a depositional model, to place the succession in