-
Rudarsko-geoldko- naftni zbornik Vol. 8
THE BAUXITES DISCOVERED ON Mt. RAVNA GORA IN HRVATSKO ZAGORJE
(Geological Setting, Composition, Origin)
Boris SINKOVEC') and Antun SIMUNIC~)
I) Faculry of Minin Geology and Petroleum Engineering Pieroffrj'eva6,10000 Zagreb, Croatia
2fInstitute of Geology, Suchova 22,10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Key-words:Bauxite,Eocen, Diaspore, Hrvatsko zag0j e
Clayey bauxites originally underlain by Ule Anisian dolomites
and overlain by Middle Eocene sediments was discovered on Mt.
Ravna gora in 1992. in overturned position. The bauxite is of
kaolinitic- diasporic-boehmitic composition and resembles the
Oligocene bauxites of Slovenia. On the basis of the bauxite
textures, the contents of microelements and other indicators it was
tentatively concluded that this bauxite has been resedimented from
bauxites of Triassic age.
Introduction
In Croatia bauxite deposits are mainly situated in
the Outer Dinarides, that is in the SW part of the
country. The bauxite deposits positioned farther
north, so far known in Croatia, were those of Triassic
age in the vicinity of Vojni6, and those of Senonian
age in the vicinity of Duga Resa and Karlovac.
However, on the southern slope of Mt. Ravna gora,
north of Prebukovje village, 25 km WSW from
Varafdin, a bauxite deposit was discovered in 1992.
The bauxite occurs at the contact between the
Triassic and Eocene limestones. The deposit is
mainly covered with talus, but can laterally be
followed in a length of several hundred meters. This
finding is important not only because this bauxite
deposit is situated further north than the other
bauxites so far known in Croatia, but also because it
can be related to deposits having similar geological
features, situated some 70 km westward in Slovenia.
The authors thank dr. Ivan HeCimoviC, Radovan
AvaniC and Stjepan MarkoviC for their help in the
field work. Their thanks also go to Vlasta
JuriSiCMitroviC and Mr. Slobodan Miko for
performing chemical analyses of the bauxite.
Geology of the study area
Mt. Ravna gora is composed by Triassic clastites
and carbonates, Eocene limestones, Oligocene marls,
Egerian and Eggenburgian clastites and a Neogene
clasti~carbonatesequence. Significant amounts of
tuffs, blocks and pebbles of andesites are also
present.
Triassic
Triassic rocks make up the bulk of Mt. Ravna gora.
The Lower Triassic rocks are situated in the central
str. 67-76 Zagreb, 1996.
Imrni manstveni EZanak
The article wasprepared in the pame of Project 1-09-072entitled
'BarnuUtes and terra rossa in Croatia and their relationship to
carbonate pla4onn" financed by the Minktry of Science and
techno log^ of Republic of Croatia
Kgu2ne r@jeZi: Boksit, Eocen, Dijaspor, Hrvatsko zagoj e ,
U Ravnoj Gon 1992.g. otkriveni su glinoviti boksiti koji se
nalaze izmedu anizitkih dolomita i srednjoeocenskih sedimenata.
Boksiti su kaoiinitnodijasporsko-bemitnog sastava i sliEni su
oligocenskim boksitima Slovenije. Na temelju strukture boksita,
sad&ja mikroelemenata i ostalih pokazatelja zakljutuje se da su
ovi boksiti nastali pretaloZavanjem trijaskih boksita.
part, while the Middle Triassic ones on both sides of
Mt. Ravna gora.
According to the lithological characteristics and
the fossil assemblages, the Lower Triassic sediments
can be divided into (1) a lower part composed by
clastites and (2) an upper part composed by
carbonates.
In the lower, clastic part, repeated alternation of
reddish-brown, grey and yellow micaceous arenites,
quarzites, siltites and shales was recognised.
Reddish-brown oolithic limestones and marls appear
only sporadically. In these sediments the following
shell species were determined: Myacites (Anodonto-
phora) fassaensis WISSMANN, Pseudomonotis
(Claraia) clarai EMMRICH and Naticella costata
MUNSTER. These clastites are equivalents of the
Seisian, namely Lower Werfenian (Scythian) sedi-
ments.
In the hangingwall of this clastites interlayers of
dark-grey platy limestones occur. They gradually
increase upwards and at the end they become
prevailing. They correspond the Upper Werfenian,
namely Campilian sediments. These fine-grained
limestones (biomicrosparites) often contain particles
of auartz and limonite-clayey material. They also
conkin irregularly oriented shells of m&lluscs,
crinoid plates and remnants of the microfossils
Meandrospira pussila (HO) and Ammodiscus cf.
incertus (d' ORBIGNY) (S i m u n i C et al., 1979). In
the upper part of the dark-grey limestones there are
interlayers of black shales, marls and dolomites. Due
to the fact that their importance is increasing in this
part, during the geological mapping, the geological
boundary between the Lower and Middle Triassic was
tentatively placed here.
The Lower Triassic rocks of Mt. Ravna gora are
tectonically very disturbed. However, according to
68 Rud.-geol.-naft.zb., Vol. 8, Zagreb, 1996.

-. L.+
-
0 50km
+

Varatdin
a .
0 L.
V I
C3 .-.
.+
e.
ZAGREB
0
Bjelovar \.
1-T,
$inkovcc, B.& &nunid, A.: The bauxites of Mt.

B
Dug; vrh

Fig. 2. Geological cross sections through the SW part of Mt. Ravna gora
Legend: 1.- Ottnangian, 2.- Egerian, 3.- Oligocene, 4.- Eocene, 5.-' Aniisian, 6.- Scythian, 7.- Palaeozoic, 8.- bauxite, 9.- erosional
boundary, 10.-vertical fault, 11.- thrust boundary.

superposition relationships one can tentatively
suppose that their real thickness is approximately 200
m.
During the Middle Triassic, the area of Mt. Ravna
gora was part of a huge carbonate platform on which
shallow-marine carbonate sedimentation prevailed
while sedimentation of deep water sediments
associated with volcanics took place only temporary.
A characteristic of the Anisian in Hrvatsko zagorje is
that carbonate sediments occur at the base, in the
middle part fine-grained clastites with volcanites
prevail, while in the upper part carbonate sediments
appear again. Due to long-lasting erosion, in the area
of Mt. Ravna gora only the Lower Anisian and part
of the Middle Triassic has been preserved. The
well-known member of the lower part of the Anisian
is dark-grey, fine to medium-grained, calcitic
dolomite which has developed continuosly from
Campilian limestones. Sedimentological studies
indicate that it was formed by dolomitization of
crinoidal limestones. Except crinoid stems, no other
fossil remnants have been found in this dolomite. At
places it contains mm to cm thick interlayers of chert,
which may be of diagenetic origin. The thickness of
the dark-grey dolomite in the area of Mt. Ravna gora
ranges from 10 to 20 meters, while in other mount-
ains in Zagorje area it reaches up to 100 meters. This
dolomite is overlain by grey limestones, recognised as
algal biomicrites and algal biosparites. At a few
localities microflora and microfauna was found,
which document the stratigraphic affiliation of these
limestones. The following species have been
recognised: Meandrospira dinarica KOCHANSKY -
DEVIDE & PANTIC, Pilammina densa PANTIC,
Diplotremmina austrofirnbriata KRISTAN - TOL-
MAN, Frondicularia woodwardi HOWCHIN, and
others. On the northern side of Mt. Ravna gora the
dolomites are much more common than on the
southern one. The dolomites have been formed by
dolomitization of algal limestones and, consequently,
transitions are quite possible between them. They are
fine to medium-grained calcitic, stromatolitic and
algal dolomites (5i m u n i C & S i m u n i C, 1980). In
the same area, but outside the limits of our map (Fig.
I), andesitobasalts, tuffs, siltites and shales are
tectonically wedged in dolomites. This is only a small
occurrence which is but a remnant of an originally
much more extended formation, as it is a case in the
area of the neighbouring mountains Ivan3Cica and
StrahinSBca. These clastites with volcanites may have
taken part in the formation of bauxite.
In the area of Mt. Ravna gora no rocks of Upper
Triassic, Jurassic or Cretaceous age have been
recognised. On the basis of resedimented rock
fragments, one can tentatively suppose that
sedimentation continued on the carbonate platform
during the Middle and Upper Triassic, Mt. Ravna
gora still being part of it. Many authors who had been
working in NW Croatia came to the conclusion that
in the Middle Liassic a disintegration of the
carbonate platform started. From that time until the
Middle Eocene, Mt Ravna gora represented an

Fig. 1. Geological map of the SW part of Mt. Ravna gora

Legend: 1.- Ottnangian; sands, mark and clays, 2.-Egerian- Eggenburgian; tuff, 3.- Egerian; marls and sands, 4.- Oligocene; marls, 5.-
Eocene; limestones, 6.- Anisian; limestones and dolomites, 7.- Scythian; sandstones, siltites, shales and limestones, 8.-
bauxites; 9.- geological boundary, 10.- overturned erosional boundary, 11.- vertical fault, 12.- thrust boundary, 13.- fossil
finding place (microfossils, macrofossils), 14.- major spring, 15.- line of cross section.
70
isolated geological unit, on which, due to longlasting
emersion, bauxite could develop.
Eocene
On the slopes of Mt. Ravna gora there are several
outcrops of Eocene limestones. These represent
erosional remnants and technically wedged blocks of,
formerly, wider extended sediments (3 i k i C et al.,
1976). At their base two entirely different sediment
types occur. This indicates that important differences
in paleorelief existed prior to the Middle Eocene
trasgression. These are; monomictic limestone
breccia and reddish-brown clayey bauxite. The
bauxite was found only at the contact between the
Middle Triassic and Middle Eocene limestones,
above the village PintariCi, on the southern slope of
Mt. Ravna gora. Due to tectonic movements the
rocks have been overturned, and the bauxites are now
situated below the Eeocene limestones, while the
Triassic limestones are situated above the bauxite
(Fig. 2).
Palaeontologic analyses have shown that the
limestones situated immediately below the bauxite
are Middle Eocene age while the Upper Eocene
limestones are located a little lower. The Middle
Eocene age is based on the following microfossil
community: Nummulites cf: sniatus BRUGNIERE,
N.c$ rotularius DESHAYES, Operculina cf: granulosa
(ARCHIAC), Actinocyclina radians (ARCHIAC),
Archeolithothamnium sp. and others. It the lower part
of the limestones the following microfauna was
discovered: Nummulites fabianii (PREVER),
Chapmanina gassinensis (SILVESTRI), and
numerous miliolids, coral fragments and husks of
small shells (3 i k i C et al., 1976). This fossil
community indicates Upper Eocene age.
On the basis of sedimentological analyses several
types of limestones have been recognised which were
formed in warm and shallow sea, next to coral reefs.
The following limestone types have been discovered:
coral biolitites, algal-foraminifera1 biomicrites and
biomicrudites. The outcrop of the Eocene limestones
is covered by talus and luxuriant vegetation, but it can
be followed in a length of 800 m. The thickness of the
Eocene limestones ranges from 30 to 40 m.
Oligocene
In NW Croatia outcrops of Oligocene rocks are
known only on the southern slope of Mt. Ravna gora.
They are represented by greyish-green marls.
According to L. 5 i k i C (1985) they are equivalents of
Plate 1
Fig. 1)Fragment of resedimented diasporic bauxite in bauxite. Length of phot. is 3.3 mm.
Fig. 2) Detail from fig. 1. Length of phot. is 1.36 ma.
Fig. 3) Resedimented diaspore mid. Length of phot. is 0.86 mm.
Fig. 4) Resedimented fine diaspore mids. Length of phot. is 1.36 mm.
Fig. 5) Authigenic diaspore (enhanced relief) in kaolinitic-hematitic bauxite. Length of phot. is 0.86 mm.
Fig. 6) Same as fig. 5, crossed niwls (whitediaspore). Length of phot. is 0.86 mm.
Fig. 7 and 8) Diaspore veinlets in kaolinitic-hematitic bauxite. Length of phot. is 3.3 mm.
Rud.-geo1.-naft.zb., Vol. 8, Zagreb, 1996.
"Kiscellnclays in Hungary and "sivice" marine clays in
Slovenia (K u S C e r, 1967), respectively. They
contain the following microfossils: Trituxia szaboi
(HANTKEN), Nodosana acuminata HANTKEN,
Uvigerina farinosa HANTKEN and other. The only
macrofossil is the species Chlamys duodecim-
lamellatum (BRONN). Due to the vegetation cover
and tectonic disturbance the primary relation
between the Oligocene marls and Eocene limestones
could not be established. Because there is no large
stratigraphic gap, continued transition between these
rocks was tentatively postulated (5 i k i C et al.,
1985). However, geological mapping has shown that
the Eocene and Triassic limestones have been trusted
over Oligocene marls which have been trusted on
Egerian clastites (Fig. 1).
Egerian (Oligo-miocene)
Sediments of Egerian age are surrounding Mt.
Ravna gora and other mountains in NW Croatia as a
narrow and interrupted belt. They contain brown coal
and were known as "Sotzka-beds" (G o r j a n o v i C -
K r a m b e r g e r, 1904). They are transgressive
sediments but their contacts with older rocks are
tectonically disturbed. They consist of alternating
sands, silts, mark and clays. They were formed on low
nearshore plains which were intersected with
channels and estuaries protected by sand barriers
from the action of waves (so called %atw). The
smallest particles were sedimented near the shore
and in inter- channel positions, while sand and gravel
was deposited in channels. Among the rock
fragments in sands and gravels, metamorphic ones
prevail. This indicates transport from the area of the
Alps. Palaeontologic analysis indicates an alternation
of marine, brackish water and fresh water sediments.
In the nearer environs of Mt. Ravna gora only marine
sediments are known. This explains why no
brown-coal has been discovered in the area.
According to A v a n i t et al. (1990) marine
sedimentation is proved by the following species:
Ammodiscus incertus d' ORBIGNY, Ciclarnmina
acutidorsata (HANTKEN), C.placenta (REUSS) and
others.
Tuffs
At the end of the Egerian, in the NW part of the
Hrvatsko zagorje, strong volcanic activity took place.
Along fault zones (one of them extends along the
southwestern slopes of Mt. Ravna gora), small
masses of andesite and large quantities of tuff
~inkovec,B.& &muni~,
A.: The bauxites of Mt.

accumulated (S i m u n i C & P a m i 6, 1993).
Vitroclastic, vitrocrystaloclastic and lithic tuff types
could be distinguished (5 i m u n i C et al., 1979).
Besides tuffs, on the southern slopes of Mt. Ravna
gora, big pebbles of andesites were discovered, but
they do not figure on the geological map (Fig. 1).
Ottnangian
In the southwestern part of the geological map
Ottnangian clastites are in fault-contact with Egerian
sediments. The Ottnangian rocks are composed by
repeated alternation of sand, marls and clays. They
also contain lenses and layers of tuff. The marls
.contain numerous planktonic and benthic fora-
minifera indicating that this was part of a major sea
basin. It is interesting to mention that in the same
time other parts of Croatia were emerged. The
marine facies of the Ottnangian sediments is proved
by the species Elphidium crispum (LINNE), E. ungeri
(REUSS), Globigerina praebulloides BLOW, G.
ciperoensis ottnangensis ROGL and others.
Tectonicframework ,
Mt. Ravna gora is part of a thrust which developed
from a so called knee fold. Due to this fact, its central
part assumes the shape of an anticline (Fig. 2). This is
expressed by the arrangement of Triassic rocks rather
then by the position of layers. The b-axis of the
anticline extends E-W being parallel to the
orographic axis of Mt. Ravna gora. In addition to the
geological indications, an evidence which indicates
that this structure is of thrust origin, rather than an
anticline, is the hydrogeological setting of Mt. Ravna
gora. Namely, all major springs are situated in the
central part of the mountain. If the structure were an
anticline, all major springs would be situated at the
boundary between the Triassic limestones and the
Oligocene marls. On the basis of the stratigraphic
affiliation of rocks, it can be tentatively concluded
that the tectonic movements started at the end of the
Egerian. Due to the N-S oriented stress, a knee fold
developed which was later transformed to a thrust. In
a similar way were formed thrusts in other mountains
of the Hrvatsko zag0rje region (3 i m u n i C & H e C i-
m o v i 6,1979). However, there is a difference in the
direction of movement of the thrust on Mt. Ravna
gora which was shifted southwards, and the thrusts on
Mt. IvanSCica and Mt. StrahinSEica which were shifted
northwards.
In the middle of the Badenian, in the frame of the
Styrian orogenetic phase, Mt. Ravna gora was formed
as a separate mountain. At the beginning of the
transgression, Mt. Ravna gora was an island in the
Badenian sea. On the basis of the distribution of
erosion remnants, it can be assumed that at the end
of Badenian Mt. Ravna gora was completely
submerged. It acquired its present day shape in the
Late Pliocene and the Quaternary due to uplifting
along marginal faults.
Rud.-geo1.-naft. zb., Vol. 8, Zagreb, 1996.
Bauxite
The only bauxite outcrop is situated on the
southern slope of Mt. Ravna gora, above Pintaridi
village, approximately 450 meters above sea level.
The slope is very steep, mainly covered by talus, and
there are no paths. This is why the bauxite was only
recently discovered. The width of the outcrop ranges
from 0.75 to 3 meters. Its length is not known
because it is mainly covered by talus. From the
geological map and the cross section (Figs. 1and 2) it
is clear that the hanging wall is composed by Anisian
limestones while in the footwall there are Eocene
limestones. The plane which separates the Anisian
limestones and the bauxite is smooth and is dipping
22' N. It contains striae which are parallel with the
direction of dip of the plane itself. Because of this it
wass supposed that this surface represents a napped
plane along which Triassic rocks were thrusted over
Eocene ones (S i k i C et al., 1976). However, during
the geological mapping it was established that the
Triassic and the Eocene rocks are overturned. The
fact that the Middle Eocene limestones which are
situated immediately under the bauxite are underlain
by .limestones of Eocene age is in favour of the
previous statement. The absence of breccia at the
contact between the bauxite and the Eocene rocks
may indicate that there was no pronounced relief in
the vicinity at the beginning of the transgression.
Sedimentological studies indicate that the limestones
were formed close to coral reefs in a shallow and
warm sea.
The bauxite is pelitomorphic with rare detrital
grains and mainly of red color. Often, especially in
the upper and lower parts of the deposit, the bauxite
is pale-grey due to deferrification.
The bauxite consists of boehmite, kaolinite,
diaspore, hematite, goethite and anatase. The main
mineral constituents are boehmite and kaolinite.
They are cryptocrystalline. There is more hematite
than goethite which is a secondary mineral. On the
basis of the shift of the reflection (111) of the
goethite it was concluded that goethite contains 8
mol. % of Al00H. Detrital accessory minerals,
tourmaline and zircon, were also observed.
The diaspore is microcrystalline and occurs in
several modes. It was found in redeposited ooids
(Plate 1,3 and 4). Some of them are solely composed
of diaspore which is uniformly grained. The grains
are very small (2 to 15 pm) and display mosaic twins.
More often the ooids are of pronouncedly husk-like
appearance. The outer shells are composed of
diaspore while the central husks consist of boehmite
and kaolinite or, more often of hematite. In this case
the diaspore grains are slightly coarser. The second
mode of occurence of diaspore is very seldom found
in deferrificated bauxites as tabular grains of uniform
size (around 30pm). It may be a result of secondary
diasporization of the kaolinite-boehmite ground-
&dwvec, B.& $imuni6, A. :The bauxites of Mt.
Ravna Gora
mass. The third mode of diaspore appearance, TAB.11.
diaspore veinlets which intersect the bauxite, is the Chemical composition* of the Mt. Ravna gora bauxites (wt.%)
most comon one, especially in the lower part of the 1. 2. 3.
bauxite deposit (Plate 1 , 7 and 8). Also observed were SiO, 20.82 14.63 '19.31
micro fold^ and intralayering, and the cavities formed TiO, 0.80 0.23 0.34
in them are filled with diaspore. The diaspore a 0 3 45.95 49.72 51.08
veinlets are up to 0.2 mm thick. At the contact Fe20, 17.56 18.39 9.89
between the bauxite and the footwall limestones the MnO 0.03 0 Q
Mgo 0.20 0.88 1.81
diaspore veinlet is 1.2 mm thick. Diaspore also fills CaO 1.12 2.74 2.35
cavities between the hard detrital bauxite and the Na,O 0.08 n.d. n.d.
matrix. The size of diaspore grains in veinlets range %o 0.03 n.d. n.d.
from 10 to 80 pm. The grains display a mosaic and p205 093 0 0
fan-shaped texture. Fine detrial diaspore grains, L.i. 13.15 12.49 14.29.
ranging in size from 20 to 200 pm are also very often C 99.77 G.08 99.08
observed. Coarser grains are round-shaped and *Analysis performed by ~ . ' ~ u f i X i k ~ i t r o v iInstitute
6, of Gsofogy,
display mosaic twins. Smaller grains represent Zagreb
fragments of diaspore crystals. 1,2 middle part of bauxite deposit
The results of XRD analysis of selected samples 3 upper part of bauxite deposit
are presented in Table I. The following samples (and On the basis of chemical analyses and XRD
their parts) were analysed: (1) defferificated sample analyses the approximate mineral composition of the
in lower part of the deposit (la), limonitized part bauxites has been determined (Table 111).
(lb) and diaspore veinlets with neighbouring bauxite
(lc); (2) sample of red bauxite from the middle part TAB. 111.
of the deposit; and (3) sample of bauxite of the Mineralogical mmpositioh of the Mt. Ravna gora bauxites
Oligocene age from St. AndraZ, west of Celje, 1. 2. 3.
Slovenia. The analyses show that the main minerals Kaolinite 44.7% 31.5% 41.5%
in the bauxite are boehmite and kaolinite, followed in Boehmite & diaspore 33.3%
lower amounts by hematite, goethite, diaspore and Hematite 17.6%
anatase. The thermic analyses are in concordance Calcite 2.0%
Anatase ~ 0.8% 0.2% 0.3%
with the XRD analyses and point out that the
kaolinite content is higher in the upper part of C 98.7% 99.0% 96.8%
bauxite deposit than in the middle one. The contents of eight microelements were deter-
mined in four bauxite samples from the lower, upper,
TAB. I.
and middle (two samples) parts of the bauxite
X-ray diffractometric analyses* of the Mt. Ravna gora bauxites
deposit. In order to compare the content of
microelements in the bauxite of Mt. Ravna gora with
Sample Boehmite Diaspore Kaolinite Hematite Goethite Anatase the Oligocene bauxites of Slovenia (St. Andraf and
la P m P a Aifernik) two samples from Slovenia were also
lb P m P c a analysed. The analyses were performed using ICP
lc m d m m a
2 P
(Inductively Coupled Plasma; JY-SOP), and are
P c a shown in Table IV. For comparison the contents of
5 P m P c a
microelements in bauxites from some bauxite
'Analyses obtained on the Faculty of Mining, Geology and horizons in Croatia, Herzegovina and Hungary are
Petroleum Engineering, Zagreb also shown.
Legend: >50 5 100%(d) - dominant TAB. N.
>25 c 50%(p) - plentiful Content of trace elements in bauxites (in ppm)*
>10 1r 25%(c) -common
> 5 5 10%(m) - minor Ca Ni Cr V Zn Cu Ga Mn
> 15 5%(a) - accesory
1 12 98 66 98 550 73 8 30
l a lower part of the bauxite deposit, pale part I1 26 96 110 74 289 28 1858
l b lower part of the bauxite deposit, reddish-brown part I11 21 108 212 109 340 59 223
IV 12 29 130 292 6 24
l c lower part of the bauxite deposit, whiteveinlets
V 22 75 150 500 42
2 middle part of the bauxite deposit VI 27 265 1200 959 54
5 St. AndraZ, Slovenija VII 31 441 780 566 210 38 91
VIII 35 427 l i n 1072
Chemical analyses was performed on bauxite from IX 47 528 738 519 418 47 89
the middle and the upper part of the deposit (Table X 17 188 254 694 60 90
11.). The analyses show that the bauxite is clayey. XI 19 152 226 380 340 39 31
 Rud.-geol.-naft. zb., Vol. 8, Zagreb, 1996.

Legend: The texture and structure of the bauxite clearly

I Bauxite of Mt. Ravna gora, Hrvatsko zagoje, Croatia
show that the Mt. Ravna gora deposit was formed by
I1 St. AndraZ, Slovenia, Oligocene bauxites reworking of already formed bauxite. The bauxite was
I11 iifernik, Slovenia, Oligocene bauxites resedimented from primary deposit(s) (Plate 1, 1and
IV Lika, Upper Triassic bauxites 2). In a new environment sedimentation partly
V Kordun, Upper Triassic bauxites reductive conditions prevailed. Due to this pheno-
VI Dalmatia-Imotski, Early Paleogene bauxites menon some parts of the deposit, especially the lower
VII Siroki brijeg, Herzegovina, Early Paleogene bauxites
and the uppermost parts were affected by deferri-
VIII Dalmatia, Late Paleogene bauxites fication. It has to be stressed that the harder and
IX SobaE, Herzegovina, Late Paleogene bauxites coarser resedimented fragments of bauxite were not
X Dalmatia, Miocene bauxites affected by deferrification. In the postgenetic phase,
XI Transdanubian Central Range - Eocene bauxites the deposit was exposed to pressure and numerous
IV,V, VI, VIII, X after 3 i n k o v e c (1976) fissures were formed in bauxite. Slightly acid water of
VII, IX after 3 i n k o v e c et al. (1989)
probably negative redox potential circulated along
XI after M a k s i m o v i 6 et. al. (1991).
these fissures partly dissolving aluminium from
*Analytics for I, I1 and 111: S.Miko, Institute of geology, Zagreb
bauxite. As a result of neutralisation of the solution
The bauxite has pelitic texture with slight in the vicinity of the carbonate footwall rock,
transition to detrital one. In the cryptocrystalline diaspore was formed, filling fissures and voughs
groundmass, reworked small ooides of diaspore- (Plate f , 5 and 6). Sparse diasporisation of boehmite
boehmite and hematite composition, fragments of and kaolinite probably also took place at that time.
cryptocrystalline bauxite and grains of diaspore can Organic matter, which might be the cause of the
rarely be found. In the sample of deferrificated negative redox potential (which is prerequisite for
bauxite a fragment of undeferriificated bauxite was the cristallyzation of diaspore), was not observed in
observed, which is, according to its texture essentially the bauxite. This may indicate that the processes
different from the other investigated bauxites. This mentioned took place in greater depth, where ground
fragment represents a bauxite of oolitic texture with a water are oxygen deficient, but without increase of
dense package of ooids. The individual ooids which pressure and temperature. The appearance of
are found in bauxite matche those of the reworked secondary diaspore veinlets (as distinguished from
fragment. In the lower part of the bauxite deposit the appearance of gibbsite veinlets which are often
which is deferrificated, seconday limonitization with find in younger bauxites) is a very rare feature and
crystallisation of goethite along fissures was obser- consequently, very interesting. In the second phase,
ved. From the fissures bauxite was limonitized probably after certain new tectonic strains, formation
frontally, and irregular "islands" of pale bauxite of veinets filled by goethite and partial limoniti-
remained. tization of the deferrificated bauxite took place.
The question is raised about the age of the primary
Discussion bauxite deposits which were destroyed and rese-
According to the present knowledge of the dimented, supplying material for the formation of the
geological setting, in the wider area of Mt. Ravna Mt. Ravna gora bauxite deposit. These primary
gora two major emersion phases occured: (1) bauxite deposits might have been of (1) Eocene, or
between the Middle Liassic and the Tithonian, and (2) Triassic age. More facts are in favour of their
(2) between the Turonian and the Middle Eocene. Triassic age:
The Tithonian rocks transgresively overlie Liassic 1) the footwall of Mt. Ravna gora bauxite is exclu-
and, in major part, Triassic sediments. The Middle sively composed by Triassic carbonate rocks;
Eocene rocks are situated on Anisian limestones and 2) younger bauxites are almost regularly of boehmitic
dolomites. Due to the small extent of Eocene rocks (Early Paleogene bauxites), boehmitic-gibbsitic (Late
(they were formed only in the lowest parts of the Paleogene bauxites of the Outer Dinarides and Eoce-
paleorelief) the Mesozoic sediments are mainly ne bauxites in Hungary) and gibbsitic compostion
transgressively overlain by Oligo-miocene (Egerian) (Miocene bauxites) while the investigated bauxites
rocks. are of diasporic-boehmitic composition, just as the
The stratigraphic gap between the hangingwall and Upper Triassic bauxites are;
the footwall of the bauxites in Mt. Ravna gora is very
3) deposits of the investigated bauxites are very rare.
large (Anisian to Middle Eocene). This raises the
In the area of our research only one deposit was
question of the age of bauxite formation. The bauxite
is exclusively situated below Middle Eocene discovered. In the Republic of Slovenia only a few
sediments, and is never found below Tithonian and deposits have been found. It can tentatively be
Oligocene rocks. One may tentatively conclude that connected with the bauxite deposits of Triassic age
the bauxite was formed during the Early Eocene in which are often big, but rare. As an example, in the
the lower parts of the paleorelief. Lika region, in a large area, only six bauxite deposits
of Triassic age were discovered;
&nkovec, B.& &nunib, A,: The bauxites of Mt.
Ravna Gora
4) the texture of the preserved fragments of reworked
bauxite closely resembles the texture of Triassic
bauxites;
5) we consider the contents of microelements in the
bauxites investigated to be the strongest evidence for
their Triassic origin. It has already been established
that the content of microelements is fairly uniform in
each particular bauxite horizon. Significant
differences were observed for separate elements in
different bauxite horizons. This is particularly valid
for cobalt, nickel, chromium, gallium and, to a
certain degree, vanadium. Compared to the Eocene
bauxites of the Outer Dinarides, the contents of
certain microelements in the bauxites of Mt. Ravna
gora are as follows: (1) the cobalt content is 2 to 3
times lower, (2) the nickel content is 3 to 5 times
lower, (3) the chromium content is 10 to 18 times
lower, (4) the vanadium content is 5 to 10 times
lower, and (5) the gallium content is 12 times lower
in the bauxite of Mt. Ravna gora. The contents of
these microelements in the bauxite of Mt. Ravna gora
are similar to their contents in Triassic bauxites. The
concentration of the mentioned microelements in
Miocene bauxites is also higher than in the
investigated bauxite. Although the contents of these
microelements in the Eocene bauxites in Hungary
(Transdanubian Range) are lower than in the
Paleogene bauxites of the Outer Dinarides, they are
still higher compared to the investigated bauxite
(Table IV).
6) the Triassic bauxites are geographically wide-
spread. They extend from Slovenia, through Lika and
Kordun (Slunj and VojniC) in Croatia and BihaC in
western Bosnia and Herzegovina to Crna Gora and
Albania. The distance between these bauxites and the
bauxite of Mt. Ravna gora is approximately 100 km.
The nearest Paleogene bauxites of the Outer
Dinarides and the Eocene bauxites of Hungary are
approximately 160 km away. However, it has to be
stressed that these distances were considerably
different in Eocene.
If we accept the idea that the Mt. Ravna gora
bauxite deposit was formed from eroded and
resedimented primary bauxites of Triassic age, we
have to suppose an emersion phase in Triassic. This
phase of subarea1 exposure probably existed between
the Middle and Upper Triassic and was widespread in
the area of the Outer and Inner Dinarides. Since the
Triassic rocks in the northern part of Croatia are
mainly composed by dolomites, it is hard to observe
in them the interruption of sedimentation. There-
fore, we may tentatively suppose that in the
investigated area the subaerial exposure phase
between the Middle and Upper Triassuc existed only
in some places. However, due to the small number of
Triassic bauxite deposits, this assumption is not easy
to confirm. In the area of Mt. Ravna gora it is not
possible to ascertain the existence of a subaerial
exposure phase in the Triassic because the Triassic
rocks have been eroded, probably during the Late
Cretaceous-Early Paleogene emersion phase.
The assumption that the primary bauxite might
have been formed during an emersion phase between
the Liassic and the Upper Tithonian is not very
probable because there are no sediments of Jurassic
and Cretaceous age in Mt. Ravna gora.
In the Republic of Slovenia, west of Celje, 70 km
west of Mt. Ravna gora there are a few bauxite
deposits, which were attributed to be of Oligocene
age. They are underlain by Triassic limestones and
dolomites and overlain by Middle Oligocene
limestones which represent the oldest Ceinozoic
sediments in the area, and can be found only as
erosional remnants. The bauxites are of
diasporic-boehmitic composition (B u s e r & L u -
k a c s, 1970; B u s e r, 1973). According to their
geological position and other characteristics they are
very similar to the bauxites of Mt. Ravna gora. Their
resemblance is also indicated by their contents of
microelements (Table IV). On the basis of these facts
we consider them to represent the same bauxite
horizon.
The problem is how to call this bauxite horizon. It
is generally accepted that the bauxites are dated the
age of oldest sediments which overlain it. According
to this, the bauxite of Mt. Ravna gora and the
bauxites of the Celje area (if they represent the same
horizon, which is highly probable) should be called
Middle Eocene bauxites. However, the name of a
bauxite horizon is also based on the recognised
bauxitogenic processes which took place immediately
before the transgression and the sedimentation of the
cover. In the case of the bauxite of Mt. Ravna gora,
the assumption was put forward that they may have
been resedimented from bauxites of Triassic age.
Nevertheless, we would like to stress that the facts
which are in favour of this assumption do not exclude
other ideas. So far, it is not possible to find out
whether the bauxites of Mt. Ravna gora and the
surroundings of Celje originate from resedimentation
of Triassic bauxites only. It is quite possible that
some other materials (terra rossa) which covered the '
Triassic carbonate rocks and were exposed to
bauxitogenic processes in the Eocene also
contributed as parent materials. We propose that,
until new facts are discovered, the bauxite of Mt.
Ravna gora should be considered as Middle Eocene
bauxite.
Received 1996.03.27.
Accepted 1996.09.17.
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