INVESTIGATING WACKESTONE ORIGIN IN THE CARPATHIANS MOUNTAIN

The Sinaia Formation is located in the Carpathian Mountain range of Romania. The Sinaia Formation is 700 meters thick and is roughly 144 million years old. This formation is the most characteristic unit of the calcareous flysch. A Rock sample from this region was examined over a period of 3 months, before creating a thin section of the specimen. Rock examinations were taken of its physical appearance, texture and hardness. Afterwards, using a slab saw, cut-off saw and grinding wheel, the sample was ready to create a thin section. A great abundance of fossils were found in the sample, one of which was a Radiolarian, phylum Spumellarid, along with bethic forminifera and echinoderm fragments. The discovery of marine fossils in the specimen reveals that this region of the Carpathian Mountains is oceanic in origin and that major tectonic forces are at play to move these ocean basin rocks into a new environment.