Arab J Geosci (2014) 7:181192

DOI 10.1007/s12517-012-0809-x

ORIGINAL PAPER

Contribution to the stratigraphy of the Walash Group,

Sulaimani area, Kurdistan, Iraq
Basim Al-Qayim & Imad Ghafor & Rawand Jaff

Received: 27 September 2012 / Accepted: 11 December 2012 / Published online: 3 January 2013
# Saudi Society for Geosciences 2012

Abstract The Walash Group represents sequences of siliciclastic sediments with alkaline volcanics at the upper part. It
forms the lowermost thrust sheet of the Zagros Suture Zone.
Three localities around Sulaimani area of Kurdistan region
of north Iraq were chosen for sedimentological and stratigraphic review of this group. Examination includes field
measurements, description, and correlation, and petrographic and biostratigraphical analyses. The Walash Group sequence in the study area has variable thickness, with the
highest reaching 150 m, and generally consists of greenish
gray silty calcareous shale which alternates with thin- to
thick-bedded, coarse-grained sandstone and limestone.
Sandstone beds show sedimentological evidences of turbidite origin. Based on occurrences of volcanic admixtures,
the group is subdivided into two basic lithostratigraphic
units: lower sedimentary unit and upper sedimentaryvolcanic unit. Petrographic analysis shows that the sandstones
include two basic types: lithicarenites which is dominated
by carbonate, quartz, chert, and volcanic rock fragments,
and calcarenite with bioclasts and benthic forams as the
main type of grains. Biostratigraphic analysis of the shale
interlayer samples near Kinjurine Village reveals the occurrence of both benthonic and planktonic foraminifera. Stratigraphic ranges of the identified planktonic foraminifera
show occurrence within the Paleogene biozones P5P9
which indicate Ypresian age (Lower Early Eocene). Similar
age inferences were reached from benthic foraminiferal
assemblages. Based on correlation with other areas, the
study calls attention to a review of the stratigraphic status
of the group by renaming the upper part and introducing
new name for the lower part.
B. Al-Qayim (*) : I. Ghafor : R. Jaff
Department of Geology, Sulaimani University, Sulaimani,
Kurdistan, Iraq
e-mail: alqayim@yahoo.com

Keywords Stratigraphy . Walash Group . Sulaimani area .

Iraq . Kurdistan Region

Introduction
The Walash Volcanic Series was first introduced by Bolton
(1958) to denote the lower major thrusted sheet of the
Zagros Suture Zone formerly known as the Thrust Zone
of northeast Iraq. The name is taken after measuring a type
section of the series at Walash village in the Rowanduz river
valley of northeastern Iraq. The name changed into the
Walash Rock Group when it appeared in the general
geologic map of Iraq (1/1,000,000 scale) of 1960. The group
in the type section area is composed of volcanic rocks
passing laterally into sedimentary rocks. The type section,
however, as compared to other localities, represents only
one relatively small part of the group (Buday 1980). A
compiled reference section based on unpublished reports
of the Geological Survey of Iraq (Bolton 1958; Smirnov
and Nelidov 1962; Polnikov- Nikolajev 1962) is constructed
by Buday (1980) and approved by Jassim and Buday (2006)
for the group. This section includes five major divisions.
These divisions are, from bottom:
(a) Lower Red Beds Unit
Red mudstone with cherty siltstone and shales.
(b) Lower Volcanics Unit
Basic and less frequently acidic lava and pillow lava
which are associated with pyroclasts. Volcanics often occur
as volcanic cones which pass laterally into tuffaceous rocks
with radiolarite and white chemical limestone.
(c) Middle Red Beds Unit
Siliciclastic sequence passes laterally into tuffaceous
rocks. Sedimentary rock types include: red mudstone,
red and gray shales, sandstone, conglomerate, and
limestones.

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(d) Upper Volcanics Unit

It is composed mainly of basalt and andesitic flows,
pyroclastics, and associated sediments. Volcanic cones
also occur and pass laterally into marine sequence with
limestone.
(e) Upper Red Beds Unit
Red mudstone and conglomerate near the base, and
brownred mudstone and greywacke sandstone higher
up.
Large benthic forams collected from the limestones of the
Walash Group (Nummulites and Alveolina) indicate that the
age of this unit is generally Paleogene (Buday 1980).
The thickness of the group is highly variable and
reaches 3,500 m near Chia-Sefid-Darband of Rowanduz
area (Bolton 1958, p. 106). At the type locality, the
measured thickness of about 1,000 m made Buday
(1980) believe that the type locality represents a relatively small part of the sequence. However, due to the
tectonic complication of the area, it is possible that the
high thickness of the group might be the result of
repetition due to multiple thrusting with the group.
At the Sulaimani area, specifically the Mawat region, the
group is examined in detail for the first time by Al-Mehaidi
(1975). The group consists of an unmetamorphosed complex sequence of volcanic rocks of tuff, basaltic rocks, and
lava flows of basic to intermediate composition, which is
associated with red shale, greywacke, and red limestone. It
passes laterally into a flysch unit with nummulitic limestone. The flysch unit shows rhythmic alteration of gray
silty shale, greywacke, sandy limestone, and conglomerate.
He believed that this flysch unit belongs to the Naopurdan
Group. The reason for that is the occurrence of the associated recrystallized sheared and fossiliferous limestone,
which is similar to a middle limestone unit recognized in
the type locality of the Naopordan Group (Bolton 1958).
The limestone unit is gray in color, medium to thick bedded,
and of bioclastic calcarenites. It is rich in Nummulites and
other benthonic foraminifera (Al-Mehaidi 1975). The age of
these Nummulite assemblages is determined by Al-Hashimi
(1975) as Lower to Middle Eocene. Similar results (M.
Eocene) using planktonic foraminiferal assemblages from
the group were assigned by Al-Banna and Al-Mutwali
(2008). The depositional environment of these limestones
is believed to represent an outer shelf to slope margin
(Surdashy 1997; Al-Banna and Al-Mutwali 2008).
The purpose of this study is to investigate the sedimentological characters, facies type, and microfossil assemblages of the Walash Group at the Sulaimani area in order
to determine its stratigraphic status and age. Examination of
these rocks as a part of the Zagros Suture Zone would
contribute to the integrated evolution of the Zagros orogeny
(Fig. 1).

Arab J Geosci (2014) 7:181192

Material and methodology

Three localities in Sulaimani area with Walash Group outcrops were visited and examined for different stratigraphic
characters. The first is selected along an unpaved road to the
serpentinite quarry, about 1 km to the northwest of Kinjurine
(Fig. 2). This locality is taken as a master section for the
study for its complete and well exposed strata. Detailed
stratigraphic section is measured focusing on lithologic variations and facies associations. Systematic sampling was
conducted for the sandstones, conglomerate, and limestone
for petrographic analysis. The second section is located to
the north of Bardazard about 3 km to the north of Chwarta.
The third locality is an incomplete section of the group
situated along the road to Penjwin about 1.5 km to the
northeast of Kani Manga (Fig. 2).
To evaluate type and origin of the dominant rock types of
the Walash Group, 30 samples of sandstone and limestone
were thin sectioned for petrographic analysis. Several samples were treated with Alizarin Red-S stains to differentiate
different carbonate minerals following Dickson (1966). Petrographic examination includes type and abundance of major components as well as textural characters. Classification
nomenclatures for sandstones followed Pettijohn et al.
(1973) and for carbonates, Dunham (1962).
Marly shale and calcareous shale samples were selected
from Kinjurine sections for biostratigraphic analysis. About
200300 g of each soft sample was dried out and processed
by a repeated freezing and thawing method until the sediments disaggregated in a supersaturated solution of sodium
sulfate. Disaggregated sediments were washed thoroughly
through a 63-m sieve; the residues were separated by
filtration and dried overnight. Dried residues were then size
sorted through sieves from 500 down to 63 m. Foraminifera were picked from the residue in the 63200-m-size
fractions and examined under a binocular microscope. Foraminifera were cross examined and photographed by using
S520 Hitachi Scanning Electron Microscope at Leicester
University, UK, after particular treatment.

Geologic setting
Sulaimani area is located in the heart of the Zagros
Orogenic belt which runs from SE Turkey to Oman.
The tectonic evolution of this belt resulted from a long
convergence history between the Arabian Plate from one
side and the Iranian block of SanandajSirjan from the
other side (Beydoun 1991). This tectonic history yield a
NWSE trending suture zone of Tethyan components
and adjacent folded belt. The Walash Group is part of
the Zagros Suture Zone which consists of overthrusted
sheets of Tethyan accretionary prism developed in two

Arab J Geosci (2014) 7:181192

183

Fig. 1 General physiographic

map of northeast Iraq showing
location of the study area

different stacking episodes (Al-Qayim et al. 2012). The

early stacking is related to the ConiacianCampanian
ophioliteradiolarite obduction and includes: the Qulqula

Group, the Triassic platform carbonate (Avroman Limestone Formation). The second and succeeding stacking
is related to the accretionary prism of the remnant

Fig. 2 General geologic map of the study area showing location of the studied sections. (1) Kinjurine, (2) Chwarta, and (3) Penjwin section.
(Geology after Maala 2008)

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Tethyan ocean and includes the volcano-sedimentary sequence of the WalashNaopordan Series, and ophiolite
masses (Mawat and Penjwin complexes). The emplacement
of this package is associated with Mid-Miocene continental
collision of the Arabian plate with the Sanandaj-Sirjan Block
(Al-Qayim et al. 2012). The Walash sheet always bottoms the
ophiolite masses with a tectonic boundary zone marked by the
occurrence of serpentinite horizon. Emplacement of these
masses overlay the foreland sequence which was developed
over the Arabian plate margin during the Late Cretaceous and
due to the ophioliteradiolarite obduction (Al-Qayim 2012).
The Red Beds Series bottom the Walash Group immediately
as it forms the Paleogene coastal sediments of the foreland
basin (Al-Qayim 2000; Karim et al. 2007). Further southwest,
the proper sequence of the foreland basin (i.e., Shiranish
TanjeroAqra formations) is exposed successively below the
Suwais Red Beds. The Zagros Suture Zone is bounded from
the northeast by a regional reverse fault known as the Main
Zagros Reverse Fault (Fig. 3) and from the southwest by a
segmented fault line called the Zagros Thrust Front (AlQayim et al. 2012).
To the southwest of the Zagros Suture Zone, the fold belt
evolved during the final collision and accompanying shortening and deformation of the foreland sequence. The folding
intensity decreases southwestward leading to segmentation
Fig. 3 Major tectonic
subdivision of NE Iraq and their
boundaries overlie the general
tectonic map of Iraq (tectonic
map after Al-Kadhimi et al.
1996; tectonic boundaries
nomenclature after Al-Qayim et
al. 2012). A Shalair Zone, B
Zagros Suture Zone, C Zagros
Imbricate Zone, D High Folded
Zone, E Low Folded Zone, F
Mesopotamian Zone. MZRF
Main Zagros Reverse Fault,
ZTF Zagros Thrust Front,
HZRF High Zagros Reverse
Fault, ZMFF Zagros Mountain
Front Fault, ZFF Zagros
Foredeep Fault

Arab J Geosci (2014) 7:181192

of the Folded Zone into the High Folded Zone and the Low
Folded Zone. The separating boundary is a master fault line
known as the Zagros Mountain Front Fault. It runs in the
study area as a tectonic contact between the Walash Group
and the Suwais Red Beds (Al-Qayim et al. 2012). It is
recognized by a linear valley, often covered by recent sediments and hard to trace. It separates the soft olive gray
clastic sediments of the Walash from the underlying red
siliciclastic sediments of the Suwais Red beds (Fig. 3).
The outcrop of the Walash Group usually forms a narrow
belt swing around the ophiolite complexes as the case in
Mawat and Penjwin areas (Fig. 1), and due to the soft
sediment of the group, it always forms a low-relief area in
front of the ophiolite masses. The section generally consists
of cyclic alternation of sandstone and olive gray silty shale.
Conglomerate lenses and limestone are subsidiary. The volcanicity of the Walash Group in the study area is of limited
distribution. It is usually noticed as small size sills or pyroclasts of different sizes. Their composition is found to be of
basic dykes of spilitic diabase, spilitic basalt, spilites, and
intermediate volcanic of pyroxene andesite, pyroxeneamphibole andesite, and altered andesite (Aziz 1986; Jassim
and Buday 2006). The group is generally overlain by a
serpentinite horizon of variable thickness. The lower boundary of the Walash Group is tectonic and usually covered by

Arab J Geosci (2014) 7:181192

recent sediments due to the soft sediments of both units. The

group displays different shearing and deformation features
which appear as local foliation, imbrications, multiple faulting, sliding, folding, as well as flowage structures (Fig. 4a).

Lithostratigraphy and sedimentology

Due to the tectonic emplacement of the Walash Group,
thickness is quite variable as a result of thrusting and internal faulting. This thickness variation is reflected on the local
preservation of lithofacies and sedimentological characters
of the cropped-out Walash group sections. The total thickness of the section at Kinjurine reaches 110 m with the
upper sharp contact with the serpentinite horizon seemingly
as thrust boundary (Fig. 4b). The lower contact with Suwais
Red Beds is sharp but obscured by the valley and its recent
sediment running at the boundary zone.

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The thickness of the group is slightly higher at Chwarta

area. It reaches 140 m. The uppermost unit is characterized
by a large volcanic body where no serpentinite is recognized. The lower boundary with the Suwais Red Beds Series
is assumably tectonic and, as usual, hard to depict due to the
soft sediment on both sides of the contact. At Penjwin, only
20 m of the Walash Group is exposed. The upper boundary
at this locality is sharp and tectonic with the thick serpentinite horizon (Fig. 4c), whereas the lower boundary with
the Suwais Red Beds is hidden under a thick cover of recent
sediments (Fig. 5). Based on the lithologic variations and
association with volcanic rocks, the Walash Group can be
subdivided into two basic lithostratigraphic units. A lower
sedimentary unit which lacks any obvious volcanicity and
an upper unit which consists of a similar sedimentary sequence but with conspicuous volcanic rock association.
Below is the description of these units in the study area.
Lower sedimentary unit
The Lower Unit is generally a sedimentary sequence of
80 m thick at Kinjurine and 40 m at Chwarta area, and only
20 m of this unit is exposed at Penjwin section and occurs
immediately below the serpentinite horizon (Fig. 4c). It is
generally characterized by cyclic alternation of buff to gray,
hard, occasionally sheared, thin (510 cm) to thick (up to
80 cm) sandstones beds with greenish gray, fissile, silty, and
calcareous to marly shale interlayers (Fig. 6a). These shale
interlayers can exceed 5 m in thickness and yield benthonic
and planktonic foraminifera. The sandstone beds become
thicker and more frequent upward the unit. Their lower
boundary is sharp, and its upper boundary is often gradational to the shale interlayer (Fig. 6b). Sandstone beds are
medium to coarse grained and often display graded bedding
and occasional cross and or parallel bedding (Fig. 6c). In
other cases, medium and graded-bedded sandstones display
amalgamation which makes them appear as thick-bedded
units (Fig. 6d). Other beds which are infrequently recognized include lenses of conglomerate and thin limestone
beds. These are specially noticed at Kinjurine section.
Upper sedimentaryvolcanic unit

C
Fig. 4 a Highly sheared and deformed (arrows) shale and sandstone of
the Walash Group, Kinjurine section, Upper Unit. b Sharp and striated
thrust boundary between Walash sediments and the serpentinite horizon, Kinjurine section. c Irregular tectonic upper boundary of Walash
Group with the overlaying serpentinite horizon, Penjwin section

This unit is only appearing in the Kinjurine and Chwarta

sections with thickness ranging between 80 and 40 m, respectively. The basic character of this part is the association
with different forms of volcanic material. The sedimentary
sequence is almost the same as in the lower unit. The
sandstone beds, however, are often thicker and denser. Calcarenite sandstones become thin fossiliferous limestone
beds with components of shallow marine environment.
The shale part displays shearing and even foliation especially in the upper part (Fig. 6e). The volcanic rocks are variable

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Arab J Geosci (2014) 7:181192

Fig. 5 Stratigraphic sections

and lithologic units of the
Walash Group at the studied
localities of Sulaimani area

in size and origin. These are ranging in forms from tuffs,

lapillis, pyroclasts , irregular sills, and dykes. These bodies
were weathered to pinkish, reddish brown and light gray
softer rocks (Fig. 6e and f). Petrographic examination of
these units shows that these volcanics are classified into
basic and intermediate dykes, lava flows of spilitic diabase,
and pyroxene-bearing spilitic basalt, spilite, and intermediate volcanic of pyroxene andesite, pyroxene-amphibole andesite, and altered andesite (Al-Mehaidi 1975; Aziz 1986;
Jassim and Goff 2006). The volcanic inclusions are distributed through the whole section of the unit. However, it
shows conspicuous concentration towards the top of the
unit.
The Chwarta section shows the occurrence of a massive ,
whitish gray, fractured and sheared, and recrystallized body
limestone of up to 40 m in dimension. These limestones
yield benthic foraminifera assemblages with different abundance including: Nummulites, Alveolinds, Orbitolites, Miogypsina, Lepidocyclina, Discocyclina, Milliolids, and
Textularid assemblages (Al-Hashimi 1975; Surdashy 1997;
Al-Banna and Al-Mutwali 2008).

Petrography and microfacies

Sandstones and limestones are selected for the petrographic
study to define their compositional components and texture

in order to classify them and to evaluate type and origin of

the dominant rock types of the Walash Group.

Sandstones
Sandstones of the Walash Group are of two basic types. The
dominant type is Litharenite. It is generally noticed in the
lower and middle part of the lower unit. It ranges from
medium (Fig. 7a) to coarse grained (Fig. 7b) in size. Grains
are dominated by lithic fragment of carbonate (limestone
and dolostone), chert, and igneous origin (Fig. 7b and c).
Igneous rock fragments are rich in volcanic fragments
(Fig. 7b). Other secondary grains such as mudstone and
metamorphic rock fragments are less frequent (Fig. 7c).
Quartz and feldspar are common especially in the
medium- to fine-grained sandstones (Fig. 7a). Other less
frequent grains are bioclasts and foraminifera. Grains are
often packed and likely to lack matrix especially in coarse
grain sandstone (Fig. 7a and b). Sorting for the mediumgrained size is much better than in the coarse grained
(Fig. 7a and b). This type of sand becomes replaced by the
calcarenite of the limestone beds upward the section (i.e.,
Upper SedimentaryVolcanic Unit). The second sandstone
type is Calcarenite. This type is dominated by calcareous
grains of different sizes. It is generally of bioclastic origin
derived from shelf fauna especially forams (Fig. 7d). Muddy, occasionally fossiliferous intraclasts are also common.

Arab J Geosci (2014) 7:181192

187

Fig. 6 a Cyclic alternation of thick-bedded sandstone with gray calcareous marine shale of the Lower Unit at Kinjurine section. b Laminated medium-bedded sandstone with gradational upper boundary
with overlying fissil shale. Kinjurine Section. c Graded bed of sandstone of Lower Unit at Kinjurine section. d Amalgamated graded

sandstone beds forming thick horizon, Lower Unit at Kinjurine section.

e Sheared and foliated shale (sh) and deformed sandstone (ss) with
brown color sill (v) of the upper unit of Kinjurine section. f Variable
forms of pyroclasts (V) in sandstone and shale of the upper unit of
Chwarta section

Sometimes, large grains of dolostone are also recognized.

Benthonic foraminifera of different species can also be seen
(Fig. 7d). Micritic matrix disseminated in between grains in
low percentage. Other lithic grains occur in low percentage
and include quartz, chert, and volcanic rock fragments.

whole Nummulite, Discocyclina, Lepidocyclina, and Miogypsina (Fig. 7e). In other cases, miliolids are common
(Fig. 7f). The rest of the groundmass is made of debris
and fragments of these and other bioclasts. Texture is
packed; grain supported (grainstone) with micritic matrix
is nil. Other non-skeletal grains are intraclasts of micritic
limestone and/or dolostone (Fig. 7e). Non-carbonate grains
include quartz, chert, and volcanic fragments (Fig. 7e and f).
All components of these limestone indicate shallow marine
environment with silicicalstic admixture. Association with
deep marine shale and turbidite sandstone imply that these
beds could be a type of calciturbidite derived from
carbonate-punctuated sandy shelf.

Limestone
These beds are frequent in the upper part of the section
especially in the Upper SedimentaryVolcanic Unit
(Fig. 5). They are usually thin (<30 cm), massive, and
sometimes sandy or marly. Petrographic components are
basically bioclasts and foraminifera. Benthic forams include

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Fig. 7 a Medium sand-size litharenite, Lower Unit, Kinjurine section.

b Coarse-grained litharenite of lower part of Lower Unit, Kinjurine
section. c Packed, coarse-grained litharenite, lower unit, Kinjurine
section. d Coarse-grained calcarenite, Lower Unit, Kinjurine section.

e Nummuliticbioclastic grainstone, Upper Unit, Kinjurine section. f

Miloilidbioclastic grainstone. Bar is 0.5 mm. Q quartz, V volcanic RF,
ch chert, C carbonate RF, F feldspar, M metamorphic RF, B bioclast, F
Foraminifera, I intraclast, N nummulite

Micropaleontology and biostratigraphy

sp. 2, Globonomalina ovalis, Globonomalina sp., Turborotalia prolata, Turborotalia sp., Chilogumbelina trinitatensis,
Chilogumbelina crinita, Chilogumbelina sp.
Identification is assisted by referring to international
studies of similar chronostratigraphic units such as: Silva
et al. (2003) and Luciani et al. (2007). The recognized
species of benthonic foraminifera are less abundant and
include the following : Siphogenerinoides elongata,

The examined samples are rich in foraminifera (planktonic

and benthonic) with moderate mode of preservation (Figs. 8
and 9). The following species of planktonic foraminifera are
identified: Acaranina intermedia, Anomalinides sp., Subbotina eocaenica, Subbotina inaequispira, Subbotina velascoensis, Subbotina sp., Parasubbotina sp. 1, Parasubbotina

Arab J Geosci (2014) 7:181192

Fig. 8 ac Acaranina
intermedia (a ventral view, b
dorsal view, c side view). df S.
velascoensis (d ventral view, e
dorsal view, f side view). gi
Parasubbotina pseudobulloides
(g ventral view, h dorsal view, i
side view). jl T. prolata (j
ventral view, k dorsal view,
l side view)

Fig. 9 ac S. inaequispira (a
ventral view, b dorsal view, c
side view). df A. intermedia (d
ventral view, e dorsal view, f
side view). gh S. elongata. ij
G. danica. kl C. trinitatensis.
mn C. crinita

189

190

Siphogenerinoides sp., A. intermedia, Anomalinides sp.,

Cibicidoides alleni, Cibicidoides sp., Gavelinella danica,
Gavelinella semitenes, and Gavelinella sp. The identification of these species and their age determination are inferred
with the help of reference to international studies such as:
Kaiho et al. (1993), Ortiz (1995), and Alegret and Ortiz
(2007).
Walash Group chronology is studied by different authors
from 1958 to 2008. The most recent one is the study by AlBanna and Al-Mutwali (2008). They studied the microfacies
and age determination of Walash Group in Northeastern Iraq
and gave the age as Lutitian stage of Middle Eocene by the
species of planktonic Foraminifera dominated within the
biozones (P10P11) with absolute time ranging between
42.5 and 48 MY. But Azizi et al. (2011) studied the magmatic rocks along the Zagros Thrust Zone, northwest Iran,
and assigned the age to Early Eocene with absolute time
ranging between 54 and 36 M.
A biostratigraphic study was conducted of the studied
area of the Walash formation which is rich in planktonic
foraminifera and benthonic foraminifera based on the geological range of the identified foraminifera. The biostratigraphic studies of the Walash Group in Kinjurine section
yielded planktonic Foraminifera assemblages of bad preservation which is affected by diagenesis processes. The biostratigraphic ranges of the identified species extended within
biozone P5P9, which are, from bottom to top: A. esnaensis
(part P5), S. inaequispira (P6), S. velascoensis (P7), Parasubbotina (P8), and Chilogumbelina (P9). This indicates
Ypressian stage (Lower Early Eocene) with absolute time
ranging between 54 and 48 MY. The benthonic Foraminifera show similar ranges of biozones (P5P9) and thus conform the assigned age (Fig. 10).

Discussion
The similarities of the sedimentological characters and
lithologic association of both lithostratigraphic units of
the Walash Group indicate a continuous section of a
deep marine setting. The litharenite type, the occurrence
graded, parallel and cross bedding in these sandstones,
its directional sole marks, and commonly sharp lower
contact indicate turbidite suites (Walker 1967). The limited occurrence of the channel conglomerate suggests a
distal location of the studied sections from the sediment
source. The association of these sandstones with deep
marine foraminiferal shale indicates a flysch origin as
suggested earlier by Al-Mehaidi (1975) and Buday
(1975). The general replacement of the siliciclastic beds
of the lower part by calciturbidites upwards the section
imply shallowing of depositional environment with time
and the increase of carbonate-producing shoal

Arab J Geosci (2014) 7:181192

communities. The only basic difference between the

two units is the occurrences of volcanicity in the upper
unit. Correlation of these two units with the tripartite
facies classification of the NaopordanWalash Series,
suggested by Buday (1975), shows close similarities.
The lower unit in the study area is quite similar to the
outer purely clasticflysch-type facies. The upper unit
on the other hand is well correlated with central facies
of Buday (1975) which is composed of flysch-type
sediments with several volcanogenic inlayers. He
assigned this unit as the typical Naopordan unit. His
third (innermost) and upper unit which is prevalently
volcanogenic is either missing or poorly represented in
the area. The latter, which is not reported in the Sulaimani area, is assigned by Buday (1975) as the Walash
Group. Therefore, a revision of the stratigraphic nomenclature of the Walash Group in the studied area is
required to name the lower pure flysch-type unit by a
new stratigraphic name and to rename the Walash
Group in the area as the Naopordan Formation.
The age of the Walash Group sediments using foraminifera collected from the carbonate rocks of certain interval
from the studied area is previously determined by Al-Banna
and Al-Mutwali (2008) to be of Middle Eocene (Lutetian).
However, the systematic biostratigraphic analysis of this
study for the Kinjurine section sediments using planktonic
and benthonic foraminiferal biozones, supported by benthonic foraminifera assemblages range zones, shows close
results of Early Eocene (Ypresian). The noticed slight difference might be related to the analyzed parts of the studied
section in the two studies.
Age determination of the volcanogenic rocks of the
Walash Group in the study area shows wider and younger
range of age. Koyi (2006) using the Ar40/Ar39 method for
age determination for volcanic samples within the Walash
Group of the Mawat area shows age ranges from Middle
Eocene to Early Oligocene (43323 Ma). These volcanics
are believed to represent arc volcanic suites (Jassim et al.
1982; Aziz 1986). Their association with flysch basin in a
converging plate margin suggests development in a remnant
oceanic basin developed in a fore-arc sedimentary setting
(Al-Qayim et al. 2012). However, Ali (2012) in his regional
study of the WalashNaopordan Series of northeast Iraq
shows that the volcanics of the series are developed in a
back-arc basin with signatures of subduction setting.

Conclusions
Examination of the Walash Group rocks in three localities
from Sulaimani area reveals important contributions to its
stratigraphic status. These are summarized below:

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191

Fig. 10 Biostratigraphic range chart of the Walash Group at Kinjurine Section

1. Thickness variation of the group is common. It is related

to the tectonic emplacement of the group and contribute
to the complication of its facies architecture.
2. Two basic lithostratigraphic units are clearly recognized: the Lower Sedimentary Unit (volcanic free) and
the Upper Volcano-sedimentary unit.

3. Both consist of flysch sequence of cyclic alternation

of litharenite to calcarenite sandstone, foraminiferal
bioclastic limestone, and dominant marine shale
interlayers. The sequence is contaminated in later
stages by volcanic activities which are increased
upwards.

192

4. The occurrence of shallow marine carbonates upwards

the section indicates overall shallowing of the basin.
5. The exceptionally recrystallized and sheared limestone
bodies are shelf carbonates subjected to deformation during transportation and tectonic emplacement of the group.
6. Biostratigraphic analysis using planktonic foraminiferal
zonation and benthonic foraminiferal assemblages picked from shale interlayers show that the age of the group
at the studied area is of Lower Early Eocene (Ypresian).
Acknowledgments We would like to thank Dr. Azad Omer and Dr.
Salim Hakari of the Department of Geology of Sulaimani University
for their assistance during field work. The help of Mr. Rob Wilson of
the SEM Laboratory at the University of Leicester, UK, in SEM
photography of the foraminiferal specimens is sincerely appreciated.

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