The new boreholes drilled between 2009 and 2012 enabled a detailed exploration of the profile of the Kraków sandstone series in the Dąb area between the “Sobieski” and “Janina” mining plants, USCB (Upper Silesian Coal Basin). The core from the No. 111. bituminous coal seam was selected for further analysis. 30 intervals corresponding to the defined lithotypes were separated in the seam with a thickness of 116.8 cm. The thickness of lithotypes ranges from 10 mm to 89 mm. A microprofile of the examined seam was made using the modified method of determining microlithotypes. A quantitative determination of the maceral composition was performed for each interval corresponding to the separated lithotypes. This allowed petrographic and facies characteristics of the seam to be determined. Its lower part is dominated by lithotypes with a large share of bright coal – vitrain coal. This section of the profile was formed under conditions of a strongly flooded wet forest swamp. In the upper section of the seam, a higher macroscopic share of dull coal – durain was observed. The microscopic analysis has shown that the conditions dominant during the formation of this section were typical for swamp forest peats. New technologies also require expanding knowledge about the structure of coal seams. This is only possible with a detailed profiling of the coal seam on a macro scale combined with micro-profiling and a detailed petrographic description of the isolated lithotypes. This methodology is also useful in the facies analysis of bituminous coal seams.

Productacean brachiopod assemblages are described from 10 taphocoenoses from various facies of the Upper Permian Kapp Starostin Formation in Spitsbergen. Time and space relationships among the investigated phena are based upon a previously established chronostratigraphic correlation of the strata. 15 productacean species are distinguished, based upon analysis of their morphology and ecology. Their paleontological descriptions take into account the ranges of their ecophenotypic variation. Shells adapted to three modes of life are recognized among the considered Productacea: (1) forms stabilizing within loose bottom sediments, (2) forms floating at the surface of soft substrates, and (3) forms living just below the surface of quaggy substrates. Distribution of the productacean assemblages in the Kapp Starostin Formation is analyzed within the framework of a reconstruction of the history of the Permian sea in this area. The main ecological controls upon this distribution include stratification of the water, substrate suitability for settlement, and coastal influences on the marine environment. Because of their spatially limited distribution and unrecognized evolution within the considered time interval, the investigated brachiopods cannot be employed for biochronostratigraphy.

The Bravaisberget Formation in Spitsbergen embraces an organic carbon-rich, clastic sequence that reflects a general shallow shelf development of the Middle Triassic depositional system in Svalbard . New observations and measurements of the type section of the formation at Bravaisberget in western Nathorst Land allow to present detailed lithostratigraphical subdivision of the formation, and aid to reconstruct its depositional history. The subdivision of the formation ( 209 m thick at type section) into the Passhatten, Somovbreen, and Van Keulenfjorden members is sustained after Mørk et al. (1999), though with new position of the boundary between the Passhatten and Somovbreen mbs. The Passhatten Mb is defined to embrace the black shale-dominated sequence that forms the lower and middle parts of the formation ( 160 m thick). The Somovbreen Mb ( 20 m thick) is confined to the overlying, calcite-cemented sequence of marine sandstones. The Van Keulenfjorden Mb ( 29 m thick) forms the topmost part of the formation composed of siliceous and dolomitic sandstones. The formation is subdivided into twelve informal units, out of which eight is defined in the Passhatten Mb (units 1 to 8), two in the Somovbreen Mb (units 9 and 10), and also two in the Van Keulenfjorden Mb (units 11 and 12). Units 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 contain noticeable to abundant phosphorite, and are interspaced by four black shale sequences (units 2, 4, 6, and 8). Unit 9 passes upwards gradually into the main sandstone sequence (unit 10) of the Somovbreen Mb. The base of the Van Keulenfjorden Mb is a discontinuity surface covered by thin phosphorite lag. The Van Keulenfjorden Mb consists of two superimposed sandstone units (units 11 and 12) that form indistinct coarsening-upward sequences. The Bravaisberget Fm records two consequent transgressive pulses that introduced high biological productivity conditions to the shelf basin. The Passhatten Mb shows pronounced repetition of sediment types resulting from interplay between organic-prone, fine-grained environments, and clastic bar environments that focused phosphogenesis. The lower part of the member (units 1 to 5) contains well-developed bar top sequences with abundant nodular phosphorite, which are under- and overlain by the bar side sequences grading into silt- to mud-shale. The upper part of the member (units 6 to 8) is dominated by mud-shale, showing the bar top to side sequence with recurrent phosphatic grainstones in its middle part. Maximum stagnation and deep-water conditions occurred during deposition of the topmost shale sequence (unit 8). Rapid shallowing trend terminated organic-rich environments of the Passhatten Mb, and was associated with enhanced phosphogenesis at base of the Somovbreen Mb (unit 9). Bioturbated sandstones of the Somovbreen Mb (unit 10) record progradation of shallow-marine clastic environments. The sequence of the Van Keulenfjorden Mb (units 11 and 12) was deposited in brackish environments reflecting closure of the Middle Triassic basin in western Svalbard .

The radiolarian biostratigraphy of the Middle–Upper Jurassic pelagic siliceous sediments (Czajakowa Radiolarite

Formation) in the Niedzica succession of the Pieniny Klippen Belt (Carpathians) is interpreted in terms of their

age in a stratotype section, and facies equivalents in other tectonic-facies units of this region. The siliceous sediments

are represented by radiolarian cherts and silicified limestones which are underlain and overlain by red nodular

limestones, equivalents of the Rosso Ammonitico facies. The radiolarian association includes thirty-seven

taxa belonging to twenty one genera which represent the Northern Tethyan Palaeogeographic Province. Key radiolarians

recorded provide a means of correlation with zonation schemes based on Unitary Associations defined

for the Jurassic Tethyan sediments. The age of the Czajakowa Radiolarite Formation in the stratotype section

is determined as U.A.Z.9 to U.A.Z.11 corresponding to middle Oxfordian up to Kimmeridgian. Comparison of

radiolarian biozones from the stratotype section with other facial equivalent sections in the Pieniny Klippen Belt

reveals a significant diachronism for both the lower and the upper limits of the Jurassic pelagic siliceous facies.

An accumulation of glacial sediments is located near Písečná village in the depression between the Sokol Ridge

and Zlaté Hory Highlands NNE of Jeseník town (Eastern Sudetes). The accumulation lies at the lateral side

of the mountain valley of the Bělá River and fills a preglacial palaeovalley of this river. Research combining

facies analysis of outcrops, ground penetrating radar survey, interpretation drilling survey, and modelling of

the preglacial relief was undertaken at the site. According to the results obtained, the upper part of the sedimentary

accumulation represents a coarse-grained terminoglacial glaciofluvial delta of the Gilbert type. The

development of the accumulation has dominantly been driven by the preglacial morphology. Facies typical for

foresets of coarse-grained deltas represented mainly by high-density flows, cohesionless debris flows, debris

falls and less common low-density flows were found in the outcrops. The delta near Písečná prograded into

a lake dammed by the ice-sheet front in the north. The lake was bounded by the slopes of Sokol Ridge, Zlaté

Hory Highlands and Góry Parkowe on other sides. The lake level reached an altitude of up to 430 m a.s.l., as

the coarse-grained delta plain base lies at this level.

This study is a detailed lithofacies analysis of the Wiar and Leszczyny members of the deep-marine Ropianka Formation (Campanian–Paleocene) exposed in the Hucisko Jawornickie section of the Skole Nappe, Polish Carpathian Flysch. The sedimentary succession (>400 m thick) represents a channelized lobe complex that prograded at the base of submarine slope. Seven sedimentary facies are recognized as a record of the principa modes of sediment deposition. Based on their stratigraphic grouping and grain-size trends, six facies associations are distinguished as representing specific sub-environments of the depositional system: distributary channels, channel-mouth lobes, channel levees, crevasses and interlobe basin plain with crevasse splays. The individual facies associations are characterized statistically and their internal facies organization is analysed by the method of embedded Markov chains to reveal the time pattern of depositional processes. The environmental changes indicated by the vertical succession of facies associations are attributed to the autogenic processes of the distributary channel shifting within an aggrading lobe area and the lateral switching of depositional lobes. Eustatic influences are likely, but difficult to ascertain with poor biostratigraphic data. The bulk basinward advance of the base-of-slope system was probably due to a pulse of the tectonic narrowing of the synclinal Skole Basin.

GPR method is perfectly suited for recognizing of sedimentary facies diversity in shallowly occurring sediments if there is a contrast of electrical properties between and/or within each layer. The article deals with the issue of the correlation between GPR surveys results and sedimentological analyses. As a result of this correlation a conceptual model of depositional systems of studied areas was developed. Studies were performed in two areas located in central Poland, where glacial deposits formed in the Middle Polish (Saalian) Glaciation are present. The study was based on 49 sediment samples and 21 GPR profiles. Analyses of lithofacies as well as granulometric and mineralogical composition of deposits of collected samples were carried out, showing the diversity of glacial deposits in both study sites. During GPR measurements shielded antenna with a frequency of 500 MHz was used which allowed high-resolution mapping of the internal structure of deposits and to identify four characteristic radar facies. Correlation of GPR profiles with point, one-dimensional sedimentological studies allowed the unambiguous interpretation of the GPR image and draw conclusions about the formation environment of individual units. Geophysical and sedimentological data obtained during study provide a new and detailed insight into selected glacial deposits in central Poland.

A field survey has been conducted for the study area using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and geological and geomorphological maps of the area. The study area is one of the important areas in Iraq characterized by scarce water resources. The purpose of the study is to determine the hydro-chemical processes and their relationship to groundwater quality carried out in the southwestern desert region of Iraq, where the region lacks extensive studies of water resources. Twenty-eight groundwater samples were collected from wells distributed between the eastern borders of Saudi Arabia and the West Bank of the Euphrates River. For the purpose of hydrogeochemical analyses, the Fetter method was used to collect and examine samples. A large part of the recharge area is located in Saudi Arabia, where the groundwater bearing aquifer represented by the Dammam formation extends to Iraq and Saudi Arabian International borders. The analysis determined the order of cations (Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+) and anions (Cl– > SO42– > HCO3–). High values of the variation coefficient (CV) correspond to the concentration of potassium, sodium and chloride ions (CV: 68.7, 64.7 and 64 respectively). To identify the hydrochemical water facies, the Piper diagram was used. It was found that 53% of the water samples belong to the Na-Cl type and 40% are of the Ca-Mg-Cl type, while the rest of the samples are the Ca-Cl type. To identify geochemical processes, it was found that ion exchange processes via chloroalkaline indices 1 and 2 are prevalent between Ca2+, Mg2+ in the groundwater and Na+, K+ in water bearing rocks. To learn more about the processes that led to the concentration of certain ions, such as sodium, it was found that they tend to be of silicate minerals related to surface runoff of water in recharge areas and carbonic rocks. It was also found that rock / soil-groundwater interaction and evaporation processes were the formal processes in the saturated zone and evaporation in the unsaturated zone are prevalent processes of groundwater ion concentration.