Bitak conglomerates as a clue for understanding the Middle Jurassic geological history of Crimea

Abstract

The Bitak Formation is located in Crimea in the area of the city of Simferopol. It is mainly represented by weakly sorted conglomerates. The lithological description of the conglomerates is given. New data on the age of detrital zircons are presented. The possible age of the Bitak Formation is discussed. It is shown that the Bitak Formation is older than Late Bajocian volcanic rocks and younger than deposits of the Tauric Formation and its analogs of the same age. The Bitak Formation was accumulated in a pull-apart basin. Several basins of such a type are found in Crimea. It is thought that the Bitak basin was located at the base of the Middle Jurassic island-arc complex of Crimea.