Origin of Fossiliferous Limestone Beds inside the Upper Part of Tanjero Formation at the Northwest of Sulaimani Area, Kurdistan Region, NE

Abstract

The present study is focused on origin of fossiliferous limestone beds the Chaqchaq Valley at 10 kms to northwest of Sulaimani city. These beds are exposed inside upper part of the Tanjero Formation (Upper part of Gurpi Formation in Iran) and, in this study, they are call Chaqchaq limestone. The petrograph proved that they aged Late Maastrichtian and belongs to Aqra Formation (Seymare or Tarbur Formation in Iran). These beds represent the extreme distal facies of the formation. The fossil contents of these beds include large foraminif Orbitoids and and gastropods. These fossils are all allochthous and reworked by submarine mass wasting from their original life position in Chwatra As the discovered outcrops are located, stratigraphically, near the boundary of Cretaceous and Tertiary ages, it has important contribution on changing paleo and tectonism of northeastern Iraq during Maastrichtian and Paleocene. The paleogeography of the area was consisted of large foreland basin that was covered all north eastern Iraq without any compartmentation. Previously Aqra Formation is recorded in the Imbricated and Thrust Zones while the present study records it in the High Folded Zone for the first time in the Northeastern Iraq. This record will remove the uncertainty that associated with the relations of the stratigraphic units in the Imbricated and Thrust Zones with those of High Folded Zones. In these zones, Tanjero Form (with Aqra Formation) and Red Bed Series are deposited during Maastrichtian Paleocene. The occurrence of these beds inside hemiplelagite (upper part of Tanjero Formation), make the age determination of the beds and their equivalent (Aqra Formation) in the Chwarta Mawat area are possible by planktonic forms. foraminiferas show that the age of these beds (Chachaq Limestone) is late Maastrichtian.

Full text

Karim et al.
Origin of Fossiliferous Limestone Beds inside the
Upper Part of Tanjero Formation at the Northwest of
Sulaimani Area, Kurdistan Region, NE
Kamal Haji Karim
1
, Khalid Mahmood Ismail
* Department of Geology, faculty of S
cience, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani city
e.mail: kamal.karim@univsul.net
Article info
Abstract
Original: 11 Nov. 2014
Revised: 03 Dec. 2014
Accepted: 10 Dec. 2014
Published online:
20 March 2015
The present study is focused on origin of fossiliferous limestone beds
the Chaqchaq Valley at 10 kms to northwest of Sulaimani city. These beds are exposed
inside upper part of the Tanjero Formation (Upper part of Gurpi Formation in Iran) and,
in this study, they are call Chaqchaq limestone. The petrograph
proved that they aged Late Maastrichtian and belongs to Aqra Formation (Seymare or
Tarbur Formation in Iran). These beds represent the extreme distal facies of the
formation. The fossil contents of these beds include large foraminif
Orbitoids
and
and gastropods. These fossils are all allochthous and reworked by submarine mass
wasting from their original life position in Chwatra
As the discovered outcrops are located, stratigraphically, near the boundary of
Cretaceous and Tertiary ages, it has important contribution on changing paleo
and tectonism of northeastern Iraq during Maastrichtian and Paleocene. The
paleogeography of the area was consisted of large foreland basin that was covered all
north eastern Iraq without any compartmentation. Previously Aqra Formation is
recorded in the Imbricated and Thrust Zones while the present study records it in the
High
Folded Zone for the first time in the Northeastern Iraq. This record will remove the
uncertainty that associated with the relations of the stratigraphic units in the Imbricated
and Thrust Zones with those of High Folded Zones. In these zones, Tanjero Form
(with Aqra Formation) and Red Bed Series are deposited during Maastrichtian
Paleocene. The occurrence of these beds inside hemiplelagite (upper part of Tanjero
Formation), make the age determination of the beds and their equivalent (Aqra
Formatio
n) in the Chwarta Mawat area are possible by planktonic forms.
foraminiferas show that the age of these beds (Chachaq Limestone) is late Maastrichtian.
Key Words:
Aqra Formation
Late Maastrichtian
Carbonate turbidite
Chaqchaq Valley
Limestone
Sulaimani Governorate
Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Introduction
In the studied area, previously, outcrops of this fossilliferous and detrital limestone are not recorded. Far to
the north and northeast in the Chwarta
Formations are recorded by Bellen,
latter area, Aqra Formation consists of reefal limestone with massive rudist beds, shoal facies and detrital
forereef limestone (Buday, 1980[2]
and Jassim and Goff, 2006)
Aqra Formation is Maastrichtian. The overlying Formation in the type area is Kolosh
Journal homepage www. jzs.uos.edu.krd
Journal of Zankoi S
Part
Karim et al.
/ JZS (2015) 17-1 (Part-A)
155
Origin of Fossiliferous Limestone Beds inside the
Upper Part of Tanjero Formation at the Northwest of
Sulaimani Area, Kurdistan Region, NE
-Iraq
, Khalid Mahmood Ismail
1
&
Mushir Mustafa Baziany
cience, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani city
Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
Abstract
The present study is focused on origin of fossiliferous limestone beds
the Chaqchaq Valley at 10 kms to northwest of Sulaimani city. These beds are exposed
inside upper part of the Tanjero Formation (Upper part of Gurpi Formation in Iran) and,
in this study, they are call Chaqchaq limestone. The petrograph
y and age determination
proved that they aged Late Maastrichtian and belongs to Aqra Formation (Seymare or
Tarbur Formation in Iran). These beds represent the extreme distal facies of the
formation. The fossil contents of these beds include large foraminif
and
Loftusia
), fragments of Rudists in addition to solitary corals, echinoderm
and gastropods. These fossils are all allochthous and reworked by submarine mass
wasting from their original life position in Chwatra
–Mawat area.
As the discovered outcrops are located, stratigraphically, near the boundary of
Cretaceous and Tertiary ages, it has important contribution on changing paleo
and tectonism of northeastern Iraq during Maastrichtian and Paleocene. The
paleogeography of the area was consisted of large foreland basin that was covered all
north eastern Iraq without any compartmentation. Previously Aqra Formation is
recorded in the Imbricated and Thrust Zones while the present study records it in the
Folded Zone for the first time in the Northeastern Iraq. This record will remove the
uncertainty that associated with the relations of the stratigraphic units in the Imbricated
and Thrust Zones with those of High Folded Zones. In these zones, Tanjero Form
(with Aqra Formation) and Red Bed Series are deposited during Maastrichtian
Paleocene. The occurrence of these beds inside hemiplelagite (upper part of Tanjero
Formation), make the age determination of the beds and their equivalent (Aqra
n) in the Chwarta Mawat area are possible by planktonic forms.
foraminiferas show that the age of these beds (Chachaq Limestone) is late Maastrichtian.
In the studied area, previously, outcrops of this fossilliferous and detrital limestone are not recorded. Far to
the north and northeast in the Chwarta
-
Mawat area outcrops of fossiliferous Aqra and Walash
Formations are recorded by Bellen,
et al. (1959) [1], Buday (1980) [2] and Al-
Mehadi (1975)
latter area, Aqra Formation consists of reefal limestone with massive rudist beds, shoal facies and detrital
and Jassim and Goff, 2006)
[4]. These author
s cited that the age of the
Aqra Formation is Maastrichtian. The overlying Formation in the type area is Kolosh
-
Khurmala Formations;
Journal homepage www. jzs.uos.edu.krd
Journal of Zankoi S
ulaimani
Part
-A- (Pure and Applied Sciences)
Origin of Fossiliferous Limestone Beds inside the
Upper Part of Tanjero Formation at the Northwest of
Mushir Mustafa Baziany
1
Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
The present study is focused on origin of fossiliferous limestone beds
that are exposed in
the Chaqchaq Valley at 10 kms to northwest of Sulaimani city. These beds are exposed
inside upper part of the Tanjero Formation (Upper part of Gurpi Formation in Iran) and,
y and age determination
proved that they aged Late Maastrichtian and belongs to Aqra Formation (Seymare or
Tarbur Formation in Iran). These beds represent the extreme distal facies of the
formation. The fossil contents of these beds include large foraminif
eras (Omphalocyclus,
), fragments of Rudists in addition to solitary corals, echinoderm
and gastropods. These fossils are all allochthous and reworked by submarine mass
As the discovered outcrops are located, stratigraphically, near the boundary of
Cretaceous and Tertiary ages, it has important contribution on changing paleo
-geography
and tectonism of northeastern Iraq during Maastrichtian and Paleocene. The
paleogeography of the area was consisted of large foreland basin that was covered all
north eastern Iraq without any compartmentation. Previously Aqra Formation is
recorded in the Imbricated and Thrust Zones while the present study records it in the
Folded Zone for the first time in the Northeastern Iraq. This record will remove the
uncertainty that associated with the relations of the stratigraphic units in the Imbricated
and Thrust Zones with those of High Folded Zones. In these zones, Tanjero Form
ation
(with Aqra Formation) and Red Bed Series are deposited during Maastrichtian
and
Paleocene. The occurrence of these beds inside hemiplelagite (upper part of Tanjero
Formation), make the age determination of the beds and their equivalent (Aqra
n) in the Chwarta Mawat area are possible by planktonic forms.
The planktonic
foraminiferas show that the age of these beds (Chachaq Limestone) is late Maastrichtian.
In the studied area, previously, outcrops of this fossilliferous and detrital limestone are not recorded. Far to
Mawat area outcrops of fossiliferous Aqra and Walash
-Naoperdan
Mehadi (1975)
[3]. In the
latter area, Aqra Formation consists of reefal limestone with massive rudist beds, shoal facies and detrital
s cited that the age of the
Khurmala Formations;

Karim et al. / JZS (2015) 17-1 (Part-A)
156
the contact is unconformable since there is conglomeratic bed at the top of Aqra Limestone (Buday, 1980)
[2]. According to the above authors, the Aqra Formation, in the type area, is located in the High Folded
Zone while in Sulaimani Governorate it is located in the Imbricated Zone. In this Zone, Al-Mehadi (1975)
[3], Karim (2004[5]), Al-Kubaisy (2008) [6] and Sadiq (2009) [7] studied the formation in term of
petrography, sedimentology, biostratigraphy and facies. Among these studies only the last one is concerned
with tectonic and paleogeography of the formation in Chwarta-Mawat area and assigned the ramp
paleogeography for the formation. The present study is the first one to record the occurrence of Aqra
Formation in the High Folded Zone in Sulaimani governorate.
Location and geologic setting
The studied area is located in a large and flat bottomed valley (syncline) which is called Chaqchaq valley.
The area consists of part of the Zagros Mountain belt (Fig.1) and surrounded by Piramagroon and Daban-
Azimr mountains (anticlines) from southwest and northeast respectively. The valley (syncline) is consist a
large syncline and show local refolding in which Tanjero and Shiranish Formations are exposed while along
the crest and limbs of the surrounding anticlines, Kometan and Qamchuqa (changes to Balambo toward east
and north) Formations are exposed (Fig.2). The area is about 20km far (to the northwest) from Sulaimani
city, at two kms to the northwest of Kani Goran village and can be visited via a paved road (Fig.2 and 3).
Tectonically the area is included in that part of the High Folded Zone that is called Balambo-Tanjero
Subzone by Jassim and Goff (2006) [4]. The outcrops are restricted to the latitude N: 35 o 41- 44.61= and
N: 35 o 41- 56.33= and longitude E:45o 23- 15.87= and 45o 22- 54.50= . The center of the fossiliferous
limestone outcrops is located at the intersection of N: 35o 41- 52.28= E: 45o 23- 07.11.
Fig.(1) Tectonic classification of the north Iraq (Jassim and Goff, 2006) [4] showing the studied area.

Karim et al. / JZS (2015) 17-1 (Part-A)
157
Fig. (2) Geologic cross section passing through Kato, Goizha and Baranan mountains (Karim, 2004) [5] on which the
stratigraphic and geomorphologic position of the Aqra Formation is indicated in both Chwarta and Sulaimanyia areas.
Sampling and Field work
This study is achieved through field and laboratory works. During field survey the outcrop of the formation
is found for the first time in the Chaqchaq valley. The extent of the outcrops are indicated and plotted on the
map and google Earth images (Fig.3). Ten samples are taken from the beds for thin section preparation and
many hand specimens of the fossils are collected which are numerous such as Coral, Loftusia,
Omphalocyclus, Orbitoids and Echinoderms. Marlstones of the upper part of Tanjero Formation that are
located directly below and above the fossiliferous limestone are sampled too. Four samples are taken from
marlstone beds and subjected to washing method age determination by planktonic foraminiferas. To
ascertaining that these beds are belonging to Aqra Formation, the collected fossils are compared with those
in the Aqra formation in Chuwarta area.
Fig (3): Location of the newly found Aqra Formation in the Chaqchaq valley, at the Northwest of the Sulaimanyiah
city, Satellite Image (from Google, 2010).

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Discussion
1. Lithology and stratigraphy of the beds
The outcropped beds are about 1.5 m thick and with width and lateral extend of 50m and 2000m
respectively. They are either massive or crudely laminated with different type of texture such as fine grain,
medium and coarse grain constituents. The limestone contains whole fossils and rudists and gastropods
bioclasts and for this reason, it can be called, in place, detrital limestone. They show faint local normal
graded bedding near the middle part of the outcrop to the south Qulqula village (Fig.3). The outcrops are
located inside soft marl in the axis of the Chaqchaq syncline (Fig.4A). Due to these two facts the outcrops
are strongly deformed by which they are separated into several blocks some of which is shaped to tight
syncline. The outcrops have clear sharp and gradational boundaries with underlying and overlying
marlstones respectively (Fig.4B). The lower boundary changes upward from bluish grey marl to hard
fossilliferous, detrital milky limestone.
Fig. 4: Outcrop of Aqra Formation directly to the south of Qulqula Village A) highly deformed into tight syncline. B)
The thickest outcrop of detrital limestone with Orbitoid forams about 1.5km to the northwest of Chalga village.
2. Comparison with Aqra Formation
The Chaqchaq Limestone can be compared and correlated with Aqra Formation at Chwarta-Mawat area
lithologically, facially and paleontologically. By these, the age and basinal relations can be determined. The
comparison achieved in fieldwork and by using previous studies of Mehadi (1975) [3] Sadiq (2009) [7] and
Karim (2004) [5]. The best comparable properties are fossils and stratigraphic comparison. Both Aqra
Formation and Chaqchaq limestone contain the below fossils and their bioclasts.
2.1. Loftusia
Al-Omari and Sadiq (1977) [8] studied lofusia from the Maastrichtian type locality of Aqra Formation
Formation. Sadiq (2009) [7] found these fossils in three studied sections as the most abundant and easily
identifiable fossils in Chwarta–Mawat area. The genus is abundant in Arabo Iranian platforms and rare in
eastern Mediterranean and totally absent in western Mediterranean (Zambetakis et al, 2004) [9]. According
to Meric and Mojob, (1977) [10], this genus has complex chamber wall that are represented by several

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species confining mostly to Maastrichtian and are reported from Middle East, Eastern Turkey, Iran, Iraq,
Qatar and Oman in the Tethys and no record further in the east. They noticed that during this period the
genus exhibited a gradual increase in size (length and diameter).
According to Bracier (1980) [11], loftusia is benthic foraminifera of Maastrichtian age and has planispiral
fusiform shape with the size of small oak (about 1cm in diameter and 2.5 cm in length). The test is non-
lammilar agglutinated with calcareous cement, calcitic wall structure. The shell has labyrinthic wall with
Irregular septa and chamberlets. Chaqchaq Limestone contains abundant loftusia (Fig.5A) which shows
parallel arrangement of elongated axis which is shows southwest sediment transport during Late
Maastrichtian.
2.2. Omphalocyclus
According to Ozcan (2007) [12], the occurrence of Omphalocyclus in different stratigraphic levels, ranging
in age from Campanian to late Maastrichtian in Turkey is documented. The genus is quite rare in the (late)
Campanian, becoming more frequent in late Campanian early Maastrichtian and late Maastrichtian beds.
Enos et al (1995) [13] found this fauna in the Maastrichtian rocks of Marshall Islands and considered it as
Maastrichtian index. Omphalocyclus is benthic foraminifera, known from the relatively shallow-water
paleoenvironment located in the outer parts of the Late Cretaceous Tethyan platforms. The mineralogy of
this type of the forams is calcitic by which the shell microstructure is well preserved which similar to
Orbitoid but with larger and discoidal shape instead of fusiform. It is common in both Chaqchaq limestone
and Aqra Formation at Chwarta-Mawat area (Fig.6A).
Fig. (5) Collected of Loftusia (A) and solitary Coral (B) from Chaqchaq limestone
2.3. Orbitoides
The test of Orbitoides is lenticular with a circular outline, and can reach a diameter of up to 5 cm (Loeblich
and Tappan, 1988) [14]. The test is biconvex, often with one side more elevated. The surface is ornamented
with small knobs. Its mineralogy is calcite by which the ornamentation of shell is well preserved and exist in
detrital limestone (with litho- and bioclasts) (Fig.4 A and B). The genus Orbitoides displays some of the
widest latitudinal and longitudinal extensions among the larger Upper Cretaceous foraminifera. The
particularly wide distribution over the circumtropical warm water belt of the Cretaceous ocean is comparable
to the distribution of modern Amphisteginids (Langer and Hottinger, 2000) [15] and thus particularly
valuable tracer in indicating of circumglobal warm water surface currents and the heat transfer towards
higher latitude.

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Fig. (6) A) normal graded bedding in the bioclastic packstone (X20). B) Longitudinal sections of Omphalocyclus (in
the middle and Upper left) and Orbitoide (lower right (X30). C) Pelecypods in the Chaqchaq limestone.
3. Paleogeography
In the Sulaimani area, previously Aqra Formation is recorded only in the Imbricated and Thrust Zone at
about 20km to the north of the Chachaq valley at Chwarta and Mawat area and Qandil Mountain. The record
of the Aqra Formation in the High Folded Zone, directly to the northwest of Sulaimani city, has the
following important result on the tectonic and paleogeography of the area. First, as Aqra Formation, in the
studied area is deposited during Late Maastrichtian, it is a key for the paleogeography and tectonics of Late
Cretaceous and Early Tertiary. The transport of the sediments of Chaqchaq Limestone by submarine
turbidity and mass wasting is evidence from the lithology, fossils and sedimentary structure content of the
limestone. Sadiq (2009) [7] found clear erosional surface in the middle part of Aqra Formation at 20km to
the north of Chaqchaq valley near of Mawat Town (Fig.7). She added that the surface is overlain bioclastic
grainstone.
Fig. (7) The erosional surface between grainstone and underlying floatstone (Sadiq, 2009) [7] at 8km southwest of
Mawat town. This surface can be correlated with that is located under Chaqchaq limestone.
It is possible that this erosion surface (Fig.8) may be correlated with the surface that is located below the
Chaqchaq limestone. Secondly, the record of Chaqchaq limestone is a factor for removing of the uncertainty
that is associated with the relation of the stratigraphic units in the Imbricated and High Folded Zones during
Maastrichtian and Paleocene. The result shows that the Aqra and lower part of Red Bed Series (Paleocene),

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in the Imbricated Zone, are laterally connected to the Tanjero and Kolosh Formations in the High Folded
Zone and deposited in same foreland basin. This is shown in the conceptual model which is constracted
according to field work and paleontological study (Fig.9). Previously, these relation between unit of High
and Imbricate Zones are discussed and proved sedimentologicaly by Karim (2004) [4] and Al-Barzinjy
(2005) [16] but without paleontological evidences that are shown in the present study.
Fig. (8) The Chaqchaq limestone has sharp contact inside blue marlstone of upper part of Tanjero Formation. The
limestone is shaped into tight and asymmetrical syncline at 500m south of Qulqula village
Fig. (9) Paleogeography of the studied area during late Cretaceous and Paleocene (Modified from Sadiq, 2009) [7].

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4. Biostratigraphy
In this study six samples were collected for indicating the age of Chaqchaq limestone by microfossils. The
samples are taken from the marlstone beds of Tanjero Formation that are overlying and underlying the
limestone. Three samples are taken below the limestone in 1m intervals and three samples above it which
provided abundant well preserved forms. The samples revealed high diversity of Globotruncanids,
Rugoglobigerinids, Globigerinids and Heterohelicids planktonic foraminifera. In which Thirty five
Planktonic Foraminiferal species belonging to thirteen genera were recorded in studied section along 10m
thick (Plate 1, 2).among the identified planktonic foraminifera like Heterohelix globulosa (Ehrenberg),
Heterohelix nauttalli (Voorwijk), Heterohelix striata (Ehrenberg), Heterohelix punctulats (Cushman),
Rogoglobigerina rugosa (Plummer), Rogoglobigerina hexcamerata Bronnimann, Rogoglobigerina
macrocephala Bronnimann, Rogoglobigerina rotundata Bronnimann, Globotruncanita stuarti (de
Lapparent), Globotruncanita stuartiforms Dalbez, Globotruncanita conica White, Globotruncanita
angulata Tilev, Rugotruncana circumnodifer (Finly), Globotruncana aegyptica Nakkady, Globotruncana
rosetta (Carsey)., Globotruncana falsostuarti Sigal, Globotruncana arca (Cushman), Globotruncana
bulloides Vogler, Globotruncana ventricosa White, Globotruncana dupeublei Caron et al.
Contusotruncana fornicata (Plummer), Contusotruncana contusa (Cushman), Contusotruncana plicata
White, Contusotruncana walfischensis. Todd, Globotruncanella petaloidea (Gandolfi), Pseudotextularia
elegans (Rzehak), Pseudotextularia intermedia (De Klasz). Rascemiguembelina fructicosa (Egger),
Globigerinelloides bentonensis Morrow, Globigerinelloides subcarinata Bronnimann, Archaeoglobigerina
blowi. Pessango, Archaeoglobigerina cretacea. (dOrbigny), Hedbergella monmothensis (Olsson),
Hedbergella holmdelensis Olsson, Kuglerina rotondata. (Bronnimann And three samples collected from
detrital limestone ridge of Aqra lenses and shows high concentration of benthonic foraminiferal genera like
Luftosa, Orbitoides, Omphalocyclus, Lepidorbitoides, Pseudorbitoides, Siderolites, Rotalia, Textularia.
Plate:1 Figures from Aqra ridge, Chalga section, Late Maastrichtian, Specimen from Racemiguembelina fructicosa
Zone. Figs: a, b:Contusotruncana patolliforms. (Gandolfi), X 100; c, d: Contusotruncana walfischensis. Todd, 100X ;
e: Globotruncana roseta (Garsey) X 100; f: Globotruncana dupeublei, caron, Gonzalez, Donsoso, Robaszynski and
Wonders X 100; g: Racemiguembelina fructicosa (Egger) 100X; h: Rugoglobigerina rugosa. (Plummer), X 100; i:
Archaeoglobigerina cretacea. (d Orbigny), 100X; j: Archaeoglobigerina blowi. Pessango, X 100; k, l: Hedbergella
monmuthensis (Olsson), 100X.

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The Planktonic Foraminiferal zonation for the sediments in tropical/subtropical regions, like Li and Keller
(1998a and b) [17] [18], Keller (2002[19] and 2004) [20], Abramovich et al. (2002) [21], Abramovich and Keller
(2003) [22], Samir (2002) [23], Obaidalla (2005) [24]and Sharbazheri (2007[25], 2008[26] and 2010[27]) are
used exclusively as the biostratigraphic framework in this study.
According to the above mentioned Planktonic foraminiferal recording this interval located within
Racemiguembelina fructicosa Zone or (CF4) which is introduced by Li and Keller (1998 a ,b) [17] [18] as a
biostratigraphic interval between FAD of Racemiguembelina fructicosa (Egger) at the base and the FAD of
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis at the top. The occurrence of Racemiguembelina fructicosa (Egger) in the
studied section at the lower part and upper part of this section recorded in this stratigraphic section of
Tanjero Formation and the occurrence of Pseudoguembelina hariaensis not observed here in the studied
section.
Most of the workers in the zonal scheme placed Racemiguemblina fructicosa Zone at the Early Late
Maastrichtian, Keller et al., (1995) [28], Li and Keller, (1998a&b) [17] [18], Premoli Silva and Sliter (1999)
[29], Abramovich et al., (2002) [21], Samir (2002) [23] and Obaidalla (2005) [24], Sharbazheri (2007[25],
2008[26] and 2010[27]). As defined above, the present biozone (CF4) is correlatable with the lower part of
Abathomphalus mayaroensis of Abawi et al., (1982) [30], Robaszynski et al., (1984) [31], Caron (1985) [32],
Abdel-Kareem (1986b) [33] and Premoli Silva and Sliter (1995[34], 1999[29).
Plate:2 Chalga section, Late Maastrichtian, Specimen from Racemiguembelina fructicosa Zone.
Figs: a Pseudotextularia elegans. (Rzehak), X 100; b Pseudotextularia intermedia. De Klasz, X 100; c
Rugoglobigerina hexacamerata. Bronnimann. X 100; d Rugotruncana subcircumnodifer (gandolfi) X 100; e
Heterohelix punctulata. Cushman, X 100; f Heterohelix globulosa.(Ehrenberg), X 100; g ,h Globotruncanita conica
White, X 100; i Globotruncana aegyptica Nakkady; j, k Globotruncana arca (Cushman) X 100; l Rugoglobigerina
rotundata. Bronnimann. X 100.
Conclusions
This study has concluded the following:
1. The Aqra Formation at northwest boundary of Sulaimani city consist of fossiliferous and biogenic detrital
limestone with Omphalocyclus, Loftusia, solitary coral and Orbiroides fossils.
2. The limestone is transported by submarine mass wasting from neritic environment in Chwart-Mawat area
to deep environment at present position.

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3. In the Thrust and High Folded Zones, Tanjero and Aqra Formations were sharing same basin and tectonic
setting during late Cretaceous in large foreland basin without paleoridge between them.
4. The age of the Chaqchaq limestone is late Maastrichtian.
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