SALINE DEPOSITS AND ALKALINE MAGMAT1SM:A GENETIC MODEL

The temporal-spatial coincidence of saline deposits with rifting and alkaline magmatism has now become a commonly accepted fact. The congruency of these three phenomena implies logically, their trilateral genetic interrelation. The conventional concept for the formation of saline deposits, i.e an "evaporation process" can not be properly applied to giant saline deposits. The proposed "Volcanogenic hlodel" offers a genetic explanation for problems encountered. The role of alkaline and calc-alkaline magmatism in producing saline and sulfate deposits and the application of the proposed model in each case is discussed. The term "saturites" is proposed instead of "evaporites".