AAPG ERC Cyprus 2017
 

Field Trips


Field trips will be hosted on either side of the 2017 AAPG European Regional Conference. Details of trips below.

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Brief introduction to the Geology of Cyprus


The island attracted a lot of attention during the 1960’s when Gass and Smith (1964) reported on a large positive anomaly beneath Troodos which Gass (1968) later interpreted as a piece of Tethyan oceanic crust. Nevertheless, the island of Cyprus consists of a mosaic of topographic terranes which are very much controlled by four distinct geological terrains and their associated tectonic structures: the Troodos Terrane, an autochthonous bedrock terrane which consists of Middle - Upper Turonian to uppermost Santonian ophiolite sequence, the Arakapas Transform Sequence, an off-axis ophiolite sequence, the Mamonia Terrane consisting of Upper Triassic – Cretaceous sedimentary rocks and basalts and finally the Keryneia Terrane, consisting of Carboniferous – Cretaceous limestones and Cretaceous – Pliocene carbonate sediments and greywackes. All four terranes are covered by autochthonous sediments, commonly referred to as the Circum-Troodos sedimentary succession.

 
Fig. 1. Major geological terranes of Cyprus.

Cyprus is no doubt one of the first, if not the first, copper producers in the world, where metallic copper was produced through mining and smelting of cupriferous sulphide deposits. Early archeological investigations at Ambelikou, in the Skouriotissa mining area dated mining activities back to 2760 B.C. whereas the first copper artefact found on the island, a hair ornament, dates to around 2.800 B.C..

Ample ancient historical references and archaeological findings evident the early development and gradual expansion of the copper industry in Cyprus which lasted for more than 3,000 years. Ancient mining workings such as shafts and galleries can be found scattered across the island. However, the most impressive evidence of the extent of the ancient copper industry in Cyprus is the widespread occurrence of ancient slag heaps. More than 110 such heaps have been found, scattered mostly on the pillow lava outcrops in the periphery of the Troodos Ophiolite.

 


 

Fig. 2. Simplified geological map of Cyprus

 
 

Fig 3. Simplified cross section from Pafos (left) to Lefkosia (right) through Troodos

 
 
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Field Trip 1: The Circum - Troodos Sediments

Tuesday 17th January | 08:00 - 17:30 
Depart from Palm Beach Hotel (conference venue)


Map of field trip route and stops 



Stop 1 (08:30): Lefkara Formation Chalk and Chert,
Stop 2 (09:10): Pakhna Formation Quarries
Stop 3 (10:00): Kalavasos Formation
Stop 4 (11:00): Cape Kiti Section of the Larnaca Fault Zone (LFZ),
Stop 5 (12:00): Pakhna Formation, Organic Rich Layers
Stop 6 (12:30): Nicosia Formation, Organic Rich Layers

Map of field trip route and stops 




Stop 7 (13:00 – 14:00): Lunch at Potamos Liopetriou or Agia Napa or Protaras
Stop 8 (15:00): Reef Limestone, Cape Greco
Stop 9 (15:50): Lefkara Formation, Phanos Hill
Stop 10 (16:20): Koronia Limestone – Profitis Ilias

Field Trip 2: The Troodos Ophiolite Complex

Friday 20th January | 08:00 - 17:30 
Depart from Palm Beach Hotel (conference venue)


Map of field trip route and stops 



Stop 1 (09:15): Lower Pillow Lavas, Maroulena River
Stop 2 (10:30): Upper Pillow Lavas, Lower Pillow Lavas and Sulphide Deposits outside Skouriotissa mine
Stop 3 (10:50): Slag Heap,
Stop 4 (11:20): Sheeted Dyke Complex, Galata village
Stop 5 (12:00): Troodos Unesco Global Geopark Visitor Centre
Stop 6 (13:40): Asbestos Mine View Point,
Stop 7 (14:15-15:30): Lunch at Troodos Square
Stop 8 (16:10): Perapedi Formation, Kouka village


Field Trip 3: The allochthonous Mamonia Complex and some important autochthonous sediments

Friday 20th January | 08:00 - 18:30 
Depart from Palm Beach Hotel (conference venue)


Map of field trip route and stops



Stop 1 (09:30): «Petra tou Romiou» Formation
Stop 2: Agios Fotios Group sediments, Hapotami
Stop 3: Agios Fotios Group sediments, Souskou village
Stop 4: Radiolarites and mudstones, Souskiou – Fasoula road
Stop 5: Fasoula lavas, Fasoula village
Stop 6: Hasamboulia Rocks and Lunch
Stop 7: Kannaviou Formation, Nata village,
Stop 8: Kathikas Formation,
Stop 9: Agia Varvara Formation at Agia Varvara village


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