The Slovenj Gradec Basin represents western margin of both, the Pannonian Basin System and the Central Paratethys. It is situated on the border of two geotectonic units: Alps and the Pannonian Basin System. It is filled with fine- to coarse-grained Miocene sedimentary rocks, which are poorly researched. The aim of the present research is to fill part of this scientific gap. Sedimentary successions, provenance, tectonic setting, paleogeographic evolution of the Slovenj Gradec Basin were investigated. The research is based on standard sedimentological procedure, petrographic, geochemical and biostratigraphic analyses. Furthermore, Neogene rocks are quite susceptibile to the formation of slope mass movements, therefore the landslide and rockfall susceptibility models for the investigated area were developed.
The deposition of clastic sediments started in the Karpatian and lasted to the end of the Early Badenian. The sedimentary succession is composed of alternation of conglomerate, sandstone, siltsone and marlstone layers, formed in terrestrial (high energy fluvial and swampy), transitional (lagoon and deltaic) and shallow marine environment. Frequent alternation of sedimentional environments is related with regional and global regression-transgression cycles. The sediment input was from the north, north-west, west and south-west direction and correspond to provenance form the Eastern Alps. Sediments were subjected to two different tectonic settings: first related to collision of Adriatic and Eurasian plates, and second to the rifting and formation of the Pannonian Basin System.
The area consists of coarse- and fine-grained clastic sedimentary rocks which represent high susceptibility for slope mass movements: rockfalls and landslides. Therefore, based on the rockfall and landslide susceptibility models, the susceptibility maps for mass movements were made which accurately define the areas of different probabilities for the occurrence of rockfalls and landslides. Models gave a very good approximation to the natural state.
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