Facies and depositional model of the siliciclastic Chelken Formation, South Ghaemshahr city, Pliocene

Chelken Formation (Lower and Middle Pliocene) which represents a siliciclastic nature in Javarom Section (south of the Ghaemshahr city) was studied. This formation comprises three sets of conglomerate, sandstone and mudstone, which are usually arranged in fining upward sequences. According to the nature of fining upward sedimentary sequences, sedimentological characteristics and structural features, it is proposed that the Chelken Formation was deposited in a fluvial environment. Conglomeratic facies are mainly clast-supported, sandstone facies are represented by quartz arenite and lithic arenites and mudstone facies are carbonate-clastic in nature. According to the paleo-currents analyses, a north and northeastward direction is proposed for the paleocurrents deposition of  this formation.