Acta Musei Moraviae

New mineralogical finds at the Kotouč quarry near Štramberk, Western Carpathians, Northern Moravia, Czech Republic

The submitted contribution is an overview of mineralogical investigations of Kotouč quarry at Štramberk during years 2000–2010. Exploited body of Štramberk Limestone belongs to the Silesian Unit of the Outer Western Carpathians. The limestone itself is Upper Jurrassic to Lower Cretaceous age, with sedimentary cover ranging up to Middle Cretaceous. Exact stratigraphical or lithological connections among the different rock types are unclear due to strong tectonic reworking. Mineral assemblages found in the Kotouč quarry are very simple and could be divided into three groups. Group I is mineralization present in limestones itself. The most abundant is calcite, with minor dolomite, fluorite, quartz, and baryte. Second group are minerals connected with sedimentary infill of tectonic fractures. Prevailing are mixed-layers clay minerals I/S and I/M, common pyrite, calcite, glauconite, quartz, dolomite, and rare marcasite and baryte. The group of supergene minerals includes goethite, gypsum, halotrichite, hexahydrite, and extremely rare malachite. Although macroscopical finds of all above-mentioned minerals except of calcite are sporadic or rare, Kotouč quarry represents probably the most interesting mineralogical locality in the sedimentary rocks of the Czech part of the Outer Western Carpathians.