Barcelona Field Studies Centre

The geological history of the Sant Pere de Ribes basin, Barcelona, Spain

Sant Pere de Ribes - Sitges Geological map
Sant Pere de Ribes - Sitges Geological map


Key
Clays, quaternary sands, gravels Clays, quaternary sands and gravels
Gravels, sands, silt and quaternary clays Gravels, sands, silt and quaternary clays
Limestones, sandstones, marls. Marine estuary. Miocene Limestones, sandstones, marls. Marine estuary. Miocene
Conglomerates and red clays, inferior Miocene Conglomerates and red clays, inferior Miocene
Grey and black limestones and calcarenites creams. Neritic and brackish. Cretaceous Grey and black limestones and calcarenites creams. Neritic and brackish. Cretaceous
Yellow marls and calcareous dolomite loams. Pelagic. Cretaceous. Yellow marls and calcareous dolomite loams. Pelagic. Cretaceous.
Black dolomites, Jurassic Black dolomites, Jurassic


Sant Pere de Ribes - Sitges Geological Section A-B
Sant Pere de Ribes - Sitges Geological Section A-B


The geological history of the Sant Pere de Ribes basin

The deeper substratum has a base of slates and Paleozoic granites (400 MA) which became coated with Mesozoic marine sediments (5/6/7) (between 248 and 65 MA).

Subsidence and cracking in these materials caused a block to collapse creating the Sant Pere de Ribes depression. This became flooded, and sedimentary materials (2) accumulated in a Miocene sea (about 23 million years - MA). This was finally covered by new Quaternary deposits (1) (under 2 MA).

River erosion has been continuously reshaping this structure, revealing the ancient Mesozoic rocks beneath.


The saldoneres of Sant Pere de Ribes: a tool for the interpretation of the geological history
Geology fieldwork in Sitges, Barcelona