Stratigraphy of the Carboniferous System in the South Kitakami Terrane is systematically described and synthesized. The Carboniferous deposits are distributed in the South Kitakami Terrane and "Hayachine Tectonic Belt". They are well and successively exposed in the following ten districts: Takozu, Yonesato, Ohasama, Tassobe, Omata, Setamai, Hikoroichi, Kamiarisu, Omatsu and Kogawa. Seventeen formations in the ten districts are established on the Carboniferous System. It unconformably (or locally conformably) overlies the Devonian, and is widely unconformably overlain by the Permian with the Late Carboniferous hiatus. Lithologically, the Carboniferous deposits can be grouped into lower and upper facies. The former, ranging from Tournaisian to Middle-Late Visean in age, is represented by siliciclastic rocks including an amount of volcanic rocks. It is widely variable on thickness and lithology from district to district. While, the upper facies, ranging from Late Visean to Early Namurian in age, is characterized by dominance of limestone in every district. It is assumed that the sedimentary basins of the lower facies were differentiated. Subsequently entire basins were homoginized to a carbonate depositional environment.
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