Abstract

The temporal-spatial coincidence of saline deposits with rifting and
alkaline magmatism has now become a commonly accepted fact. The
congruency of these three phenomena implies logically, their trilateral
genetic interrelation. The conventional concept for the formation of saline
deposits, i.e an "evaporation process" can not be properly applied to giant
saline deposits. The proposed "Volcanogenic hlodel" offers a genetic
explanation for problems encountered. The role of alkaline and calc-alkaline
magmatism in producing saline and sulfate deposits and the
application of the proposed model in each case is discussed. The term
"saturites" is proposed instead of "evaporites".