heavy minerals in sediments from the mošnica cave: implications for the pre-quaternary evolution of the middle-mountain allogenic karst in the nizke tatry mts.,
slovakia
težki minerali v sedimentih iz jame mošnica: implikacije za predkvartarni razvoj srednjegorskega alogenega krasa
v nizkih tatrah, slovaška
Katarina BÖNOVÄ1*, Pavel BELLA2, Jan BONA3, Jan SPIŠIAK4, Martin KOVÄCIK5, Martin KOVÄCIK6
& Eubomir PETRO5
Abstract	UDC 551.442(437)
Katarina Bonovd, Pavel Bella, Jan Bona, Jan Spišiak, Martin Kovačih, Martin Kovačik & Eubomir Petro: Heavy minerals in sediments from the Mošnica Cave: Implications for the pre-Quaternary evolution of the middle-mountain allogenic karst in the Nizke Tatry Mts., Slovakia
The cave deposits from the Mošnica Cave located on the northern slope of the Nizke Tatry Mts. were analysed by sedimen-tological, petrographical and mineralogical methods. Based on mineralogical study the cave sediments are composed of dolomite, quartz, muscovite, amphibole, chlorite, calcite, K-feldspar and plagioclase. Heavy mineral assemblage is formed by garnet, zircon, apatite, monazite, tourmaline, staurolite, rutile, titanite, epidote, sillimanite, allanite, andalusite and bar-ite. Opaque minerals are represented by ilmenite, pyrite, magnetite, Cr-spinel, Fe-oxyhydroxides and chalcopyrite. Detailed research of chemical composition of the heavy minerals points to their source rocks formed by granitoids, amphibolites and amphibolite gneisses representing the crystalline basement and probably by Triassic cover sediments of the Lužna Formation. Presence of the allochthonous minerals in the cave from meta-morphic complex recently occurred on the opposite southern slope of the Nizke Tatry Mts. indicates a past larger catchment area of the allogenic karst of Mošnica Valley on the pre-Qua-ternary less dissected terrain. A change of watershed boundary leading through the central range of the Nizke Tatry Mts. was probably connected with the tilting of this mountain range
Izvleček	UDK 551.442(437)
Katarina Bonova, Pavel Bella, Jan Bona, Jan Spišiak, Martin Kovačik, Martin Kovačik & Eubomir Petro: Težki minerali v sedimentih iz jame Mošnica: implikacije za predkvartarni razvoj srednjegorskega alogenega krasa v Nizkih Tatrah, Slovaška
Jamski sediment iz jame Mošnica, ki se nahaja na severnem pobočju Nizkih Tater, so bili analizirani z sedimentološkimi, petrografskimi in mineraloškimi metodami. Na podlagi mineraloških raziskav jamske sedimente sestavljajo dolomit, kremen, muskovit, amfibol, klorit, kalcit, K-glinenec in pla-gioklaz. Težko mineralno frakcijo predstavljajo granat, cirkon, apatit, monazit, turmalin, staurolit, rutil, titanit, epidot, sill-manit, allanit, andaluzit in barit. Neprozorni minerali so zastopani z ilmenitom, piritom, magnetitom, Cr-spinelom, Fe-ok-sihidroksidi in halkopiritom. Detajlna analiza kemične sestave težkih mineralov je nakazala njihov izvor iz granitov, amfi-bolitov in amfibolitnih gnajsov, ki predstavljajo kristalinsko podlago in iz triasnih krovnih sedimentov Lužna formacije. Prisotnost alohtonega materiala iz metamorfnega kompleksa, ki so bili najdeni v jami na nasprotnem južnem pobočju Nizkih Tater nakazuje nekdanje večje območje porečja alogenega krasa v dolini Mošnice na predkvartarnim manj razčlenjenim terenu. Sprememba meje porečja, ki poteka skozi osrednje območje Nizkih Tater je bila verjetno povezana z nagibanjem tega pogorja proti severu zaradi kompresijskega tektonskega režima v času poznega terciarja.
1	Institute of Geography, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafarik University in Košice, Jesenna 5, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia; *e-mail: katarina.bonova@upjs.sk
2	State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic, Slovak Caves Administration, Hodžova 11, 031 01 Liptovsky Mikulaš & Department of Geography, Pedagogical Faculty, Catholic University, Hrabovska cesta 1, 034 01 Ružomberok, Slovakia; e-mail: pavel.bella@ssj.sk
3	Kpt. Jaroša 780/13, 040 22 Košice, Slovakia; e-mail: janobona@hotmail.com
4	Department of Geography, Geology and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University, Tajovskeho 40, 974 01 Banska Bystrica, Slovakia; e-mail: jan.spisiak@umb.sk
5	State Geological Institute of Dionyz Štur, Regional centre - Košice, Jesenskeho 8, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia; e-mail: martin.kovacik@geology.sk, lubomir.petro@geology.sk
6	State Geological Institute of Dionyz Štur, Mlynska dolina 1, 817 04 Bratislava, Slovakia; e-mail: mato.kovacik@geology.sk Received/Prejeto: 19.11.2013
towards the north, in the compression regime during the Late Tertiary.
Key words: cave sediments, slackwater facies, mineral composition, provenance, allogenic karst, Mošnica Cave, Nizke Tatry Mts.
Ključne besede: jamski sedimenti, "slackwater" facies, mineralna sestava, provenienca, alogeni kras, jama Mošnica, Nizke Tatre.
INTRODUCTION
Allochthonous cave sediments prove an important record of sedimentary phases of cave development and paleogeographical evolution of landforms in the adjacent area. Use of heavy mineral associations for the interpretation of source areas in the Western Carpathians performed Kicinska and Glazek (2005) in the karst of Belianske Tatry Mts., Orvošova et al. (2006) in the karst of Nizke Tatry Mts., Bonova et al. (2008) in the Slovak Karst and Bonova et al. (2014) in the karst of Chočske Foothills. The contribution presents the mineralogical-petrological and sedimentological characteristics of al-
lochthonous sediments from the Mošnica Cave as one of the highest-lying subhorizontal caves in the allogenic karst of the Demänova Hills (Nizke Tatry Mts.). The aim of the research is based on the heavy mineral associations and their chemical composition to identify the source rocks and the areas of their transport into the cave, as well as to point out to the importance of the mineralogi-cal and petrological research of cave sediments for the reconstruction of the pre-Quaternary evolution of the middle-mountain allogenic karst on the northern slope of the Nizke Tatry Mts.
LOCATION
The Mošnica Cave is the most important cave in the western part of Demänova Hills that belong to the Dumbierske Tatry Mts. (geomorphologic subunit of the Nizke Tatry Mts.). The cave is located in the slope of Skokova Valley on the right side of the Mošnica Valley which lies west of
the well-known Demänova Valley (Fig. 1A). The Mošnica Valley leads from Bor (1,887.6 m a.s.l.) to the north and its mouth into the Liptov Basin is at 715 m a.s.l. The main entrance to the Mošnica Cave is at the altitude of 1,060 m, 223 m above the Mošnica river bed.
GEOLOGICAL AND GEOMORPHOLOGIC SETTINGS
The Dumbierske Tatry Mts. represent the core mountain which consists of crystalline basement and its cover units. The Dumbier crystalline complex is composed of pre-Mesozoic granitoids, high-grade metamorphic rocks (orthogneisses, granulites, paragneisses), metabasic and metaultramafic rocks (Spišiak & Pitonäk 1990; Biely et al. 1992). The metamorphic rocks are intruded by Carboniferous granitoid pluton which consists of several types (Dumbier, Prašiva and Latiborska hol'a), ranging from tonalite to granite composition. Magmatic rocks occur in the northern part of the area, whereas metamorphic ones form its southern part with a transitional zone of migma-tites at their contact (Bezak & Klinec 1983; Fig. 2). Preserved remnants of the sedimentary envelope, in places deeply folded into the crystalline, are built by Lower
Triassic (i. e. quartzites), less frequently Middle Triassic rocks (rauhwackes). Western and northern parts of the Tatricum are overlain by Mesozoic units of the Fatricum represented by the Križna Nappe (Biely et al. 1992; Bezak et al. 2008).
MOŠNICA VALLEY The southern part of the valley is formed by Tatricum - crystalline basement with autochthonous sedimentary envelope (Fig. 2). The crystalline rocks are presented mainly by muscovite-biotite granodiorites to granites (Prašiva type), on the left side of the valley with small islet positions of quartz diorite to diorite. Biotite tonalites to granodiorites (Dumbier type) pass from the neighbouring Demänova Valley (Biely et al. 1992). A smoothly
Fig. 1: Mošnica Cave. Location map (A), longitudinal projection (B - measured by Droppa 1950).
modelled relief on the crystalline rocks is partially dissected by glacier landforms from the Late Pleistocene (škvarček 1978). The Lower Triassic sedimentary envelope performs in a narrow strip on the northern edge of the crystalline basement. Its basal part is represented by Lužna Formation (Scythian) involves coarse-grained to arkosic sandstones and sandstone quartzites. Werfenian beds (Scythian) consist of less thick strata of colourful shales with rare sandstone inserts. The sedimentary en-
velope contains also the thick strip of the Middle Triassic rauhwackes (Bujnovsky 1975).
The northern part of the Mošnica Valley is build by carbonate complex of Križna Nappe that consists of Middle Triassic (Anisian) Gutenstein limestones and overlying layered massive dolomites (Ladinian; Fig. 2). The karst of Mošnica Valley presents a karst of monocli-nal ridges strongly conditioned by a fault-nappe structure. The narrowest part of the valley presents a karst
Fig. 2: Geological map of the Mošnica Valley and its surrounding area (according to Bezäk et al. 2008, partly modified). Explanations: Fatricum: Jurassic-Cretaceous: 1 - Mraznica Fm.: grey marly limestones, marlstones, marly shales; Osnica Fm.: pale-grey Calpionella limestones, marly shales; Jurassic: 2 - Jasenina Fm.: clayey Sacoccoma-aptychus limestones; Ždiar Fm.: radiolarian limestones and ra-diolarites; triassic-Jurassic: 3 - siliceous fleckenmergel, Adnet and Hierlatz limestones, Allgäu Fm., Kopienec Fm., Fatra Fm.; triassic: 4 - Fatra Fm.: black Lumachella, marly and coral limestones; 5 - Carpathian Keuper; 6 - Ramsau dolomites; 7 - Podhradie limestones; 8 - Gutenstein limestones; tatricum: t: 9 - Lužna Fm.: quartzites, quartzose sandstones, greywackes, conglomerates, variegated sandy shales and intercalations of sandstones (Early triassic); tatricum crystalline units: Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous: 10 - leucocratic granites, locally porphyritic; 11 - biotite to two-mica granites to granodiorites; 12 - porphyric biotite granites to granodiorites; 13 - por-phyric biotite to two-mica granodiorites to granites; 14 - biotite tonalities to granodiorites; 15 - hybridic non-homogenous granodiorites to tonalities; 16 - diorites; Proterozoic?-Paleozoic: 17 - orthogneisses and migmatites with banded and eyed structures with amphibolites and paragneisses layers; 18 - amphibolitic gneisses; 19 - amphibolites; 20 - a) geological boundaries, b) main Paleoalpine tectonic units boundaries, c) partial tectonic units boundaries, d) other tectonic lines, e) unspecified faults, f) assumed faults; 21 - cave.
gorge formed by the incision of allochthonous Mošnica Stream, partly sinking into the underground.
The northernmost part of the valley is formed by Upper Triassic partly silicified stratified dolostones (Car-nian-Norian) and the Carpathian Keuper Formation (Norian) consisting of yellowish layered dolostones with
interlayers of red and green shales and shales with junk inserts of Keuper-dolostone (Bujnovsky 1975). Other upper strata of Križna Nappe are covered by sedimentary rocks of Central Carpathian Paleogene Basin (Gross et al. 1980). Quaternary formations are formed by glacial, glacifluvial, fluvial and deluvial sediments.
BASIC MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES AND PROBLEMATICS
OF CAVE GENESIS
The Mošnica Cave is formed in the Middle Triassic Gutenstein limestones of Križna Nappe. It reaches a length of 450 m, vertical range about 10 m (Fig. 1B) and dominantly consists of horizontal to subhorizontal corridors (Droppa 1950; Bella 1988; Bella & Urata 2002).
According to Droppa (1950) this cave originated by meteoric waters infiltred though enlarged fissures during intensive precipitations. Based on the sharp-edged particles of fine-grained allochthonous cave sediments he considered their aeolian transport on the surface above the cave from an uplifted and denudated crystalline basement of the central ridge of the Nizke Tatry Mts. and their washing into the cave by rainwaters through enlarged fissures. Droppa (1973) classified the Mošnica Cave as a fissure-corrosion cave.
Oval shapes sculpted by flowing water are visible in the Loamy Corridor and some other parts. The remnant of wall scalloped surface in the Entrance Corridor prove the direction of past water flow into the cave, probably allochthonous waters of the Mošnica paleostream (wall morphology of the corridor was largely remodelled by frost weathering). Primary cavities originated in the phreatic zone (oval corridors, ceiling pockets and irregular hollows; Fig. 3A and B). During younger developmental stage they were remodelled in the shallow phreatic zone after a decrease and following stability of water table (water table wall notches; Fig. 3C). Finally, the rocky floors of Channel and Magic corridors were incised by vadose water flow (meandering floor channel). In the va-dose development stage vertical wall grooves originated by corrosion caused by rainwaters seeping along steep fissures, and several varieties of flowstones and dripstones,
mainly pagoda-like stalagmites (Fig. 3D), precipitated from the mineralized water solutions. Some cave parts are remodelled by rock breakdown (Bella 1988; Bella & Urata 2002).
Based on oval shapes of several corridors, significantly prevailing horizontal corridors and position in height Bella (1988) considered the Mošnica Cave as an inactive river modelled cave originated during a tectonic stability, probably synchronously with the formation of a planation surface on the north side of Nizke Tatry Mts., remnants of which are of about 1000 m a.s.l. (denudation niveau N-III; Dinev 1942). Its height position more or less corresponds to the Late Pliocene River level that is observed in the Demänova Hills at altitudes of 10001050 m, eventually 950-1000 m a.s.l. (Droppa 1972; Bella 2001, 2002).
Considering a developmental correlation of cave levels with terraces of Vah River in the Liptov Basin, Orvoš and Orvošova (1996) rate the Mošnica Cave to the terrace T-XIa (in the relative high of 220-240 m from the recent river bed), which appertain to Reuverian A stage of the North West European stages. Fine-grained clastic sediments in the Loamy Corridor have normal polarity, they were deposited in stagnant water probably during the Gauss paleomagnetic epoch, i.e. before more than 2.588 Ma (Bosak et al. 2004; Kadlec et al. 2004).
Lower situated cave levels in the valleys of Demä-nova Hills including the Mošnica Valley) are correlated with the development of Quaternary river terraces (Droppa 1966, 1972; Orvoš & Orvošova 1996; Bella et al. 2011).
Fig. 3: Mošnica Cave, Loamy Corridor and its north-west adjacent part: A - prevailing phreatic morphology of outflow channel; B - ceiling pockets; C - epiphreatic lateral wall notch; D - stalagmite named the White Pagoda (2.4 m high); E - corridor floor covered by fine-grained sediments; F - studied sedimentary profile (Photo: P. Bella).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The sedimentological profile located in the Loamy Corridor about 215 m above the bottom of the Mošnica Valley was studied (excavation up 1 m depth; Fig. 1B and 3F). Four samples (MO-1A to MO-1D) weighing 2-3 kg were collected for the granulometric analysis and preparation of the heavy mineral concentrates. Preparation of the samples was carried out in the laboratories of the Department of Applied Technology of Raw Minerals (State Geological Institute of Dionyz Štur, Regional centre - Košice, Slovakia). Heavy mineral concentrate was obtained by the standard methods from the 0.02 to 0.063 mm size fraction and by the final separating in the heavy liquid, tetrabromethane with D=2.96 g/cm3. Concentrates were qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated with the focus on translucent heavy minerals. Total of 300 to 350 grains were optically evaluated.
Garnet, amphibole, tourmaline, spinel and Fe-Ti oxides were analysed in a sample of polished thin sections by an electron microanalyzer CAMECA SX 100 (State Geological Institute of Dionyz Štur, Bratislava) with the WDS method at accelerating voltages of 15 kV, beam current of 20 nA and electron beam diameter of 5 ^m. To measure the concentrations of various elements were used
following natural and synthetic standards: fluorapatite (P Ka), orthoclase (Si Ka), TiO2 (Ti Ka), Al2O3 (Al Ka), Cr (Cr Ka), fayalite (Fe Ka), rhodonite (Mn Ka), forsterite (Mg Ka), wollastonite (Ca Ka), SrTiO3 (Sr Ka), albite (Na Ka), LiF (F Ka) and NaCl (Cl Ka). Crystallochemi-cal formula of garnet was normalized to 12 oxygens and conversion of an iron valence (Fe3+ and Fe2+) according to ideal stoichiometry. Analysed points for tourmaline have been located in the centre, in the rim and on the margin of the grains. Tourmaline structural formula was calculated on the base of 24.5 oxygens (without boron); am-phibole structural formula on the basis of 23 oxygens by calculation procedure given in Leake et al. (1997). Analyses of spinel were calculated on the basis of 3 cations. Fe2+ and Fe3+ in spinel were allocated according to the ideal stoichiometry. In Fe-Ti oxides FeOtot was distributed into FeO and Fe2O3 sensu Dropp (1987) and structural formula was computed on the base of 4 oxygens.
Cathodoluminescence was used for observe the zircon zoning. It was carried out in the same instrument at accelerating voltage of 8 kV and beam current of 1x10-3 nA.
RESULTS
DESCRIPTION OF THE CAVE DEPOSITS Two lithofacies have been recorded in the profile (Fig. 4; excavated profile does not attain to the rocky floor): 1) gray silty clay with thickness up to 50 cm, 2) rusty gray silty clay with thickness up to the 10 cm. Both litho-facies alternate in the vertical direction several times and boundaries between them are gradual.
Gray silty clay is lithofacies of standing or stagnant water (slackwater facies, sensu Gillieson 1996; Bosch & White 2004). The lithofacies have been created by deposition of fine particles (clay and silt) transported into the cave system as suspended load in muddy floodwa-ter. Rusty gray silty clay is probably the original gray silty clay enriched in Fe-oxyhydroxides originated in oxida-tive conditions at the time the cave was not flooded and sediments have been subject of weathering. During the sedimentogenesis the clay has been sporadically supplied with speleogene material (e.g. carbonate fragments).
PETROGRAFICAL AND MINERALOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS Allochthonous cave sediments represent the "cave loams". Based on the results of grain-size analysis they can be classified as a silt fraction (Hlavač et al. 2004).
Dolomite is the main component of the fraction <2 mm (sand fraction) in all samples. Dolomite forms usually the lithic fragments. It is an irregularly limited, transparent to translucent, white to light gray colour. Quartz is angular to rounded, usually shows a higher degree of sphericity (Powers 1953; Fig. 5). Very rounded grains of quartz were also observed in non-significant amounts (Fig. 5B). Quartz is usually translucent to white, less transparent, usually bright. Monocrystalline grains predominate over the polycrystalline ones. Muscovite has a pearly luster. It forms irregularly limited flakes (rarely pseudohexagonal tables) crumbling under the surface of [001]. Amphibole forms the subhedral fragments. It is green to dark green, partially transparent with characteristic cleavage. Calcite forms the translucent crystals derived from filling of the carbonate ruptures or lithic fragments which may be derivable from
Fig. 4: Profile MO-1, Mošnica Cave: 1 - debris, 2 - gray silty clay, 3 - rusty gray silty clay, 4 - fragment of dark gray carbonate, 5 - sharp boundary between lithofacies, 6 - gradual boundary between lithofacies, 7 - location and identification of samples.
the Gutenstein beds. K-feldspar (orthoclase) forms usually pinkish irregularly limited grains or fragments with characteristic cleavage surfaces of [001] and [010]. Plagioclase is mostly white, its habitus and cleavage is similar to K-feldspar. Chlorite forms flakes crumbling under cleavage of [001]. It has green colour with glass to pearl luster.
tte fraction >2 mm (gravel fraction) was noticed in a minor amount and only in MO-1A (5.1 vol. %) and MO-1C (5 vol. %) samples. It is made up of highly angular fragments of carbonates (mainly dolomite) in diameter 5-20 mm. tte small crystals of calcite are preserved on the dolomite fragments (MO-1C sample). Individual carbonate fragments show no signs of mechanical transport. Therefore, we consider them to be autochthonous (speleogenous).
HEAVY MINERALS tte percentage abundance of heavy minerals was evaluated from all samples (Tab. 1). Apatite (up to 26.0 vol. %)
and amphibole (up to 28.6 vol. %) prevail in the MO-1A, MO-1B and MO-1D samples. In the MO-1C sample zircon predominates over the apatite and amphibole. The quantitative differences can be justified by the differences in the size of the prepared fractions. In addition to apatite, zircon and amphibole, the heavy mineral assemblage is represented by epidote; garnet and tourmaline are found more rarely. tte presence of other translucent minerals is given in Tab. 1. tte opaque minerals are represented by ilmenite, pyrite, magnetite, Cr-spinel, +/- chalcopyrite and Fe-oxides (limonite, goethite).
Amphibole. All samples are represented mainly by calcic amphiboles with Ti<0.15 and Ca>1.5 a.p.f.u. Based on Leake's classification (Leake et al. 1997) the magnesiohornblende is predominate (Tab. 2, Fig. 6A). Its chemical composition in the direction of the central zone to grain periphery changes marginally with XM [Mg/(Mg+Fe2+)] between 0.62 to 0.84. Some hornblendes show rimward Al-enrichment (Tab. 2), pointing to prograde metamor-phism. Otherwise, the second group of Mg-hornblendes



..J^ - Ä






Fig. 5: Quartz: A - Angular to semi-angular clasts with a higher degree of sphericity (MO-1A); B - Rounded to very rounded clasts with the higher and lower degrees of sphericity (MO-1A); Heavy minerals (BSE images): C - inclusions of white mica (Ms), biotite (bt), chlorite (Chl) and quartz (Qtz) in zonal garnet (MO-1A); D - inclusions of spinels (Cr-spl) and pyrhotite (Po) in hornblende (MO-1A); E - alteration process of chrome-spinel (MO-1C); F - breakdown of ti-rich magnetite to pure magnetite (Mag) and rutile (Rt), (MO-1C); G, H - internal texture of zircon (CL; MO-1A).
Fig. 6: A - Classification scheme of amphiboles (Leake et al. 1997) from the cave sediments (MO-1A to MO-1D), from diorites (Bor locality - analyses from this work; žiar mts. - analyses from Uher & miko 1994) and from the different types of amphibolites and amphibolic gneisses (J-2 to J-203); B - Diagram ti vs. Si (a.p.f.u.) for amphiboles; C - Diagram Al vs. Si (a.p.f.u.) for amphiboles; D - Diagram Na2O (wt. %) vs. Mg/Mg+Fe (a.p.f.u.) for amphiboles. Locations of the J-2 to J-203 samples are publicated in Pitonak and Spišiak (1989). E - Composition of detritic garnets in Fe + Mn-Mg-Ca ternary diagram after Morton et al. (2004) from cave sediments (MO-1A, MO-1C) and garnets from amphibolites and amphibolic gneisses (J-16, J-44 and J-103): type A - Grt from granulites; type BI - Grt from intermediate to acid igneous rocks; type B II - Grt from metasediments of amphibolite facies; type C - Grt from meta-basites. F - Diagram Al-Fe-Mg for tourmalines (Henry & Guidotti 1985). Explanations: (1) Li-rich granites; (2) Li-poor granites and aplites; (3, 6) Fe3+-rich quartz-tourmaline rocks; (4) metapelites and metapsamites co-existed with Al-rich phases; (5) metapelites and metapsamites not co-existed with Al-rich phases; (7) low-Ca metaultramafites, Cr- and V- rich metasediments; (8) metacarbonates and metapyroxenites.
is shifted into the actinolite with simultaneously increase of Si and decrease of Al. Apatite, chlorite, micrometer-scale wormy Cr-spinel and pyrhotite (Fig. 5D) represent the inclusions. Decreasing content of AlIV and alkalies toward to periphery of the grains indicates the temperature drooping. Na^*"^^ content in Mg-hornblende reaches a maximum value of 0.02 a.p.f.u. indicating a low-pressure environment. ttese grains are characterized by slightly elevated content of Ti and Al (Fig. 6B, C) and compared to hornblende from igneous rocks also slightly increased content of Na (Fig. 6D). In addition to Mg-hornblende the presence of anthophylite has been observed (MO-1A sample), which is distinctive of the amphibolites and gneisses. Gradual change of edenite (MO-1A and MO-1C samples) to Mg-hornblende from the cores to the rims is accompanied by a decrease of Al content and (Na+K)A ratio. Edenite is typical of medium-grade metamorphites and/or intermediate plutonic rocks.
Garnet. Detrital grains show variable chemical composition. Grossularite-almandine (Prp5-9 Sps6-13Grs14-23Alm64-74) indicates the metamor-phism in low amphibolite facies conditions. Pyrope-grossularite-almandine garnets with a minimum spessartine component (Sps0-2Prp11-12Grs29-33Alm53-60) could originate from the amphibolites. Pyrope-almandine garnets (Grs2Adr2Sps7Prp23Alm66) with low Ca component are probably derived from acidic gneisses eventually metagranites. Because of low spessartine in these grains, granites as the source rocks are excluded. Al-mandine-spessartine garnet (Adr3Grs6Prp12Alm38Sps41) captured in the MO-1C sample can be considered the granite or granitic pegmatite. Zonal garnets represent a separate group. They are characterised by low gros-sularite and higher pyrope and almandine components in the central zone (Sps6Grs6Prp12Alm77). Marginal zone has apparently lower content of pyrope and almandine at the expense of significantly increasing grossularite one (Sps3Prp7Grs27Alm63). Inclusions of white mica, biotite, chlorite and quartz located mainly in the centre of grains are characteristic. S-shaped trails of quartz and biotite are typical of the rims (Fig. 5C). However, these "inclu-
sions" were probably connected with matrix in parental rock by fractures and these were related to fluid influx during the metamorphic event. tte sharp change in the composition of the garnet i.e. increase of grossular-ite contents (from 6 % in the centre of the grain to 27 % in the margin), as well as in the considerable decrease of Mg content and increase of the Fe/(Fe + Mg) value are significant for retrograde zoned garnets occurring in mica schists and/or gneisses (Korikovsky et al. 1988; Meres & Hovorka 1991). We ascribe the metamorphic genesis (probably lower amphibolite facies) for spessar-tine-almandine garnet (Prp8Grs15 Sps20Alm57) in which grossularite component dominates in the peripheral zone (Prp5Sps18Grs27Alm50). REE-epidote and quartz inclusions are restricted to the grain's core, titanite is restricted to its rim. Figure 6E illustrates the chemical composition of the investigated garnets from the cave sediments and the comparative analysis of garnets from amphibolic rocks of the Dumbier crystalline basement.
Tourmaline. Tourmalines belong to the alkali ones with low to moderate Ca content. ttey are rather scarce minerals and correspond to a schorl-dravite, rarely dravite. According to the classification indicating the tourmaline origin (Henry & Guidotti 1985), they were derived from metapelites and metapsamites saturated or unsaturated by Al, respectively (Fig. 6F). Zonal character of tourmaline is demonstrated by the decreasing of #YFe ratio and simultaneously increasing of Ca amount towards the marginal zones (Tab. 2). It indicates the progressive metamorphism. There are also reverse zonal grains which may involve a different source rocks or they may represent the grains without the outer rims due to transport. We recorded the inherited core of the schorl composition (MO-1A sample) indicating an origin in Li-poor granitoids (l. c.). Its outer rim originated from the metasedimentary environment. Summarizing, each of tourmalines is most likely of metasedimentary origin.
Spinel group and Fe-Ti oxides. Cr-spinel forms a grain (MO-1C sample) corresponds to alumochr-omite (Stevens 1944) or chromite (Deer et al. 1992) with Cr# = (0.72-0.71), Fe# = (0.52-0.61) and Mg# = (0.48-0.39) from the centre to the rim, respectively. BSE
tab. 1: Heavy mineral assemblage of cave sediments from the Mošnica Cave. Abbreviations of minerals sensu Kretz (1983).
	t; o							■iw oc	c			+	00		■Q C			J:
MO-1A	1.5	15.9	26.0	2.1	0.9	-	24.2	0.3	0.3	10.3	0.3	4.2	-	-	1.8	9.1	2.4	0.9
MO-1B	-	2.3	12.5	-	0.6	0.6	28.6	1.7	-	12.2	-	-	1.5	0.3	-	36.7	0.9	2.0
MO-1C	1.5	42.3	9.6	0.9	0.6	-	8.2	0.6	-	4.4	0.3	-	-	-	-	30.6	-	1.1
MO-1D	2.5	1.3	24.8	-	-	-	23.2	-	-	13.2	-	0.9	-	0.9	-	26.7	3.4	3.1
image illustrates the alteration products of chrome-spinel (Fig. 5E). Dark areas reflect the Mg-rich and Fe-poor composition of the core relative to the light coloured altered rim due to replacement Mg2+ by Fe2+. Mn and Zn show no variation from core to rim. High content of TiO2 (2.74 wt. %) combined with a low proportion of Fe2+/Fe3+ = 2.1 indicates its volcanic origin (Lenaz et al. 2000). Cr-spinels enclosed in Mg-hornblende exhibit the different character. According to Stevens' (1944) classification these spinels are concerned as ferritchromite with a low Al2O3 content (3.57-4.70 wt. %). It may indicate the subsolidus co-precipitation spinel and amphibole, rather than the formation of spinel by exolution from Al-rich amphibole. Within amphibole's profile the Cr2O3 content remains unchanged or changes from grain's core to rim, respectively.
Beyond, ferritchromite is usually attributed to the effects of low to medium grade metamorphism up to lower amphibolite facies (Farahat 2008; Xuan ttanh et al. 2011). Mn and Zn show high content and introduced into spinel during alteration and metamorphism. Based on very low Mg# = (0.005-0.1) concomitant with high Cr# = (0.83-0.88) ferritchromite is considered to be a metamorphic origin. tte altered Cr-spinel data normally have total major elements less than 99 wt. % that is due to containing more or less water component (l. c., Tab. 2).
Several types of Fe-Ti oxides can be observed in the samples: firstly, pure magnetite (Mag999Usp01), which is in the concentrate of heavy minerals the most frequent, further titanomagnetite or magnetite-ulvöspinel s. s. (Mag58Usp42) gradually passing into the pure magnetite (Mag97Usp3) in grain's periphery. The break-down of Ti-magnetite is accompanied by the formation of rutile (Fig. 5F). Such a process of disintegration of Fe-Ti oxides has been described in the I-type granitoids from the Nizke Tatry Mts. (Broska & Petrik 2011).
Allanite. Chemical composition of the allanite (MO-1B sample) indicates its magmatic origin which is documented by Al2O3 content ranging from 13.47 to 14.22 wt. %. Allanites from primary granitic I-type magmas show around 15 wt. % of Al2O3 (Petrik et al. 1995).
Zircon. Zircons are characterized by a fine oscillatory zoning often without the signs of resorption. tteir regular euhedral habitus indicates a primary magmatic (granitoid) source (Fig. 5G). Some zircons crystallized from the nucleus. The inherited cores in zircons are observed (Fig. 5H). tte grains showing the possible meta-clastic origin (convolution zoning is indicative of the recrystallization processes) are rather rare in the investigative set of zircons.
DISCUSSION
HEAVY MINERALS AND THEIR POSSIBLE ORIGIN
Shapes of the heavy minerals as well as the minimum proportion of the resistant ones (zircon, tourmaline, rutile) indicate their deposition from the igneous and metamorphic crystalline rocks of the Nizke Tatry Mts. We attribute the igneous origin to the mineral association: zircon, apatite (clear euhedral to subhedral grains), titanite, allanite, ilmenite (containing 47 to 48 wt. % of TiO2) ± epidote. ttat mineral association is specific to the I-type granitoids (Broska & Uher 2001). tte main rock types are Dumbier and Prašiva granitoids that form the larger part of the Nizke Tatry pluton (Koutek 1931) and represent typical I-type granitoid suite (Broska & Petrik 1993).
A main source of the tourmaline group of minerals, staurolite, rutile, chlorite, epidote, monazite with an oval to semi-oval habitus, garnet and anhedral apatite are derived mainly from metasediments. Mentioned mineral association may have issued from siliciclastics of the
Lužna Formation and/or from the metamorphites of the Dumbier crystalline complex.
The heavy mineral association in psammite component of the Lužna Formation consists of zircon, tourmaline, rutile, apatite, pyrite and leucoxene (Fejdiova 1977a, b). Tourmaline is substantial in the siliciclastics of the Lužna Formation (Aubrecht 1994; Mišik & Jablonsky 2000). Tourmalines of metasedimentary origin (predominantly formed in a low grade clastic metasedimen-tary rocks) are considered to be exotic, their source is unknown (Aubrecht l. c.). Sporadic occurrence of garnet in the Lužna sediments is described by Fejdiova (1989) and Aubrecht (1994).
We assume that the amphibole suite comprising the actinolite, Mg-hornblende and anthophyllite in association with epidote, pyrite, Cr-spinel (± ilmenite) and garnet (almandine-grossularite) may originate in metaba-sites - amphibolites or amphibolitic gneisses, which are an integral part of the Nizke Tatry crystalline complex. Common Ca-amphiboles (Mg-hornblende), actinolite
Tab. 2: Representative microprobe analyses of amphibole, tourmaline, garnet, spinel and Fe-Ti oxides (in wt. %).
mineral sample	Amp MO-1A								MO-1C	Bor	
	1 c	1 r	2 c	2 r	3 c	3 c/r	3 r	4 c	1 c	1 c	1 r
Si02	49.72	49.22	51.04	50.50	52.91	51.81	53.53	56.47	43.30	50.32	54.11
TiO^	0.57	0.64	0.67	0.65	0.41	0.45	0.27	0.07	1.29	0.64	0.22
Al203	5.85	6.45	6.13	6.26	4.61	5.26	3.74	0.97	11.51	6.53	3.04
Fe203	0.77	1.08	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.23
Cr203	0.13	0.11	0.14	0.07	0.12	0.16	0.12	0.02	0.01	0.12	0.01
MgO	15.48	15.14	17.48	17.36	18.91	18.27	19.12	23.54	9.79	15.82	18.36
CaO	12.35	12.42	11.60	11.58	11.58	11.39	11.90	1.41	11.53	12.22	12.64
MnO	0.33	0.26	0.20	0.25	0.25	0.27	0.21	0.50	0.28	0.32	0.26
Fe0	10.83	10.70	9.09	8.98	7.86	8.42	7.50	14.31	17.06	10.26	8.13
NiO	0.02	0.00	0.00	0.02	0.02	0.01	0.05	0.01	0.03	0.00	0.03
Na2O	0.93	0.81	1.04	1.00	0.73	0.91	0.65	0.12	1.72	0.75	0.30
K2O	0.48	0.53	0.14	0.11	0.08	0.09	0.05	0.00	0.54	0.46	0.13
Cl	0.03	0.01	0.01	0.03	0.00	0.00	0.02	0.00	0.01	0.03	0.01
F	0.03	0.01	0.01	0.03	0.00	0.00	0.02	0.00	0.01	0.00	0.00
H2O	2.06	2.06	2.10	2.08	2.12	2.10	2.11	2.14	1.98	2.07	2.11
Z	99.57	99.43	99.65	98.92	99.60	99.14	99.29	99.56	99.06	99.55	99.58
ek. F, Cl	0.01	0.00	0.00	0.01	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.01	0.00
Z (FCl)	99.56	99.43	99.65	98.91	99.60	99.14	99.29	99.56	99.06	99.54	99.58
											
Si	7.213	7.149	7.271	7.251	7.471	7.381	7.571	7.924	6.535	7.241	7.657
Al'V	0.787	0.851	0.729	0.749	0.529	0.619	0.429	0.076	1.465	0.759	0.343
ZT	8.000	8.000	8.000	8.000	8.000	8.000	8.000	8.000	8.000	8.000	8.000
AlV'	0.213	0.254	0.301	0.310	0.238	0.265	0.194	0.085	0.583	0.348	0.165
Fe3+	0.084	0.118	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.024
Ti	0.062	0.070	0.072	0.070	0.044	0.048	0.029	0.007	0.146	0.070	0.024
Cr	0.015	0.013	0.016	0.008	0.013	0.018	0.013	0.002	0.001	0.013	0.001
Fe2+	1.278	1.268	0.900	0.896	0.725	0.790	0.733	0.000	2.067	1.175	0.914
Mg	3.347	3.278	3.712	3.715	3.980	3.880	4.031	4.905	2.202	3.394	3.872
Z C	5.000	5.000	5.000	5.000	5.000	5.000	5.000	5.000	5.000	5.000	5.000
Fe2+	0.038	0.035	0.183	0.182	0.204	0.214	0.154	1.699	0.086	0.059	0.049
Mn	0.041	0.032	0.024	0.030	0.030	0.033	0.025	0.059	0.036	0.038	0.031
Ca	1.920	1.933	1.771	1.781	1.752	1.739	1.803	0.211	1.865	1.884	1.917
Na	0.000	0.000	0.022	0.004	0.012	0.014	0.012	0.029	0.010	0.018	0.000
Ni	0.002	0.000	0.000	0.002	0.002	0.001	0.006	0.002	0.004	0.000	0.003
Z B	2.000	2.000	2.000	2.000	2.000	2.000	2.000	2.000	2.000	2.000	2.000
Na	0.262	0.228	0.265	0.274	0.188	0.237	0.167	0.003	0.494	0.192	0.082
K	0.089	0.098	0.025	0.020	0.014	0.016	0.009	0.001	0.104	0.085	0.023
Z^	0.350	0.326	0.291	0.295	0.202	0.254	0.176	0.003	0.598	0.277	0.106
Tab. 2. Continued
mineral	Tur				Grt						
sample	MO-1A		MO-1C			MO-1A		MO-1C			
	1c	1r	1c	1r		1c	1r	1c	1r	2c	3c
SiO^	36.19	36.61	36.70	36.50		37.22	37.84	38.00	38.20	36.93	37.69
TiO^	0.41	0.88	0.67	0.72		0.00	0.08	0.04	0.04	0.00	0.00
Al2O3	32.85	31.56	30.54	30.77		21.25	21.37	21.71	21.85	21.03	21.65
Fe2O3						0.00	0.00	1.00	0.50	1.05	0.82
Cr2O3	0.00	0.00	0.01	0.00		0.03	0.00	0.01	0.00	0.01	0.00
MgO	3.93	9.22	7.88	8.29		2.91	1.73	3.01	3.14	3.03	5.87
CaO	0.36	1.64	0.58	0.67		2.00	9.44	11.88	11.28	3.01	1.42
MnO	0.02	0.02	0.00	0.02		2.42	1.24	1.08	0.92	17.92	2.87
FeO	10.45	4.34	7.27	6.75		33.83	28.06	23.80	24.55	16.52	29.71
NiO	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.03
Na2O	1.69	1.85	2.55	2.37		0.03	0.05	0.00	0.04	0.05	0.03
Cl	0.01	0.02	0.00	0.00							
K2O	0.01	0.02	0.00	0.00		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
H2O											
I	85.93	86.16	86.20	86.09		99.69	99.81	100.53	100.52	99.56	100.09
ek. F, Cl	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00							
I (F,Cl)	85.93	86.16	86.20	86.09							
											
Si	6.002	5.928	6.022	5.982	Si	3.000	3.010	2.976	2.985	2.982	2.978
ait	0.000	0.072	0.000	0.018	Ti	0.000	0.005	0.002	0.002	0.000	0.000
Z T	6.002	6.000	6.022	6.000	Al	2.019	2.004	2.004	2.012	2.001	2.016
AIZ	6.000	5.951	5.904	5.923	Fe3+	0.000	0.000	0.059	0.029	0.064	0.049
Fez	0.000	0.049	0.096	0.077	Cr	0.002	0.000	0.001	0.000	0.001	0.000
ZZ	6.000	6.000	6.000	6.000	Mg	0.350	0.205	0.351	0.366	0.365	0.691
aiy	0.420	0.000	0.000	0.000	Ca	0.173	0.804	0.997	0.944	0.260	0.120
Ti	0.052	0.107	0.083	0.089	Mn	0.165	0.083	0.072	0.061	1.225	0.192
FeY	1.450	0.539	0.902	0.848	Fe2+	2.280	1.867	1.558	1.604	1.116	1.963
Mn	0.003	0.003	0.000	0.003	Ni	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.002
Mg	0.972	2.225	1.928	2.025	Na	0.004	0.007	0.000	0.006	0.008	0.005
Ni	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	K	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Cr	0.000	0.000	0.001	0.000	Z	7.992	7.987	8.020	8.010	8.021	8.016
Z y	2.896	2.873	2.913	2.965							
y vak.	0.104	0.127	0.087	0.035	Prp	11.80	6.93	11.80	12.29	12.29	23.30
					Alm	76.81	63.08	52.33	53.92	37.61	66.17
Ca	0.065	0.285	0.102	0.118	Uv	0.09	0.00	0.03	0.00	0.03	0.00
Na	0.543	0.581	0.811	0.753	Grs	5.73	27.17	30.54	30.29	5.62	1.66
K	0.003	0.005	0.000	0.000	Sps	5.57	2.82	2.41	2.05	41.32	6.47
ZX	0.611	0.871	0.913	0.871	Adr	0.00	0.00	2.90	1.46	3.13	2.39
X vak.	0.389	0.129	0.087	0.129							
F	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000							
Cl	0.002	0.005	0.000	0.000							
Tab. 2. Continued
mineral	Cr-spl			Mag		
sample	MO-1A	MO-1C		MO-1A	MO-1C	
	in Hbl	1 c	1r	1c	1 c	1r
Si02	0.09	0.07	0.03	0.01	0.03	0.12
Ti02	0.72	2.74	2.65	0.04	13.94	0.87
Al2003	3.57	11.84	11.86	0.10	0.01	0.07
Fe203	23.04	9.37	9.87	67.50	38.17	62.30
FeO	27.54	17.72	20.50	31.06	42.36	30.04
MnO	1.81	0.33	0.33	0.04	0.12	0.00
MgO	0.07	9.31	7.48	0.00	0.00	0.00
CaO	0.29	0.00	0.00	0.01	0.02	0.03
Cr2O3	37.34	44.99	43.53	0.03	0.00	0.01
K2O	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Na2O	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
NiO	0.00	0.17	0.18	0.00	0.00	0.00
ZnO	0.90	0.07	0.08	0.00	0.00	0.00
V2O5	0.24	0.22	0.20	0.20	0.06	0.05
Z	95.61	96.83	96.71	98.98	94.72	93.48
						
Si	0.003	0.002	0.001	0.000	0.001	0.005
Ti	0.021	0.070	0.069	0.001	0.420	0.027
Al	0.163	0.476	0.483	0.005	0.000	0.003
Fe3+	0.671	0.240	0.257	1.976	1.152	1.929
Fe2+	0.892	0.505	0.593	1.010	1.420	1.033
Mn	0.059	0.010	0.010	0.001	0.004	0.000
Mg	0.004	0.473	0.386	0.000	0.000	0.000
Ca	0.012	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.001	0.001
K	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Na	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Cr	1.143	1.212	1.190	0.001	0.000	0.000
Ni	0.000	0.005	0.005			
Zn	0.026	0.002	0.002			
V	0.006	0.005	0.005	0.005	0.002	0.001
Z	3.000	3.000	3.000	3.000	3.000	3.000
Mg#	0.005	0.48	0.39 Xusp	0.00	0.42	0.03
Cr#	0.88	0.72	0.71 Xmag	1.00	0.58	0.97
Note: c - core, r - rim (periphery) of the grain. In magnetite FeOot is distributed between FeO and Fe2O3 sensu Dropp (1987).
hornblende and actinolite were identified in metabasic rocks of the other Tatric core mountains (e. g. Male Karpaty Mts., Tribeč Mts.; Hovorka & Kovačik 2007). Amphiboles from amphibolitic gneisses and amphibo-lites of the Dumbier crystalline complex correspond to Mg-hornblende, or they lie close to Fe-hornblende field
(Spišiak & Pitonak 1990; Fig. 6A). Despite of chrome-spinel inclusions in Mg-hornblende, which could indicate the origin within the altered metaultramafites occur in the Dumbier crystalline complex (Spišiak & Pitonak 1990; Biely et al. 1992), we do not suppose this provenance because of these rocks have contained only
tremolite (Spišiak et al. 1988). Similarly, primitive Me-sozoic basalts cutting through the crystalline basement (Hovorka et al. 1982; Hovorka & Spišiak 1988; Spišiak et al. 1991) could have represented a potential source of Mg-hornblende with Cr-spinel inclusions. However, amphiboles from these rocks are zonal and correspond to kaersutite or low-silicum kaersutite (l. c.). Actinolite and Mg-hornblende occur in lenses of eclogite from the Dumbier crystalline complex which is overprinted in the granulite facies (Janak et al. 2009). ^eir textural features (symplectites with clinopyroxene and plagioclase, l. c.) do not suppose the amphibole genesis in eclogites. However, this possibility cannot be quite excluded.
Cr-spinel inclusions in amphibole (MO-1A, MO-1C samples) indicate the initial basic protolith of am-phibole (basic volcanic or volcano-clastic rock). Fer-ritchromite inclusions in hornblende can be explained by protolith of amphibolitic rocks. It can be considered a mixture of basic volcanic (to 75 %) and terrigenous sedimentary (up to 25 %) materials (Pitonäk & Spišiak 1988).
On the other hand, the source rock of hornblende could be the quartz diorite to diorite currently existing in the form of the enclaves in Prašiva type granitoids between Bor (1887.6 m a.s.l.) and Jaloviarka (1428.6 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 2). tte chemical composition of amphibole from diorite corresponds to Mg-hornblende with Mg# = (0.73 to 0.78) and Altot = (0.844 to 1.107 a.p.f.u.). Actinolite, Mg-hornblende, tschermakitic hornblende and edenite are known from the identical rocks distributed in the other core mountains (Tatricum; Cambel et al. 1981; Uher & Miko 1994; Ivanička et al. 1998; Fig. 6A). Diorites from the Dumbier crystalline complex contain an accessory pyroxene (Biely & Bezak et al. 1997). However, pyroxene was neither observed in the heavy mineral assemblage obtained from the cave sediments nor recorded in the recent alluvium sediments of the Mošnica Stream (Bačo et al. 2004). Despite this, part of the Mg-hornblende can be attributed to diorite provenance, mainly hornblende having a lower content of Ti, Altot and perhaps even Na2O (Fig. 6B-D).
Heterogenous composition and different types of garnet zonality were found in the various metamorphic rocks from the Dumbier crystalline complex (Spišiak & Pitonak 1990). tte garnets with higher spessartine content have been recorded in the Nizke Tatry crystalline basement. tte garnets from granitoid rocks correspond to almandine with significant spessartine (up to 24 mol. % Sps; Petrik & Konečny 2009). ^e highest MnO recorded from pegmatitic granites (up to 17 wt. %) in the Prašiva massif (Broska et al. 2012). ^ese rocks consider to the parental rocks of spessartine garnet found in MO-1C sample.
It follows that the accumulating area of palaeoflow (palaeoflows), which brought the material to the Mošnica Cave was formed mainly by the crystalline rocks - granitoids, gneisses and amphibolites. tte specific proportion of the allochthonous material probably originates in the siliciclastics of the Lužna Formation distributed on the crystalline basement. In crystalline rocks there were described the hydrothermal barite veins (Zuberec et al. 2005), whose presence we registered in the investigated samples (Tab. 1), too.
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PRE-QUATERNARY EVOLUTION OF THE CAVE AND SURROUNDING AREA
Generally, we can conclude that the main source area of allochthonous material of the Mošnica Cave was from the south non-carbonate part of the Mošnica Valley, probably also the metamorphic rocks despite the current position of the metamorphic crystalline complex behind the main ridge of the Nizke Tatry Mts. (cf. Biely et al. 1992). tte contact of metamorphic rocks and granitoids is indeed tectonic (Biely & Bezak et al. 1997; Bezak & Biely 1998).
A fluvial transport of allochthonous material into the cave is probably linked with a past larger catchment area of the allogenic karst of Mošnica Valley on the pre-Quaternary less dissected terrain.
Bella (1988, 2001) supposed the formation of the Mošnica Cave during the Late Pliocene (synchronously with the formation of surrounding planation surface which remnants are currently at about 1000 m a.s.l.). Orvoš and Orvošova (1996) assumed that the Mošnica Cave was formed between 3.2-2.588 Ma. Paleomagnetic record proved the deposition of the cave sediments took place during the Pliocene period (Kadlec et al. 2004). In the Western Carpathians the Late Pliocene is considered as a period of tectonic stability with the formation of the river level (Mazur 1963; Lukniš 1964 and others).
tte transport of the clastic material from metamor-phic rocks (enriched in amphibole), recently exposed behind the ridge of the mountain range on the southern slopes of the Nizke Tatry Mts., performed probably during the pre-Pliocene period. In this time the metamor-phic complex occurred in the northern slopes. A change of watershed boundary leaded through the central range of the Nizke Tatry Mts. can be explained by the tilting of the core mountain around the horizontal or subhorizontal axis (Grecula & Roth 1978) towards the north, in the compression regime during the Late Tertiary (Kovač 2000; Plašienka 2003). ^e uplift of the Nizke Tatry crystalline basement was induced by transpressional tectonic regime in the Lower Miocene (Kovač et al. 1994; Kovač 2000 and others). ^e relatively rapid uplift of mountain
Fig. 7: Longitudinal sections of relief evolution levels in the middle and northern parts of the Mošnica Valley (Bella 1988) including horizontal and subhorizontal caves, and remnants of Pleistocene river terraces t-I to t-VIII.
range occurred over the last stages of its development (Halmešova et al. 1992).
The remnant of scalloped rock wall in the Entrance Corridor is a morphological indicator of water flow into the continuing cave parts from the lower entrance (Bella & Urata 2002). This is an evidence of fluvial transport of the allochthonous material into the cave. In accordance with the considerations of Bella (1988) as well as Bella and Urata (l. c.) the underground spaces of the Mošnica Cave was primary originated by water flow with the involvement of the Mošnica palaeoflow. The treatment of the heavy mineral grains and their mineralogical character indicate a close source. The oldest allogenic river network in the Nizke Tatry Mts. elevation confirms the occurrence of the allochthonous sediments in the Ohnište paleokarst (Orvošova et al. 2006).
Based on the age of allochthonous sediments older than 2,588 Ma (Bosak et al. 2004; Kadlec et al. 2004) and their relation with remnants of planation surfaces and river terraces in the valley (Fig. 7) as well as the position of main horizontal cave corridors (at 1,055-1,060 m a.s.l.) in a relative height of 220 m above the recent river
bed in the Mošnica Valley, the Mošnica Cave was originated during the pre-Quaternary period, probably in the Pliocene. On the northern part of the Nizke Tatry Mts. remnants the mid-mountain planation surface (Sarma-tian-Early Pannonian) are at 1,400-1,450 m a.s.l., the submountain pediment (Pontian?) at 1,225-1,250 m a.s.l. and the river pediment (Late Pliocene) mostly at 1,000-1,050 m a.s.l. (Bella 2002). The relief of the area during a phreatic and epiphreatic development of the cave by allogenic waters was lesser dissected than in the recent.
Droppa (1950) assumed an aeolian transport of al-lochthonous material on the surface above the Mošnica Cave mainly from Bor (1887.6 m a.s.l.) and its subsequent washing into the cave by seeping meteoric waters. Based on follow up investigations we tend towards its fluvial transport into the cave by flood waters from a surfaced al-logenic paleostream that were slow-moving and ponded mostly in the Loamy Corridor. On the territory of the northern part of Paratethys the warm-temperate humid climate during the Pliocene was not favourable for aeolian processes and appertaining landform sculpturing.
CONCLUSIONS
1.	Translucent heavy mineral assemblages reflect no provenance changes.
2.	The main source area of the Mošnica Cave was I-type granitoids and probably also the metamorphic rocks despite the current position of the metamorphosed
crystalline complex behind the main ridge of the Nizke Tatry Mts.
3. The remnant of scalloped rock wall in the Entrance Corridor (Bella & Urata 2002) and sedimentary features of studied allochthonous sediments indicate
their fluvial transport into the Mošnica Cave. Paleomag-netism research of the sediments (Kadlec et al. 2004) and the relative high of the cave above the recent flood plain indicate that the cave originated during the pre-Quater-nary period (Pliocene) when a surface morphology (river network) was lesser dissected than the recent relief.
4. The transport of the clastic material from meta-morphic rocks performed probably during the pre-Pliocene period, seeing that during Pliocene a tectonic
stability in the Nizke Tatry Mts. is considered. In the pre-Pliocene period, the metamorphic complex occurred in the northern slopes.
Acknowledgements. This work was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under contract APVV-0625-11 and APVV-0081-10. Digital graphics of the figure 1A was processed by M. Gallay. We are grateful to Pavel Bosak and anonymous reviewer for constructive comments on this paper.
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