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The deposits of the Upper Carboniferous to Lower Permian Zobing Formation in Lower Austria have been studied by a wide range of sedimentological methods in several limited outcrops. Four facies associations were identified: (a) non-channelized fine-grained deposits; (b) channelized sandstones, (c) non-channelized conglomerates, and (d) channelized conglomerates. Non-channelized fine-grained sediments are interpreted as deposits in shallow, semi-permanent pools on floodplains. Channelized sandstones are associated with fluvial processes and mostly represent crevasse channels cut into the floodplains. Channelized conglomerates originated from coarse-grained confined and hyperconcentrated flows. Non-channelized conglomerates are interpreted as sediments of alluvial fan and alluvial plain systems. A terminal fluvial system developed under a semi-arid to arid climatic regime is supposed to be the depositional environment of the Zobing Formation.

The detritus was mostly derived from primary sources formed by crystalline rocks. The proportion of metamorphites (particularly metapelitic rocks, such as mica schists, paragneisses, felsitic granulites) was predominant along with acidic magmatic and volcanic rocks. The source area predominantly can be located in the Moldanubian unit. Rapid physical erosion, redeposition and subordinately also chemical weathering are all supposed in the source area. The general provenance evolution of the entire Zobing Formation shows local/adjacent sources in the basal parts whereas a wider provenance and variations in the primary and recycled detritus are assumed for the younger parts of the succession.