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European Journal of Applied Sciences – Vol. 9, No. 3
Publication Date: June 25, 2021
DOI:10.14738/aivp.93.10461. Daoud, A. M. A., Rashed, M. A., Sediek, K. N., Elamein, A. M., & Elsharief, A. M. (2021). Petrography, Diagenesis and Paragenesis of
Wadi Halfa Oolitic Ironstone Formation, North Sudan. European Journal of Applied Sciences, 9(3). 591-607.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Petrography, Diagenesis and Paragenesis of Wadi Halfa Oolitic
Ironstone Formation, North Sudan
Abazar M. A. Daoud
Red Sea University – Sudan
Rashed M. A.
Alexandria University – Egypt
Kadry N. Sediek
Alexandria University – Egypt
Elamein A. M.
Dongola University – Sudan
Elsharief A. M.
Khartoum University – Sudan
ABSTRACT
Utilizing petrography, diagenesis and paragenesis are the major step to study the
sediments of Wadi Halfa Oolitic Ironstone Formation for their origin and economic
potential. Petrographical analysis of Wadi Halfa Oolitic Ironstone Formation were
carried out depending on the investigation of six vertical lithofacies profiles from
the region of Wadi Halfa. The petrographic classification of sandstone samples of
Wadi Halfa Oolitic Ironstone Formation according to mineral composition (quartz,
lithic fragments, and feldspars) are classified as quartzarenite 66.7%, sub lithic
arenite 20.9% and subarkose 12.5%. The provenance of the sandstone revealed
that all sample were derived mainly from interior stable craton. The stable craton
offered good environments for detrital constitution to be recycled and transported
for relatively long-distance. The present study adopted an intergranular pressure
solution (IGV) diagram for IGV values more than 50 percent for all studied samples
indicating that more of their original porosity has been destroyed cementation
rather than by compaction processes for most samples.
Keywords: Petrography, Diagenesis, Paragenesis, Wadi Halfa, Lithofacies and
Intergranular pressure solution (IGV)
INTRODUCTION
Based on paleontological and stratigraphical studies [1] adopted the term Wadi Halfa Oolitic
Ironstone Formation of Upper Carboniferous Permo-Triassic Upper Jurassic age.
The Wadi Halfa Oolitic Ironstone Formation occupied the area around Wadi Halfa and Argeen
near the Nubian Lake in the extremely northern Sudan bordering south Egypt.
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European Journal of Applied Sciences (EJAS) Vol. 9, Issue 3, June-2021
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
The Nubian sandstone succession in the study area is represented by the Wadi Halfa Oolitic
Ironstone Formation ranges in thickness from a few to a maximum of 500 meters. It is
composed of loose to highly consolidated beds of sandstones, siltstone, mudstones, oolitic
ironstone, barite concretions and pedogenic facies.
Six vertical lithofacies sections were chosen for detailed studies based on the variations of
composition, grain size, color, sorting, primary sedimentary structures and palaeocurrent
direction.
The main objectives of the present research are to study the petrography, diagenesis and
paragenesis of the Wadi Halfa Oolitic Ironstone Formation to give a base information of the
petrographical data of the selected formation.
GEOLOGY OF THE STUDY AREA
The study area is located east of the Sudanese section of Lake Nasser (Nubia Lake), near the
bordering area between Sudan and Egypt. The study area bounded between latitudes (21° 50'
N) and longitudes (31° 18' E) as shown in Figure 1.
Wadi Halfa Oolitic Ironstone Formation is composed of yellowish, brownish to whitish fine,
medium to coarse grained sandstone layers that are intercalated with oolitic ironstone and
barite concretions. The main primary structures of this formation are bedding planes including
planer and trough cross-bedded sandstone, joints, caves, holes and honeycomb structures. [2]
The thickness of oolitic ironstone ranging from 20 to 80 cm thick that representing one to three
layers. The colors of oolitic ironstone vary from reddish, brownish, yellowish and black.
The lithofacies of Wadi Halfa Oolitic Ironstone Formation contain sediments of fluvial, glacial,
fluvioglacial, and shallow marine sediments. It includes trough cross bedded sandstone,
planner cross bedded sandstone, horizontally stratified sandstone, fine mudstone facies,
massive mudstone facies, rippled sandstone facies and horizontally shallow marine sandstone
facies and barite concretion facies [3].
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Daoud, A. M. A., Rashed, M. A., Sediek, K. N., Elamein, A. M., & Elsharief, A. M. (2021). Petrography, Diagenesis and Paragenesis of Wadi Halfa
Oolitic Ironstone Formation, North Sudan. European Journal of Applied Sciences, 9(3). 591-607.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.93.10461
Figure 1. Location map of the study area
Sampling and Methodology
The carefully selection representative six vertical sections (vertical lithofacies associations) of
Wadi Halfa Oolitic Ironstone Formation were examined, each section was photographed and
documented, described and classified into several lithological units.
A total of thirty samples were thin sectioned. The petrographic characteristics were determined
using polarized microscope (PL) and counted by point counting to determine the rock
constituents and the different porosity types using methods suggested by [4].
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was also used to identify minerals and textures. Clay
minerals were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Field Observations
Six vertical stratigraphic sections around Wadi Halfa were measured, each section was studied
and described in detail. Figure 2.
During field observations more eight facies were recorded include trough cross-bedded
sandstone, planner cross bedded sandstone, horizontal stratified sandstone, horizontally
shallow marine sandstone, fine mudstone facies, massive mudstone facies, massive
conglomerate facies and rippled sandstone.