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Lithostratigraphy and standard microfacies types of the Neogene carbonates of Rabigh and Ubhur areas, Red Sea coastal plain of Saudi Arabia

الطباقية الصخرية و أنواع السحنات الدقيقة القياسية لكربونات النيوجين فى مناطق رابغ و أبحر، شاطئ البحر الأحمر، المملكة العربية السعودية

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Abstract

The Neogene carbonate rocks have relatively small exposure relative to the siliciclastic and evaporite rocks in Rabigh and Ubhur areas, north Jeddah, Red Sea coastal plain of Saudi Arabia. The Miocene carbonates form small hills in both areas, which conformably overlie the siliciclastics, whereas the Pleistocene coral reefs form terraces facing the Red Sea in Rabigh area. The Neogene carbonates are represented by the following microfacies types: (1) dolomitic, oolitic, foraminiferal packstone; (2) sandy, dolomitic, intraclastic, foraminiferal packstone; (3) dolomitic and oolitic wackestone; (4) dolomitic, foraminiferal, intraclastic wackestone; (5) dolomitic mudstone; (6) coral boundstone; and (7) grainstone. The diagenetic processes affecting these carbonates are compaction, dissolution, aggrading neomorphism, and replacement that took place during deposition, shallow burial, and uplift. Pervasive dolomitization by the seepage reflux mechanism is responsible for the mimic replacement of the calcite of the original component of the limestone with dolomite. Sediments, biota, and lithofacies characteristics of the studied carbonate rocks of Rabigh and Ubhur areas indicate the presence of three facies zones; these are (1) FZ 5 platform margin reefs, (2) FZ 6 (platform margin sand shoals), and (3) FZ 7 platform interior-normal marine. The standard microfacies types are represented by (1) SMF 12, limestone with shell concentration; (2) SMF 15, oolitic wackestone and packstone; and (3) SMF 18, bioclastic grainstone and packstone with abundant benthic foraminifera.

أحمد صالح

رابغ و أبحر، شمال جدة، شاطئ البحر الأحمر، المملكة العربية السعودية. تكون كربونات الميوسين تلال صغيرة فى كلا من المنطقتين، و التي تعلوا بتناسق الفتاتيات السليكاتية، بينما الشعاب المرجانية للبلايستوسين تكون مصاطب مواجهة للبحر الأحمر في منطقة رابغ. تتمثل صخور كربونات النيوجين بأنواع السحنات الدقيقة التالية: (1) دلمتة االسرئيات و المثقبات للحجر العلبي، (2) دلمتة الرمل و الفتاتيات الداخلية و المثقبات للحجر العلبي، (3) دلمتة السرئيات للحجر المشتت، (4) دلمتة المثقبات و الفتاتيات الداخلية للحجر المشتت، (5) دلمتة حجر الكربونات الطيني، (6) حجر الشعاب المتماسكة, (7) الحجر الحبيبي. تاثرت صخور الكربونات بعمليات التحور مثل الإنضغاط و الإذابة و كبر حجم البلورات و الإحلال. و هذه العمليات حدثت أثناء الترسيب و الدفن الضحل و بعد الرفع. أما عملية الدلمتة الشانعة فإنها تكونت عن طريق عملية النضح و إرجاع الأجاج و التي تعتبر مسئولة عن الإحلال المتماثل من الكالسيت الى الدولوميت. تشير الخصائص الرسوبية و الحيوية الصخرية للكربونات تحت الدراسة في مناطق رابغ و أبحر إلي تواجد النطاقات السحنية الثلاثة الآتية: (1) نطاق حافة رصيف الشعاب، (2) نطاق حافة الرصيف للرمل الضحل ، (3) نطاق داخل الرصيف للبحر العادي. تشكل السحنات الدقيقة القياسية الأنواع الآتية: (1) سحنة الحجر الجيري الغنية بالأصداف، (2) سحنة سرئيات الحجر المشتت و الحجر العلبي، (3) الفتاتيات الحيوية للحجر الحبيبي و الحجر العلبي الغني بالمثقبات القاعية.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Petroleum Geology and Sedimentology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Mohammed Hamed Mandurah & Mahmoud Ahmed Aref

  2. Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

    Mahmoud Ahmed Aref

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  1. Mohammed Hamed Mandurah
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  2. Mahmoud Ahmed Aref
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Correspondence to Mohammed Hamed Mandurah.

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Mandurah, M.H., Aref, M.A. Lithostratigraphy and standard microfacies types of the Neogene carbonates of Rabigh and Ubhur areas, Red Sea coastal plain of Saudi Arabia. Arab J Geosci 5, 1317–1332 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-011-0281-z

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