The Relation between Old Wadis and Miocene Clastics in the Gulf of Suez

By

M.Nady Sayed¹

(1) Ain Shams University, N/A, Egypt

 The Relationship between Old Wadis and Miocene clastics in the Gulf of Suez Rift

Moataz Nady (Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University)

Abstract

The Miocene clastic sediments in the Gulf of Suez rift lie between the pre-Miocene rocks and the Miocene evaporites. These clastic sediments are found in three main longitudinal basins in the Suez rift (the African, central, and Sinai basins). The Nubia Sandstone and basement rocks on both sides of the Gulf of Suez were the source of the Miocene sands deposited in the central and southern parts of the gulf. Rifting occurred at the end of Eocene - Early Oligocene when block faulting formed horsts and grabens. These horsts and grabens influenced the depositional character of the Miocene clastics. The Miocene clastic sediments of the northern Gulf are poor in sands compared to the sand-rich areas in the central and southern parts of the Gulf. The Miocene clastic sediments were deposited on the flanks of local pre-Miocene basement highs near the mouths of old wadis. In this study, there will be an explanation for the relationship between these old wadis and the sand deposition in the Gulf of Suez as well as an explanation for the main wadis formed during the Miocene time.