Allogenic and authigenic clays of the Lower Palæozoic sandstones of the Naqus Formation at Gebel Gunna, central Sinai, Egypt: their recognition and geological significance

Abstract

The Lower Palæozoic Naqus Formation of Gebel Gunna in the Sinai Peninsula is conformably underlain by the Araba Formation and unconformably overlain by the Cenomanian Malha Formation. It consists mainly of fine- to medium-grained pebbly sandstones with a few siltstone and granulestone interbeds. Petrographical, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and chemical analyses of the sandstones revealed that they are mainly quartzarenite, containing allogenic and authigenic clays. The allogenic clays were found in small amounts. Such clays exhibit some of the characteristic features of infiltration clay coats. The clays coat a few grain surfaces and form meniscus-shaped pore bridges at points of grain contact. In addition, the clays were observed on the surfaces of crystalline authigenic minerals and in-filled elongated pores of partially dissolved feldspar grains. The recorded authigenic clays are mainly kaolinite with a minor amount of illite. The kaolinite exhibits three morphological habits: vermicular, blocky and fan-shaped. The vermicular kaolinite is dominant and was interpreted to have formed by dissolution of feldspar grains. The blocky kaolinite was observed with a textural relationship, indicating that it was neomorphosed after vermicular kaolinite. The fan-shaped kaolinite was found to be a result of mica alteration. Study of both allogenic and authigenic clays has helped in understanding the sedimentological history of the studied sandstones. The sandstones were deposited in a braided stream, buried at depth of about 1–3 km, and afterwards subjected to surface exposure.