Evidence of flexural extension of the Rif foreland: The Rharb-Mamora basin (northern Morocco)

Abstract

Abstract The Rharb-Mamora basin is the foreland of the Rif Cordillera (orogenic belt). The Mamora area (northern Morocco) is located at the southern border of the Rharb basin and intercalated between the Alpine Rif Mountains to the north and the Hercynian Moroccan Meseta domain to the south. Analysis and interpretation of seismic lines, hydrogeological and oil wells, have allowed to precise the major structural elements of the Mamora area, which is covered by late Neogene sediments. The structure of the area is controlled by faults that also affect the Paleozoic basement. The NE-SW and NW-SE trending faults induce the palaeogeographical evolution and control, the facies distribution and the thickness variations. The most important or relevant structural feature of the Mamora area is the Kenitra-Sidi-Slimane fault (K2SF) [Zouhri et al., 2001]. This fault N110oE trending is south of the Rif Alpine thrust front and is marked by a progressive deepening of its northern compartment, at least since Cretaceous time. Thus the Mamora appears as a hinge between the Rharb Basin and the Moroccan Meseta from Cretaceous to Neogene time.