Facies and stratigraphy of early to middle cretaceous (Late Aptian-Early Cenomanian) strata from the northern rim of the African Craton (Gebel Maghara—Sinai, Egypt)

Abstract

Thin-section analysis of Late Aptian/Early Cenomanian limestones was carried out in respect to the distribution of components and biota. All the sedimentological data were used for interpreting the depositional environment. The sequence starts with Early Cretaceous sandstones; sandy dolomites form the transition to massive limestones, which prevail in the middle and upper parts of the section. They indicate shallow marine carbonate platform conditions at the northern rim of the African Craton: Thick accumulations of tidal carbonate shoals interfinger with quiet-water subtidal and intertidal to supratidal strata. The paleogeographic importance of the sequence is emphasized by comparison with contemporaneous strata in Israel and northern Egypt.