Ordovician ironstone sedimentation in Ougarta Ranges: North Western Sahara (Algeria)

Abstract

The distribution of oolitic ironstones (OIS) of the Sahara Platform allows the distinction of two types of deposits: “Extensive Ironstone Deposition” type (EXID) and “Local Ironstone Deposition type” (LOID).Within Ordovician Formations of Ougarta ranges (Western Sahara) twelve oolitic ironstone beds of EXID type occur. The nature of ironstones within the sedimentary succession allows the distinction of two degrees of “Relative Oolitic Sedimentation Rates” (ROSR I and ROSR II), linked successively to the thickness and to the duration of the deposition.Markov chain analysis applied to the sedimentological study, suggests that ironstones are located at the bottom of fining-upward sequences and therefore, deposited in shallow shelf environments under transgressive conditions. The ironstones grouped into three facies types: a micro-conglomeratic facies (FMC), a facies with ooliths scattered in a quartz-rich matrix (detrital facies: FOD), and a facies with ooliths scattered in a quartz-poor groundmass (non-detrital facies: FOND).The mineralogy is mainly composed of hematite, chamosite, geothite, siderite and quartz.Sedimentological facts and petrographical features suggest for the oolitization, an intrasedimentary process of accretion developed in a quiet environment.Ordovician oolitic ironstones of the Ougarta region are included in a “Paleozoic North African Ironstone Belt” extending from the Oro to Libya and developed along the margin of Gondwana craton. This belt may be compared to the peri-Atlantic “North american Ironstone Belt” of Ordovician and Silurian age, but developed in a foreland basin bordered by the Taconic Orogen.