Provenance of recent sediments, along the Red Sea coast, Egypt

Abstract

Fifteen samples were collected from the recent sediments of 15 Wadi- floors, from depth of 30cm along the Egyptian Red Sea coast. The samples were analyzed for grain size, mineral and chemical compositions in order to interpret their differences and nature of provenance. Heavy mineral analyses and trace element concentrations of studied wadis have revealed the relative abundance of both heavy minerals (opaques and non- opaques) and trace elements in different areas along the coast. Application of cluster analyses, on both heavy minerals and trace elements variations give good evidence for the tectonic setting leading to the definition of four main clusters (mineral associations): amphibole association, opaque-amphibole-trace association, trace -amphibole-epidote association and opaque- trace element association. These clusters could be related to four different provinces. Heavy minerals and trace elements distribution shows regional variability induced by provenance and local variability reflecting genetic differences in the coastal sediments. The analysis and results of heavy mineral and trace element assemblages of the Red Sea are clearly reflecting diverging plate boundaries in most cases.