Petrographic, Radiometric and Paleomagnetic Studies for Some Alkaline Rocks, South Nusab El Balgum Mass Complex, South Western Desert, Egypt

Ragaa A. M. Elsayed, Hassan M. Assran, Soliman A. Abu Elatta

Nuclear Materials Authority, Cairo, Egypt.

DOI: 10.4236/gm.2014.41004                

Abstract

Nusab El Balgum mass complex represents one of the alkaline igneous activities in the south Western Desert of Egypt. Petrographic investigations defined some different rock types in south of the complex represented by alkaline volcanics (pyroclastics [rhyolitic crystal tuffs], spherulitic rhyolites, alkaline rhyolite dykes), sub-volcanic peralkaline granites and structurally controlled mylonitic volcanoclastics. These rocks recorded significant concentrations in terms of the two radioactive elements Th and eU, which displayed considerable spatial variations, especially within the peralkaline granites. The abundance of Th and eU is mainly related to favorable combination of structural and pos-magmatic hydrothermal conditions. Paleomagnetic results give well-defined stable remanent magnetization directions of reliable VGP positions, which are presented and discussed in the context of the African APWP. Rock types, magnetization directions and VGP positions with the corresponding ages are as follows: 1) Rhyolitic crystal tuffs; D/I = 340.0°/—19.4°, α₉₅ = 6.8°; VGP Lat./Long. = 51.4°N/240.5°E, A₉₅ = 5.9° (Late Triassic). 2) Spherulitic rhyolites; D/I = 346.7°/—6.6°, α₉₅ = 3.5°; VGP Lat./Long. = 60.4°N/237.0°E, A₉₅ = 3.0° (Late Triassic/Early Jurassic). 3) Alkaline rhyolite dykes; D/I = 341.3°/16.7°, α₉₅ = 5.4°; VGP Lat./Long. = 67.0°N/262.8°E, A₉₅ = 4.2

Keywords

Radiometric; Paleomagnetic; Alkaline Volcanics; Peralkaline Granite; Amorphous Secondary Uranium; Thorium

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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