The composition and diagenetic features of the inland quaternary coralline limestone, south-Sharm Obhur, Red Sea coastal plain of Saudi Arabia

Abstract EN

Low Mg-culcitc, minor aragonite and less common dolomite.

quart z and feldspar constitute (he hulk composition of the inland Quaternary coralline limestone south of Sharm Ohhur.

Two cha racteris tic fades associations have been distinguished in this limestone: foraminiferal sandy biosparite and foraminiferal algal biosparit e.

They indicate deposition in regression sea under high energy conditi ons.

Dissolution am] precipitati on processes indicate diagenesis under mete oric vadose suben vironment.

High Mg-calcite was converted into low Mg-calcite and aragonue was partiully dissolved.

Sparite s are developed within skelatal cavities of foraminiferal and mollusc chambe rs, Geochcnncal investigation proved that Ca is associated with CaC0 1 and correlated negatively with Mg.

Fe.

Mn and Ba which are associated with the terrigenous muterinls drifted from the Tertiary mountains to the coast and enriched at the weathering zone.

However.

Sr is found to be the only element affected hy the dissolut ion-precipitation process.