Alkaline Rocks and Carbonatites of the World

Setup during HiTech AlkCarb: an online database of alkaline rock and carbonatite occurrences

Crater Hills

stripes

Occurrence number: 
049-00-047
Country: 
Egypt
Location: 
Longitude: 25.5, Latitude: 22.33
Carbonatite: 
No

Figs 61 and 62The Crater Hills extend over an area of approximately 80x70 km, immediately to the northeast of Uweinat (No.049-00-048), and include those known as 'Peter' and 'Paul'. They comprise about 18 plugs of basalt, trachyte, quartz trachyte and rhyolite with some phonolite. The trachytes contain aegirine and a sodic amphibole, which may comprise as much as a third of the rock, and up to 9% modal nepheline (Bishady and El Ramly, 1982); biotite is sometimes abundant. One intrusion is described as consisting of alkali rhyolite but alkali pyroxene or amphibole does not appear to be present. Modal and chemical data, including some trace elements, are available (Bishady and El Ramly, 1982).

Age: 
Probably of similar age to Uweinat occurrence (see Libya No.099-00-013).
References: 

BISHADY, A.M. and EL RAMLY, M.F. 1982. Petrographical and petrochemical studies on some alkaline volcanics from Uweinat area South Western Desert, Egypt. Annals of the Geological Survey of Egypt, 12: 29-45.SANDFORD, K.S. 1935. Geological observations on the north-west frontiers of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and the adjoining part of the southern Libyan desert. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, 91: 323-81.

Map: 
Fig. 3_61 Crater Hills (after Bishady and El Ramly, 1982, Fig. 1). and Fig. 3_62 The frontier area of Egypt, Libya and Sudan showing location of the Crater Hills in Egypt and the Uweinat complex.
Location: 
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith