Geology of Socotra: Difference between revisions
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SharabSalam (talk | contribs) Again Unneeded addition. Something that is 60 M years old that scholars call it Somali plate isn't needed in such article |
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The '''geology of [[Socotra]]''' is part of the national [[geology of Yemen]], however, the island is geologically more closely related to the [[geology of Oman]] and rifted away from Arabia within the past 60 million years. Ancient [[Precambrian]] metamorphic rocks are intruded by younger igneous rocks, overlain by limestones and other marine sediments that deposited during [[marine transgression]] periods in the [[Cretaceous]] and the past 66 million years of the [[Cenozoic]]. |
The '''geology of [[Socotra]]''' is part of the national [[geology of Yemen]], however, the island is geologically more closely related to the [[geology of Oman]] and rifted away from Arabia within the past 60 million years. Ancient [[Precambrian]] metamorphic rocks are intruded by younger igneous rocks, overlain by limestones and other marine sediments that deposited during [[marine transgression]] periods in the [[Cretaceous]] and the past 66 million years of the [[Cenozoic]]. |
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==Stratigraphy, Tectonics & Geologic History== |
==Stratigraphy, Tectonics & Geologic History== |
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Revision as of 19:17, 6 January 2019
The geology of Socotra is part of the national geology of Yemen, however, the island is geologically more closely related to the geology of Oman and rifted away from Arabia within the past 60 million years. Ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks are intruded by younger igneous rocks, overlain by limestones and other marine sediments that deposited during marine transgression periods in the Cretaceous and the past 66 million years of the Cenozoic.
Stratigraphy, Tectonics & Geologic History
Initially, Socotra was part of what is now the Dhofar region in southern Oman. The island has crystalline igneous and metamorphic basement rock from the Precambrian, metamorphosed to amphibolite grade on the sequence of metamorphic facies. These metasediments and meta-igneous rocks are intruded by granite and gabbro. The Haggier Mountains formed from subsequent volcanic eruptions of hornblende, biotite and peralkaline granites and gabbros. [1]
Mesozoic (251-66 million years ago)
Thick sequences of sedimentary rock deposited in the region, before rifting isolated the Socotra Platform. Fault-bounded Jurassic rocks overly Triassic sedimentary sequences in south-eastern Socotra. A marine transgression flooded the region in the Cretaceous, leading to the deposition of shallow-marine limestones and siliclastic offshore sediments.
Cenozoic (66 million years ago-present)
In the Cenozoic, the newly formed Somali Plate began to rift apart from the Arabian Plate, opening the Gulf of Aden and isolating Socotra. Limestone, which now forms cliffs, deposited in the Eocene in an offshore shelf environment, followed by Oligocene and Miocene calcareous deposits. [2]
Natural resource geology
Aside from local mining for building materials, Socotra has no natural resources. Offshore hydrocarbon prospecting has not yielded any evidence of oil or gas.
References
- ^ Schluter, Thomas (2006). Geological Atlas of Africa. Springer. p. 224-225.
- ^ Template:Cite article