The study of the geology of southern Egypt, in-between the Red Sea and the Libyan borders, south of latitude 24°30′N reveals a
succession of the Precambrian Arabo–Nubian Shield along the Red Sea coast overlain by Paleozoic–Mesozoic sediments. The
Paleozoic section in the study area is well developed in three sub-basins, namely, Uweinat–Gilf, South Nile, and Etbai. Paleozoic
sediments are well developed in the three sub-basins mostly sandstones of Cambrian overlain by glaciogene sediment conglomerates
at base namely Gabgaba Formation and by the Naqus Sandstone at top. The tectonic events during the Early Paleozoic
Caledonian Orogeny are marked by several unconformities and tectonic uplift and down faulting expressed in the many faults in
the Uweinat–Gilf and South Nile sub-basins. The Carboniferous is well-developed sandstones in the three studied sub-basins.
The glaciation at the Permian is reflected in sea-level fall, hence continental sediments are well developed in many parts of
Egypt—a phase of the HercynianOrogeny. Volcanics are very well common in the study areas ranging in age from 48 to 34 Ma at
Uweinat and Gebel El-Asr. Vulcanicity continued during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic at the Triassic of Nasab El-Balgum and in
the southWestern Desert, the south Eastern Desert, and Etbai area. The highly seismic conditions in southern Egypt continued up
to very recent times where tremors were noticed in the 80s and 90s of the last century pointing to very unstable area. |
