New Petro-Geochemical Data on Carboniferous Mafic Rocks in the Achemmach Area (NW, Fourhal Basin-Moroccan Central Massif)

The Achemmach region is located 40 km to the SW from Meknes city and 6 km to the NE frm the Hammam mine. It is part of the Paleozoic massif of Central Morocco. The studied area is formed by two Paleozoic rock-types: (i) a meta-sedimentary sequence composed of Middle Visean limestone and shale-sandst...

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Main Authors: Hafid Mezougane, Mohamed Aissa, Mourad Essalhi, Azizi Moussaid, Muhammad Souiri, Ahmed Touil, Essaid Bilal, Mohamed Souiah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-05-01
Series:Minerals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/5/622
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author Hafid Mezougane
Mohamed Aissa
Mourad Essalhi
Azizi Moussaid
Muhammad Souiri
Ahmed Touil
Essaid Bilal
Mohamed Souiah
author_facet Hafid Mezougane
Mohamed Aissa
Mourad Essalhi
Azizi Moussaid
Muhammad Souiri
Ahmed Touil
Essaid Bilal
Mohamed Souiah
author_sort Hafid Mezougane
collection DOAJ
description The Achemmach region is located 40 km to the SW from Meknes city and 6 km to the NE frm the Hammam mine. It is part of the Paleozoic massif of Central Morocco. The studied area is formed by two Paleozoic rock-types: (i) a meta-sedimentary sequence composed of Middle Visean limestone and shale-sandstone withflyschoid of Upper Visean-Namurian age, and (ii) a magmatic rock series represented by volcanic rocks (pillow-lavas), hypovolcanic rocks (dolerites) and olivine-bearing gabbros.Based on the emplacement model, structural framework, relative chronology and petrogeochemistry of the magmatic rocks, for the first time in this area we distinguish: (i) dm to m-sized greenish pillow-lavas, with sharp borders and radius fractures underlined by fine greenish pelitic sedimentary intercalations, indicating recurrent volcanic activity in short episodes. Plagioclases and pyroxenes (augite) microlites, and more rarely phenocrystals, are recognizable in a glassy matrix devoid of recognizable olivine. (ii) Deformed, metamorphosed and altered dolerites dikes intrude the Middle to Upper Visean shale-sandstone formations. They have an overall NE-SW direction with a NW dip. They are composed of sericitized plagioclases, associated with partially to totally amphibolitized pyroxenes, tourmaline with differentdegrees of chlorite substitution, rutile and opaque minerals, in a microliticmesostasis and (iii) olivine-bearing gabbros, outcropping in variable dimensions (a few meters to 20 m). The olivine-bearing gabbros have a granular texture and are mainly made of plagioclases, pyroxenes, olivine, titanite, rutile, apatite and opaque minerals. All igneous minerals have undergone different degrees of replacement by secondary minerals; plagioclases are sericitized and albitized, pyroxenes are amphibolitized and epidotized and olivine is serpentinized and chloritized. Thepetro-geochemical study of these magmatic bodies demonstrates that pillow-lavas basalts and olivine-bearing gabbros have an alkaline affinity, while dolerites are thought to have a transitional alkaline affinity (alkaline-tholeiitic). Therefore, these formations would have been set up in anorogenic intra-continental geodynamic context, corresponding to a basin magmatism in the little evolved opening.
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spelling doaj.art-14fbbfa58adc4f23bab09f1aa667c5c72023-11-23T12:19:34ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2022-05-0112562210.3390/min12050622New Petro-Geochemical Data on Carboniferous Mafic Rocks in the Achemmach Area (NW, Fourhal Basin-Moroccan Central Massif)Hafid Mezougane0Mohamed Aissa1Mourad Essalhi2Azizi Moussaid3Muhammad Souiri4Ahmed Touil5Essaid Bilal6Mohamed Souiah7Physico-Chemistry of Processes and Materials Laboratory, Research Team Geology of the Mining and Energetics Resources, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Hassan First University of Settat, Settat 26002, MoroccoDepartment of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, M.B 11201, Zitoune, Meknes 50070, MoroccoFaculty of Sciences and Techniques, Moulay Ismail University, M.B 509, Boutalamine, Errachidia 52003, MoroccoDepartment of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, M.B 11201, Zitoune, Meknes 50070, MoroccoDepartment of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, M.B 11201, Zitoune, Meknes 50070, MoroccoDepartment of Geology, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Cadi Ayyad University, M.B 549, Av. AbdelkarimElkhattabi, Gueliz, Marrakech 40000, MoroccoCampus of Saint-Etienne 158, National School of Mines of Saint-Etienne (ENSM-SE), Cours Fauriel, 42000 Saint-Etienne, FranceManagemGroup, Twin Center, Tour A, Angle Boulevards Zerktouni et Al Massira Al Khadra, BP 5199, Casablanca 20250, MoroccoThe Achemmach region is located 40 km to the SW from Meknes city and 6 km to the NE frm the Hammam mine. It is part of the Paleozoic massif of Central Morocco. The studied area is formed by two Paleozoic rock-types: (i) a meta-sedimentary sequence composed of Middle Visean limestone and shale-sandstone withflyschoid of Upper Visean-Namurian age, and (ii) a magmatic rock series represented by volcanic rocks (pillow-lavas), hypovolcanic rocks (dolerites) and olivine-bearing gabbros.Based on the emplacement model, structural framework, relative chronology and petrogeochemistry of the magmatic rocks, for the first time in this area we distinguish: (i) dm to m-sized greenish pillow-lavas, with sharp borders and radius fractures underlined by fine greenish pelitic sedimentary intercalations, indicating recurrent volcanic activity in short episodes. Plagioclases and pyroxenes (augite) microlites, and more rarely phenocrystals, are recognizable in a glassy matrix devoid of recognizable olivine. (ii) Deformed, metamorphosed and altered dolerites dikes intrude the Middle to Upper Visean shale-sandstone formations. They have an overall NE-SW direction with a NW dip. They are composed of sericitized plagioclases, associated with partially to totally amphibolitized pyroxenes, tourmaline with differentdegrees of chlorite substitution, rutile and opaque minerals, in a microliticmesostasis and (iii) olivine-bearing gabbros, outcropping in variable dimensions (a few meters to 20 m). The olivine-bearing gabbros have a granular texture and are mainly made of plagioclases, pyroxenes, olivine, titanite, rutile, apatite and opaque minerals. All igneous minerals have undergone different degrees of replacement by secondary minerals; plagioclases are sericitized and albitized, pyroxenes are amphibolitized and epidotized and olivine is serpentinized and chloritized. Thepetro-geochemical study of these magmatic bodies demonstrates that pillow-lavas basalts and olivine-bearing gabbros have an alkaline affinity, while dolerites are thought to have a transitional alkaline affinity (alkaline-tholeiitic). Therefore, these formations would have been set up in anorogenic intra-continental geodynamic context, corresponding to a basin magmatism in the little evolved opening.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/5/622petrogeochemistrybasic magmatic rocksgeodynamic contextNNE Achemmach regioncentral Morocco
spellingShingle Hafid Mezougane
Mohamed Aissa
Mourad Essalhi
Azizi Moussaid
Muhammad Souiri
Ahmed Touil
Essaid Bilal
Mohamed Souiah
New Petro-Geochemical Data on Carboniferous Mafic Rocks in the Achemmach Area (NW, Fourhal Basin-Moroccan Central Massif)
Minerals
petrogeochemistry
basic magmatic rocks
geodynamic context
NNE Achemmach region
central Morocco
title New Petro-Geochemical Data on Carboniferous Mafic Rocks in the Achemmach Area (NW, Fourhal Basin-Moroccan Central Massif)
title_full New Petro-Geochemical Data on Carboniferous Mafic Rocks in the Achemmach Area (NW, Fourhal Basin-Moroccan Central Massif)
title_fullStr New Petro-Geochemical Data on Carboniferous Mafic Rocks in the Achemmach Area (NW, Fourhal Basin-Moroccan Central Massif)
title_full_unstemmed New Petro-Geochemical Data on Carboniferous Mafic Rocks in the Achemmach Area (NW, Fourhal Basin-Moroccan Central Massif)
title_short New Petro-Geochemical Data on Carboniferous Mafic Rocks in the Achemmach Area (NW, Fourhal Basin-Moroccan Central Massif)
title_sort new petro geochemical data on carboniferous mafic rocks in the achemmach area nw fourhal basin moroccan central massif
topic petrogeochemistry
basic magmatic rocks
geodynamic context
NNE Achemmach region
central Morocco
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/5/622
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