Stratigraphy and Microfacies Analyses of The Al Faidiyah and Benghazi Formations at Al Fatiah, Al Huarry and  Al Abyar Quarries, NE Libya

Osama R.  Shaltami; Fares F.  Fares; Ahmed M.  Muftah; Saad K.  El Ebaidi; Mohamed M. Alriayad; Farag M. EL Oshebi; Hwedi Errishi

doi:10.59743/jmset.v4i2.78

Authors

Osama R. Shaltami Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Benghazi, Benghazi city, Libya.
Fares F. Fares Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Benghazi, Benghazi city, Libya.
Ahmed M. Muftah Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Benghazi, Benghazi city, Libya.
Saad K. El Ebaidi Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Benghazi, Benghazi city, Libya.
Mohamed M. Alriayad Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Benghazi, Benghazi city, Libya.
Farag M. EL Oshebi Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Benghazi, Benghazi city, Libya.
Hwedi Errishi Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, University of Benghazi, Benghazi city, Libya.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59743/jmset.v4i2.78

Keywords:

Microfacies analysis, Stratigraphic correlation, Depositional environment, Al Fatiah, Al Huarry and Al Abyar Quarries, Libya

Abstract

Three quarries named Al Fatiah Cement, Al Huarry Cement, and Al Abyar are located in the northeastern part of Libya and consist of carbonate rocks of Miocene age. The main objectives of this study based on microfacies analyses are to construct the depositional environment with a comprehensive stratigraphical correlation of the study areas. The Al Fatiah Quarry has been divided into three microfacies which are operculinid packstone microfacies, algal packstone microfacies, and moluskan packstone grading to grainstone microfacies, one species of large benthic foraminifera is found to be abundant (Operculina complanata). Accordingly, the Al Faidiyah Formation was deposited in a continental shelf (outer to middle neritic zones) environment. Al Huarry Cement Quarry has been divided into five microfacies which are algal boundstone microfacies, amphisteginid - algae packstone microfacies, amphisteginid grainstone microfacies, algal - bryozan packstone microfacies and amphisteginiid - bryozoan - algal boundstone microfacies, one species of large benthic foraminifera is found to be abundant and well preserved (Amphestegina cf. lessonii). Accordingly, the Benghazi Formation was deposited in an inner self to open a marine shelf environment. On the other hand, the Al Abyar Quarry has been divided into two microfacies which are pelloidal packstone microfacies and miliolid wackestone–packstone microfacies, suggesting that the sedimentation was of low energy under very shallow marine to the restricted environment.

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