The geology and geophysics of the United Arab Emirates : Volume 2, Geology

Abstract

This volume forms part of the product of a multidisciplinary study by the British Geological Survey (BGS), commissioned by the UAE Federal Government, Ministry of Energy, to produce 1:50 000 scale geological maps of the bedrock and superficial geology of the northern part of the UAE. This volume contains information about the findings of the geological mapping and associated specialist research. The only large areas of exposed rocks in the UAE occur in the Hajar mountains in the northern Emirates. Previous geological maps were made more than 20 years ago and were based largely on air photo interpretation with limited ground-truthing. The rapid economic development in the intervening period has seen a tremendous expansion of the national infrastructure; this has greatly increased the demand for high quality, field-based geological maps. The mountain area was mapped at a scale of 1:25 000 and a series of maps at a scale of 1:50 000 have been produced, along with maps of areas of special interest at 1:25 000. The desert area to the west of the mountains, covered largely by Quaternary deposits, was mapped at a scale of 1:50 000 and maps produced at 1:100,000. All these maps are accompanied by a Sheet Explanation that describes the rock sequences in the area covered by that particular map. This report describes the broader features of the main rock groups on a regional basis and includes the results of the specialist laboratory studies that were used to define and interpret the geology of the project area. The field mapping was undertaken in the winter months between October 2002 and January 2006. The mapping was carried out by S L B Arkley, J N Carney, R A Ellison, A R Farrant, K M Goodenough, E R Phillips, E A Pickett, D I Schofield, D Stephenson, M T Styles, R J Thomas, D G Tragheim and M Warrak. The laboratory studies were mostly carried out at the BGS. The petrographic study of the ophiolite, metamorphic and Dibba and Hatta zone rocks was carried out by members of the mapping team, and the limestones of the Platform Carbonates were studied by G K Lott. J A McKervey made electron probe microanalysis of minerals, M A Woods made macropalaeontological studies and assisted with the field mapping, and I P Wilkinson made micropalaeontologial determinations. Q W Crowley carried out the geochronological studies. The Earth Science Department at Cardiff University carried out the whole rock geochemical analysis and was also involved in a collaborative geochemical research project. P Lappage drew the majority of the illustrations. This volume was complied and edited K M Goodenough

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This paper was published in NERC Open Research Archive.

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