Contribution to the petrography, geochemistry, and tectonic setting of the basalt flows of the Umm-Qais plateau, north Jordan

Authors : H. El Akhal

Pages : 1-12

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Publication Date : 2004-02-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The Umm-Qais plateau is situated in north Jordan, south of the Yarmouk River. It consists of eleven  basalt flows insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(about 190 m. thickness);. The basalt flows belong to the Arabian Harrat volcanism. Petrographical,  mineralogical and geochemical analysis of 11 rock samples indicated that the rocks are products of a continental  intra-plate magmatism, mostly as coarse-grained silica-undersaturated olivine-rich alkali basalt insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(AOB);.  Nepheline and Fo-olivine are among the normative minerals. The age of the basalt flows can be correlated with the basalt of the northern extension of the Umm-Qais  plateau north the Yarmouk River insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Zamlat Bkhila plateau basalt); in the Golan Heights which was found to be  3.7±0.36-3.11±0.16 Ma. Flow eruptions are contemporaneous with the second spreading stage of the Red Sea  during the Cainozoic over the past 5 Ma. Analysis of fractures showed mainly four dominant directions, namely ENE/WSW, NW/SE, NNE/SSW  and NE/SW. They coincide with the trends of the Red Sea, Dead Sea transform fault, and some other distinct tectonic  features.
Keywords : North Jordan