Integrated petrological and geochemical studies of the Eocene carbonates from Wadi Sannur and Wadi Arhab regions, North Eastern Desert, Egypt

The present study focuses on the petrology and geochemistry of the Eocene carbonate rocks from Wadi Sannur and Wadi Arhab regions in the north Eastern Desert, Egypt. Lithologically, the area comprises two main carbonate units arranged from base to top; El Fashn Formation (Tem) and Sannur Formation (TemSn) which belong to the late Middle Eocene. These formations primarily comprise pure limestone with some hematite and siliciclastic components. Limestone lithofacies dominate the carbonate rocks, The microfacies analyses reveal diverse environments, ranging from low to high-energy, shallow, warm, and subtidal settings, as evidenced by foraminiferal biosparite, sandy biosparite, sandy biomicrite, sandy intrasparite, and nummulitic biosparite. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) revealed that the prevalent mineral in the study area is calcite with less abundant siliciclastic. X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) indicates that CaO is the most abundant component in these carbonates. Notably, the present area contains a distinct outcrop of high-purity calcium carbonate (> 95% Ca CO3), making it a valuable resource for quarrying and various industrial applications, particularly the cement industry, a critical sector for the Egyptian economy, especially in Beni Suef Governorate (which encompasses the study area). Beni Suef characterizes five cement factories with twelve production lines, highlighting the significance of this limestone reserve. Trace element concentrations vary considerably across the samples. The contents of Zr, Ba, V, Sr, Cu, and Zn are prevalent in these carbonate rocks.