Structural Setting and its Relationship to the Distribution of Radioelements, at Wadi El-Atshan Area, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt

Abstract

Wadi El Atshan area in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt is occupied by Neoproterozoic basement rocks. The exposed rocks of the area comprise metasediment-metavolcanic associations, older granites, Hammamat sedimentary rocks, younger granites and post orogenic volcanics (mainly trachyte). Detailed field, structure and radiometric studies on the area indicated that it is characterized by the presence of NW-SE and NE-SW important structural trends. These two trends play an effective role in the distribution of the radioactive anomalies in trachyte sills and dykes. Where, trachyte possesses the highest uranium content and secondary uranium minerals such as uranophane and betafite.