GEOLOGY, GEOCHEMISTRY AND RADIOACTIVITY OF GRANITIC AND VOLCANIC ROCKS ATHADARBA AREA, SOUTH EASTERN DESERT, EGYPT

The present work deals with geology, geochemistry, radioactivity and tectonic environment of the granitic and volcanic rocks at Hadarba area, South Eastern Desert of Egypt. The granitic rocks comprise tonalite-granodiorite and monzogranite, while the volcanic rocks include rhyolite, rhyodacite and dacite. These rocks are characterized by high concentrations of SiO2, Na2O, Fe2O3, K2O, Zr, Nb and Y but low in MgO, CaO, Cr, Ni, Sr, Ga and V. Field studies indicate that Dokhan volcanics extrude both tonalite-granodiorite and monzogranite with sharp contact forming a thick successive sequence of laminated acid lava flows, crystal lapilli tuffs and agglomerates. They range in composition from rhyolite, rhyodacite to dacite. Shear zone comprise lines–arranged intrusions trending NE-SW direction were recorded north Gabal Hadarba and extends for about 2.3 km in length with a width reaches up to 10 meter. These lines–arranged intrusions include quartz vein, microgranite and basic dykes. These shear zones cut through monzogranite.
Petrochemical studies and tectonic discrimination diagrams for the monzogranite reveal that it is classified as granite developed in the within-plate tectonic environment, while Dokhan volcanics are classified as rhyolite and dacite developed in the immature island arcs and active continental margin environments. Field radiometric measurements of the granitic and volcanic rocks reveal low uranium and thorium contents. Equivalent uranium content ranges from 1.2 to 2.7 ppm in the tonalite-granodiorite, from 1.1 to 8.5 ppm in the monzogranite, from 1.3 to 9.3 ppm in the Dokhan volcanic and from 1.4 to 15.4 ppm in the felsite dyke.