Geology of Dakhla Oasis, Western
Desert, Egypt
Elsayed A. Zaghloul
Abstract The exposed Upper Cretaceous—Lower Eocene rock units in the area
extending between Teneida and Abu Minqar, is divided into the Taref, Quseir Formations of the Nubian Sandstone Group (Pre-Maestrichtian age), the Duwi Formation
(Lower Maestrichtian), the Dakhla Formation (Maestrichtian- Paleocene) subdivided
into Mawhub, Baris Mudstone and Kharga Shale Members. In Qur Al-Malik area,
the Kharga Shale Member was laterally changed in facies to Qur al-Malik Sandstone
Member. The succession of the Tarawan Formation (Upper Danian—Landenian age)
represents the Nile Valley facies. The Garra al-Arbain facies was represented by the
Kurkur and Garra Formations east of Dakhla Basin at Teneida area. The Quaternary
deposits are related to aeolian, fluviatile and lacustrine sediments interrupted by wet
and dry phases. Generally, the area is characterized by simple structural elements
and has been untouched by strong tectonic forces.
Keywords Dakhla Oasis · Stratigraphy · Formation · Member · Tectonic
1 Introduction
Dakhla Oasis is located in the heart of the Western Desert, about 500 km from the Nile
Valley. Its longitudes is 28°15‘–29°40‘ E and latitudes is 25°00–26°00‘ N (Fig. 1).
It occupies a structural basin located about 90–140 m. above sea level and covering
an area of about 1400 km
2 . It extends 70 km in a WNW direction and the maximum
width is about 20 km from north to south.
The depression was bounded from the north by the scarp face of Kharga–Dakhla—
Abu Minqar plateau which stood high about 400 m. above the floor of the depression
while the depression is open from the south and the Oasis lies in the center of the
depression.
E. A. Zaghloul (B)
Geological Applications and Mineral Resources Division, National Authority for Remote Sensing
and Space Sciences, 23 Joseph Tito Street, El-Nozha El-Gedida, Cairo, Egypt
e-mail: eazaghloul@narss.sci.eg; elsayedzaghloul@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
E. Iwasaki et al. (eds.), Sustainable Water Solutions in the Western Desert,
Egypt: Dakhla Oasis, Earth and Environmental Sciences Library,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64005-7_3
29
Desert, Egypt
Elsayed A. Zaghloul
Abstract The exposed Upper Cretaceous—Lower Eocene rock units in the area
extending between Teneida and Abu Minqar, is divided into the Taref, Quseir Formations of the Nubian Sandstone Group (Pre-Maestrichtian age), the Duwi Formation
(Lower Maestrichtian), the Dakhla Formation (Maestrichtian- Paleocene) subdivided
into Mawhub, Baris Mudstone and Kharga Shale Members. In Qur Al-Malik area,
the Kharga Shale Member was laterally changed in facies to Qur al-Malik Sandstone
Member. The succession of the Tarawan Formation (Upper Danian—Landenian age)
represents the Nile Valley facies. The Garra al-Arbain facies was represented by the
Kurkur and Garra Formations east of Dakhla Basin at Teneida area. The Quaternary
deposits are related to aeolian, fluviatile and lacustrine sediments interrupted by wet
and dry phases. Generally, the area is characterized by simple structural elements
and has been untouched by strong tectonic forces.
Keywords Dakhla Oasis · Stratigraphy · Formation · Member · Tectonic
1 Introduction
Dakhla Oasis is located in the heart of the Western Desert, about 500 km from the Nile
Valley. Its longitudes is 28°15‘–29°40‘ E and latitudes is 25°00–26°00‘ N (Fig. 1).
It occupies a structural basin located about 90–140 m. above sea level and covering
an area of about 1400 km
2 . It extends 70 km in a WNW direction and the maximum
width is about 20 km from north to south.
The depression was bounded from the north by the scarp face of Kharga–Dakhla—
Abu Minqar plateau which stood high about 400 m. above the floor of the depression
while the depression is open from the south and the Oasis lies in the center of the
depression.
E. A. Zaghloul (B)
Geological Applications and Mineral Resources Division, National Authority for Remote Sensing
and Space Sciences, 23 Joseph Tito Street, El-Nozha El-Gedida, Cairo, Egypt
e-mail: eazaghloul@narss.sci.eg; elsayedzaghloul@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
E. Iwasaki et al. (eds.), Sustainable Water Solutions in the Western Desert,
Egypt: Dakhla Oasis, Earth and Environmental Sciences Library,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64005-7_3
29