Iullemmeden Basin

The Iullemmeden Basin is a major sub-Saharan inland basin in West Africa, extending about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) north to south and 800 kilometres (500 mi) east to west. It covers western Niger and parts of Algeria, Mali and Nigeria. It is named after the Iullemmeden, a federation of Tuareg people who live in the central region of Niger.[1] Its geographic range is largely coincident with the Azawagh region.[2]

Iullemmeden Basin
Location of the Iullemmeden Basin
Coordinates17.9°N 5.6°E / 17.9; 5.6
EtymologyIullemmeden
LocationAfrica
RegionAzawagh
Country Algeria
 Benin
 Mali
 Niger
 Nigeria
Characteristics
On/OffshoreOnshore
BoundariesAïr Mountains (NE)
Area1,000 km × 800 km (620 mi × 500 mi)
Hydrology
River(s)Niger River
Geology
Basin typeIntercratonic basin
PlateAfrican
OrogenyPan-African
AgePermo-Triassic-Pleistocene
StratigraphyStratigraphy
West African basins

Description

The area of the Iullemmeden Basin seems to have started to subside in Permo-Triassic times, and to have experienced gradual downwarping during the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene times, while steadily filling with sediment. Two prominent fault trends run NNE-SSW through the center of the basin, while WSW-ENE faults trends are found in the northeast of the basin near the Aïr Mountains.[1]

Stratigraphy

The sediments from Cambrian to Pleistocene times are 1,500 to 2,000 metres (4,900 to 6,600 ft) thick, with alternating layers formed when the basin was undersea and above sea level. Potentially valuable minerals include uranium and copper ores and coal and salt deposits. Niger is one of the world's largest producers of uranium.[3]

Formations of the Iullemmeden Basin
See also: List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Niger

See also

References
  1. Richard C. Selley (1997). "The Iullemmeden Basin". African basins. Elsevier. p. 89ff. ISBN 0-444-82571-1.
  2. Paris, 1995
  3. "URANIUM GEOLOGY: NIGER, WEST AFRICA" (PDF). NWT Uranium Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2010-12-18.
  4. Young et al., 2017, p.379

Bibliography

Further reading
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