Sedimentological, Lithostratigraphic, Clayey and Exoscopic Study of the Senonian Series of Arg N’Sidi Ali Ou Bourk, High Central Atlas of Morocco

Abstract

The sedimentological study of the red formations (Senonian series) represents a challenge and an exciting subject that needs to be explored. This paper will present the sedimentological, stratigraphic, and paleogeographic aspects of the Upper Cretaceous of the ARG N'SIDIALI OR BOURK, Central High Atlas Morocco. In this region, a marker section was realized bed by bed and sampled in a very straightforward way in order to study stratigraphy, to describe, to interpret and to characterize the sedimentary environment of the senonian succession in the ARG N'SIDIALI OU BOURK region, more particularly the analysis of the clays by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) has allowed understanding the depositional environments of the Upper Cretaceous formations. Therefore, the Senonian of ARG N'SIDIALI OU BOURK corresponds to continental lagoon deposits. It is characterised by sedimentation in the continental environment (fluvial or flooded), with some rare marine ascents marked by the installation of whitish sandstone bars.