The fifth international conference of the Middle East Geology, 2003, pp.

549-558

A NEWLY RECOGNIZED EXAMPLE OF A LATE PRECAMBRIAN

SUBSURFACE CAULDRON SUBSIDENCE INTRUSION IN
SOUTHERN SINAI: JABAL LAIQ RING DIKE

NABIL N. EL-MASRY, IMBARAK S. HASSEN, AND AHMED M. HEGAZI

Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt

Jabal Laiq Late-Precambrian Ring Dike represents a subsurface cauldron subsidence

intrusion composed of anorogenic A-type granite. It is composed of two geomorphic elements,
namely, the roof and the wall. A flat-lying remnant of a saucer-shaped intrusion, less than 0.6
km2 in areal extent, distinguishes the very peak of Jabal Laiq. It is composed of a hornblende-
granite and overlies a country rock comprising tonalite, epiclastics, pyroclastics, and
subvolcanics. It represents the only preserved remnant of the “ring dike roof” or “the
cauldron subsidence intrusion” recognized so far. The second geomorphic element occurs as
a faulted steep tabular intrusion of a pyroxene-bearing hornblende-granite representing “the
ring dike wall”, or shortly “the ring dike”. It is cut and displaced by NW-SE, NE-SW, and N-
S orienting steeply dipping strike-slip faults. Left-lateral separations recorded along these
faults indicate that different segments of “the ring dike wall” are dislocated by distances
ranging from few hundred meters to five kilometers. Restoring Jabal Laiq ring dike wall to
pre-strike-slip form has produced an incomplete oval-shaped ring dike wall whose long axis
(x-axis of strain ellipse) is oriented nearly in an E-W to WNW direction Different fault groups
and the ring dike wall (as a marker unit) fit simply into a simple shear model.
INTRODUCTION
The study area is located between latitudes 28° 24' 30'' N and 28° 38' 43''N and longitudes
34° 16' 16''E and 34° 32' 28''E, occupying an approximate area of 937 km2. It is a part of the
Precambrian Arabo-Nubian Shield exposed in southern Sinai Peninsula. It has been the
subject of many studies since Hume (1906, 1934, 1936). Among these studies are those of
Halpern and Tristan (1981), Itamar (1984 & 1989), Katta (1989), Abu-El-Leil et al. (1990),
Khalil (1990), El-Bedawi (1993), Khalaf et al. (1994), El-Masry (1998), and Madbouly
(1999).
The most prominent example of a ring dyke intrusion in southern Sinai is that of Catherina
Ring Dike located to the east of the study area. Bentor and Eyal (1969) and Eyal and
Hezkiyahu (1980) discriminated between Catherina Ring Dike and Catherina Volcanics,
which according to Bentor (1985) are a part of the alkaline batholithic phase characterized by
the emplacement of several ring complexes of alkali- (quartz) monzonite and high-level Iqna
Granite that intrude into the alkali rhyolites of earlier Catherine Volcanics. However, El-
Masry (1991) and El-Masry et al. (1992) discussed and proved the intrusive nature of
Catherina Volcanics and how it is compositionally and spatially related to Catherina Ring
Dike structure recognized earlier. El-Masry (1991) and El-Masry et al. (1992) concluded that
Catherina Volcanics are remnants of a cauldron-subsidence intrusion (referred to as the Ring
Dike Roof), which along with Catherine Ring Dike (referred to as the Ring Dike wall)
constitute one cylindriform-like ring dike intrusion emplaced at some few kilometers below a
collapsed caldera.
In this study, another example of a ring dike intrusion is discussed. The recognition of this
structure is hampered by the presence of an approximately 30 km wide shear belt on the
western coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. Sets of faults dissecting the study area displace segments
of different lithologic units from their original disposition. Therefore, a paleostress analysis of
fault-slip data is carried out to restore Jabal Laiq Ring Dike Intrusion to its original shape.

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FIELD SETTING
The Precambrian rocks exposed in the study area comprise, from the oldest to the
youngest, the following rock units: (a) migmatites, (b) Feirani Complex, (c) quartz diorite-
tonalite association, (d) monzogranite, (e) Jabal Laiq Ring Dike Intrusion, and (f)
syenogranite, (Fig. 1). These rock units are intruded with dikes of variable composition; the
most conspicuous of them take a NE direction. Mapable outliers of Phanerozoic Nubia
Sandstone are frequently observed in the study area, particularly at Wadi Abu-Khushib, Wadi
Shallala, and Wadi Dahab.
Migmatites:
Migmatites exposed to the east of Jabal Wa’ara, along the western coast of the Gulf of
Aqaba, are composed of fine- to medium-grained dark hornblende gneiss cut with leucosomes
of granite composition. The nature of the boundary between migmatites and adjacent quartz
diorite is obscure. Most migmatites form by partial fusion of a variety of continental crustal
rocks (anatexis), but some may form through injection of granite into metamorphic rocks,
(Philpotts, 1990).
Feirani Complex:
El-Masry (1998) redefined slightly metamorphosed volcano-sedimentary succession of
Feirani Volcanics into a complex comprising two distinctive groups of rocks, namely the
interbedded volcaniclastics and epiclastics and the subvolcanic porphyries. Volcaniclastics are
composed of felsic pyroclastics predominated by massive tuffs of rhyodacites and rhyolites.
Epiclastics constitute a coarsening upward succession of sandstones and conglomerates
intercalated occasionally with mudstones. The layered succession of volcaniclastics and
epiclastics is extensively intruded in the area cut by Wadi Umm-Harq and Wadi Umm-`Ataqa
with a tack-shaped subvolcanic intrusion composed of rhyodacite porphyry.
The volcanics and the subvolcanics are chemically classified as medium- to high-K, calc-
alkaline, metaluminous, acid rocks containing more than 63% silica, and are considered as
products of destructive plate margin magmatism, (El-Masry, 1998).
Quartz Diorite-Tonalite Association:
Rocks of the quartz diorite-tonalite association represent the oldest intrusive magmatic
event recognized so far in the study area. They have a markedly heterogeneous mineralogical
composition. They are, however, composed of plagioclase feldspars, K-feldspar
microperthite, quartz, hornblende, biotite, and Fe-Ti oxides. They vary in texture from
phaneritic medium-grained granular to gneissose, particularly at the border zones with older
country rocks. They contain microgranular mafic enclaves of microgabbro and melanocratic
microdiorite. They are also cut by synplutonic dykes of olivine basalt and basic hornfels.
They are chemically classified as metaluminous, calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline,
corundum-normative (<0.5%), I-type granitoids that were originated in a convergent plate
margin setting either by partial melting or fractional crystallization of a depleted mantle
source mixed with a Pre-Pan-African protolith, (El-Masry, 1998).
Monzogranite:
Monzogranite covers an extensive terrain around the wadis of Dahab, Abu-Khushib, and
Ma’in as well as Wadi Nasb to the west. It has a phaneritic, medium-grained granular texture
and is composed of K-feldspar microperthite, plagioclase feldspars, hornblende, and biotite.
Accessory minerals include Fe-Ti oxides, sphene, zircon, apatite, and metamict allanite. In the
filed, it is characterized by the presence of microgranular mafic enclaves and by local
development of foliation, lineation, and segregation layering. El-Masry (1998) concluded that
monzogranite represents a subsolvus, calc-alkaline, diopside normative, I-type granite of late-
orogenic plutons produced by partial melting or fractional crystallization of a mantle-derived

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material contaminated with juvenile crustal material.

Jabal Laiq Ring Dike Intrusion:
Jabal Laiq Ring Dike Intrusion is made of two geomorphic elements, namely the roof and
the wall. The only preserved part of the roof, or alternatively the cauldron subsidence
intrusion, constitutes the very peak of Jabal Laiq, which attains an elevation of 1602 meters
above sea level. It occurs as a flat-laying, saucer-shaped, mass of granite that has a rather sub-
horizontal contact with the underlying country rocks of Feirani Complex and quartz diorite-
tonalite association (Fig. 2). The entire exposure covers an area less than 0.6 km2. Stocks and
plugs of microgranite and rhyoliporphyries markedly intrude the country rocks at the down-
slopes of Jabal Laiq and in the area around Wadi Laiq.
The wall actually occurs as separate segments of steep-sided tabular, rather arcuate,
intrusiothat are displaced by sets of faults dissecting the study area. The overall shape of these
segments when assembled together attains the conventional geometry of a concentric, rather
elliptical, ring dike intrusion. Its long axis takes an E-W direction, and it is approximately 24
kilometers in length. The width of the wall varies between less than 200 meters and 2000
meters. The wall cuts-across the country rocks at Wadi Zaghra, Wadi El-Gha’ib, Wadi Ma’in,
Wadi Umm-Shauki, and Wadi Nasb.
Jabal Laiq Ring Dike Intrusion is heterogeneous in composition. It is composed of quartz
syenite, hornblende-biotite granite, and microgranite and rhyolite porphyries. The ring dike
roof at Jabal Laiq is composed of granophyric granite. Accordingly, their texture ranges
between medium-grained granular and inequigranular porphyritic. Mineral constituents
include K-feldspar microperthite, quartz, plagioclase feldspars, hornblende, biotite,
arfvedsonite, zircon, apatite, and Fe-Ti oxides in addition to decomposed relicts of zoned
pyroxene (augite) that are extensively replaced and overgrown by rims of hornblende.
Jabal Laiq Ring Dike granites are chemically classified as metaluminous, within-plate,
anorogenic A-type granites (A1 group) that were produced by processes of partial melting and
fractional crystallization from a depleted mantle source that was metasomatically enriched in
large-ion lithophile (LIL) and light-rare earth elements (LREE), (El-Masry, 1998). According
to Eby (1992), A1 group of granites represents differentiates of magmas derived from sources
similar to oceanic island basalts that were either emplaced in continental rifts or during intra-
plate magmatism.
Syenogranite:
Syenogranite represents the latest batholithic granitoid phase exposed in southern Sinai. It
usually forms pink-colored high precipitous terrains that are sparsely cut by dikes but sharply
intrude into earlier Precambrian rocks.
Syenogranite exposed around Wadi Nasb area is petrographically classified as trans-solvus
fluorite-bearing biotite granite. It has a phaneritic medium-grained granular texture and is
composed of K-feldspar microperthite, quartz, plagioclase feldspars, biotite, fluorite, zircon,
Fe-Ti oxides, and apatite. Rapakivi texture distinguishes some rock samples where early-
formed megacrysts of K-feldspar microperthite are epitaxially overgrown by myrmekitized
rims of plagioclase feldspars.
Syenogranite is chemically classified as metaluminous, within-plate, anorogenic A-type
granite (A2 group) that was produced by processes of partial melting and fractional
crystallization from a depleted mantle source that was metasomatically enriched in large-ion
lithophile (LIL) and light-rare earth elements (LREE), (El-Masry, 1998). According to Eby
(1992), A2 group of granites represents magmas derived from continental crust or underplated
crust that went through a cycle of continent-continent collision or island-arc magmatism.

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Figure (1) Geologic map of Jabal Laiq area, Southern Sinai, Egypt

Figure (2) Flat-laying subsurface cauldron subsidence intrusion of the ring dike roof
overlying a country rock of quartz diotite-tonalite association at Jabal Laiq.

TECTONIC SETTING
To reveal the brittle tectonic setting of Jabal Laiq area, paleostress analysis of the collected
fault-slip data is carried out. The collected fault-slip data involved the determination of the
direction and the sense of movement on the fault planes affecting the Precambrian rocks of
the study area. Striations and minor structures indicate the sense of relative movement on
observed fault planes. For example, figure (3) indicating dip-slip normal movement along one
of the second-group faults and figure (4) shows Riedel fractures and striae indicating left-
lateral strike movement on one side of the third-group faults.

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Figure (3) Dip-slip normal fault belongs to the second event.

Figure (4) Left- lateral strike-slip movement along a fault belongs

to the third event.

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Pressure-tension (P-T) axes method:

This method is applied in the present work in order to infer the characteristics of a stress
tensor, namely the orientation of the principal stress axes. Turner (1953) has developed it for
stress analysis using e-twin lamellae in calcite. He constructed for every twin plane a
compression axis (P-axis) and an extension axis (T-axis); the angle between twin plane and
the P-axis is 45°. The T-axis is perpendicular to the P-axis, and B is normal to both P and T.
The maximum concentration of the P- and the T-axes are interpreted as the orientation of 1
and 3, respectively, while 2 lies within the fault plane. The collected fault striae data are
processed using the F-S program developed by Sperner et al. (1993).
The application of P-T axes method revealed that the calculated paleostress tensors could
be divided into three groups with distinct stress orientations. Theses are described as follows:
Group I: Faults of this group are represented by two conjugate shear directions (N60°W and
N30°E), as shown in figure (5). This group is characterized by a horizontal
maximum compression stress axis (1: 004°/04°) and E-W trending extension axis
(3: 274°/02°), as shown in figure (5).
Group II: Faults belonging to this group are mainly normal dip-slip faults, which are oriented
in N-S direction, (Fig. 5). It is defined by sub-vertical 1 compression axis
(252°/72°) and sub-horizontal 3 extension axis (102°/13°), which was oriented in E-
W direction, (Fig. 5).
Group III: Faults related to this group strike N-S, (Fig. 5). They are characterized by a
horizontal maximum compression (1: 346°/0°) and a sub-horizontal extension axis
(3: 255°/13°), as shown in figure (5).
Stress Patterns:
Jabal Laiq area exhibits largely the same orientation characteristics of the structural grain
distinguishing the eastern part of Sinai Peninsula, namely the Gulf of Aqaba province. The
main azimuthal orientations in the study area are as follows: NW-SE, NE-SW, and N-S.
Fault-striae analysis carried out at Jabal Laiq area reveals the presence of three stress patterns
accompanied by three brittle tectonic events. The first one is characterized by a compression
stress that caused right-lateral and left-lateral strike slip movements along conjugate shear
planes. The second event is characterized by extensional stress regimes that prevailed the
study area. The third one is defined by compression stresses, which produced strike-slip
movements along the Gulf of Aqaba.
Tectonic Evolution:
Crosscutting and field relationships make it possible to put a suitable brittle tectonic
evolution of the study area. The first tectonic event is recorded along conjugate shear
fractures, which are oriented WNW-ESE and NE-SW. This event is characterized by strike-
slip movement, which was produced by a horizontal compressive stress directed N-S. The
second event is detected along N-S faults and is characterized by sub-vertical compression
stress axis and sub-horizontal extension axis oriented in E-W direction. The third tectonic
event is recorded along shear fractures, which have a mean N-S direction. It is characterized
by a left-lateral strike-slip movement, which was produced by a horizontal compressive stress
directed NNW-SSE and the extension in WSW. The N-S – oriented faults are found to record
a dip-slip movement indicating that the strike slip movement has superimposed the older dip-
slip one.
Restoration of Jabal Laiq Ring Dike:
An attempt to restore the original shape of the wall of Jabal Laiq is carried out in the
present study. The present study reveals that the ring dike wall is cut and displaced by N-S
and NNE trending faults. Left-lateral separation recorded along these faults indicates that

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different segments of the ring dike wall are dislocated by distances varying between few
hundred meters and five kilometers. Figure (1) shows that the direction of movement along
the youngest group of faults (the third tectonic event) is pure strike-slip, which caused the
left-lateral displacement of the ring dike wall. The reconstruction of the ring dike wall to the
pre-strike-slip situation is thenceforth governed by the nature of movements along these faults
(Aqaba trend). Restoring Jabal Laiq ring dike to pre-strike-slip form has produced an
incomplete oval-shaped ring dike wall whose long axis (x-axis of strain ellipse) is oriented
nearly in an E-W to WNW direction, (Fig. 6).
A simple shear model is deduced from a careful analysis of the different fault groups
recognized so far and from using the ring dike wall as a marker unit. The ring dike wall,
which is considered as the reference circle, has been strained and became oval in shape giving
rise to sets of fractures resembling those produced experimentally by applying a shear stress
in the form of a couple (simple shear). In the experiment conducted by Daubee (1879) and
Mead (1920), a reference circle was deformed by applying shear stress into a strain ellipse
distinguished by three sets of fractures. One set of fractures is parallel to the long axis of the
strain ellipse (x) and the other extension set is parallel to the short axis (Z). The third set was
actually a conjugate set of two shear fracture directions.
The early stress regime produced normal stress, which is mainly directed in N-S (1:
004°/04°) and an E-W extension (3: 274°/02°). This stress gave rise to N-S oriented tension
fractures and conjugate shear fractures directed NW and NE. The N-S fractures are mainly
extension fractures, as indicated by the presence of numerous fractures filled with quartz
syenite that record a later rejuvenation characterized by dip-slip normal movement (the
second event). The dip-slip normal faults are linked to the Gulf of Suez rifting. A slight shift
in the orientation in the stress pattern of the early stress regime towards NNW (1: 346°/0°)
rejuvenated the movement along the N-S – oriented normal faults, which belong to the first
event. This shift resulted in a strike slip movement, which is related to the trend that led to the
opening of the Gulf of Aqaba. Youssef (1968) fitted the structural elements of Egypt into a
single pattern whose members are mechanically related. Ancient shear fractures were
developed because of a crustal compressive stress directed N10°W-S10°E. A slight change in
the direction of compression took place and the younger stress acting nearly N20° W-S20° E.
These shear fractures might have formed either simultaneously or during different phases, and
they are considered as the loci of strike slip displacement, (Youssef, 1968).

CONCLUSION
Three stress regimes are recorded in Jabal Laiq area. The earlier stresses oriented along N-
S direction introduced the main fracture patterns that characteristically dissect the study area.
The NE and NW conjugate shear planes, in addition to the N-S trending tension fractures, are
considered as inherited Precambrian fractures which later recorded dip-slip movements.
Eventually, the shift of the stresses towards a NNW direction resulted in a rejuvenation of
movement along N-S trending faults, but at this time the movement is a left-lateral strike slip
one.
The attempt to restore the original shape of the wall of the Jabal Laiq is carried out by
reconstructing the ring dike wall to the pre-strike-slip situation. The reconstruction is
controlled by movement along these faults (Aqaba trend) and gave rise to an incomplete oval-
shaped ring dike wall whose long axis (x-axis of strain ellipse) is oriented nearly E-W to
WNW direction. Different fault groups and the ring dike wall (as a marker unit) fit simply
into a simple shear model. In this model, the ring dike wall, which represents the reference
circle, is strained to an oval-shaped structure accompanied with three sets of fractures. The

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conjugate shear fractures are directed in NW and NE, which record strike slip movement. The
N-S fractures are mainly extension fractures, as indicated by the presence of numerous
fractures filled with quartz syenite; they are thus recording a later rejuvenation characterized
by dip-slip normal movement (the second event). A slight shift in the orientation of the stress
pattern of the early stress regime towards NNW (1: 346°/0°) rejuvenated the movement along
the N-S – oriented normal faults of the first event. This shift gave rise to the strike-slip
movement that accompanied the opening of the Gulf of Aqaba.

Figure (5) The lower hemisphere equal area and azimuthal direction of the different
fault-striae groups

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 JABAL LAIQ RING DIKE

Figure (6) The reconstruction of the ring dike walls to the pre-strike-slip
movement of the third event

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