Alkaline Rocks and Carbonatites of the World

Setup during HiTech AlkCarb: an online database of alkaline rock and carbonatite occurrences

Bir Moghrein (Fort Trinquet)

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Occurrence number: 
107-00-001
Country: 
Mauritania
Location: 
Longitude: -11.55, Latitude: 25.33
Carbonatite: 
No

To the north and east of Bir Moghrein, within calc-alkaline granites that dominate the geology of this part of northwestern Mauritania, peralkaline granite forms four separate masses within an area of 50x40 km. The largest intrusion is in excess of 30 km in length and up to 10 km wide. The rock weathers to large dome-like features. The homogeneous rock consists of quartz, microcline perthite bordered by albite, hastingsite with riebeckitic margins, biotite and titanite. In places individual riebeckite crystals, and more rarely aegirine, occur; magnetite and zircon are ubiquitous and fluorite occasionally present.

Age: 
A Rb-Sr four point whole-rock regression gave 1755±65 Ma (Cahen et al., 1984) and Rb-Sr on biotite 1683±54 and 1855±70 Ma (Bessoles, 1977).
References: 

BESSOLES, B. 1977. Géologie de l'Afrique: Le craton ouest Africain. Mémoires du Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières, 88: 1-403.CAHEN, L., SNELLING, N.J., DELHAL, J. and VAIL, J.R. 1984. The geochronology and evolution of Africa. Clarendon Press, Oxford. 512 pp.CARTE GEOLOGIQUE du Nord-ouest de l'Afrique. 1962. Sahara Occidental (1:2,000,000).

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith