CLUSTER ANALYSIS AND MINERAL PROVENANCES OF RECENT SEDIMENTS AND THEIR RELATION TO THE CONTINENTAL MARGIN ACTIVITY ALONG THE RED SEA COAST, EGYPT

CLUSTER ANALYSIS AND MINERAL PROVENANCES
OF RECENT SEDIMENTS AND THEIR RELATION TO
THE CONTINENTAL MARGIN ACTIVITY ALONG
THE RED SEA COAST, EGYPT
AHMED W. MOHAMED* and MAHMOUD A. DAR
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Hurghada, Egypt.
Keywords: Heavy mineral, mineral associations, provinces, variability, Plate tectonic,
postpositional processes, continental margin.
ABSTRACT
Heavy mineral analyses of 61 samples were taken from the recent sediments along the
Red Sea coast and proved by statistical methods give good evidence to the tectonic setting
which led to the definition of four main clusters (mineral associations); opaque-amphibolepyroxene association, amphibole association, amphibole-pyroxene-biotite association and
opaque minerals associations. Based on cluster analysis and the relative abundance of the
heavy minerals and in relation to their source rocks; four main provinces could be
distinguished along the Red Sea coast. Heavy mineral distribution shows regional
variability induced by provenance and local variability reflecting genetic differences in the
coastal sediments. The analysis and results of heavy mineral assemblages of the Red Sea
are clearly reflecting diverging plate boundaries in most cases.