Geochemistry of the st. Catherine basement rocks, Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

St. Catherine area, dominated by basement rocks encompass old continental gneisses, metasediments, greenstone belt, calc-alkaline granites (G-II-granites), rift-related volcanies (RV), and anorogenic within plate granites (G-III-granites). Comparative geoehemieal study has been carried out between the G-II-, and the G-III-granites and between the SV-, and RV-volcanics. The geoehemieal criteria strongly confirm island arc environment for the SV, and suture related environment for the G-II-granites. The most reasonable setting for the RV-volcanics and the G-III-granites is the anorogenic or within plate environment.