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Gres de Khenig Formation
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Gres de Khenig Fm base reconstruction

Gres de Khenig Fm

Period: 
Devonian – Carboniferous.

Age Interval: 
Famennian – Tournaisian.


Province: 
Reggane Basin, Ahnet Basin, Mouydir Basin

Type Locality and Naming

SW Algeria. The term was first used by Hoffmann-Rothe (1965). It is well exposed at Tirechchoumine, with a maximum thickness of 250 m at this locality (Wendt et al., 2006).

Synonym: Khenig Fm

References: Wendt et al., 2006; Jakani and Mokaddem, 2014


Lithology and Thickness

The Gres de Khenig Fm is about 50-250m thick sequence of coarse- to medium-grained sandstones with intercalated siltstones and shales which form several prominent escarpments (Wendt et al., 2006), and is divided into two members (Gres du Khenig Inferieur and Gres du Khenig Superieur). The lower member is made up of hummocky cross-stratified clayey sandstones (with the sandstones being ferruginous and rich in brachiopods and trace fossils) (Jakani and Mokaddem, 2014). The Upper Member, however, begins with a limestone layer that is brachiopod-rich, and terminates with a sandstone bar. The Upper Member is further subdivided into two units; the B1 and B2 units (Jakani and Mokaddem, 2014).


Lithology Pattern: 
Sandstone


Relationships and Distribution

Lower contact

It conformably overlies the Argiles de Temertasset Fm.

Upper contact

It is conformably overlain by the Argiles de Teguentour Fm.

Regional extent

SW Algeria. 75,000 Km2. Present in the Reganne, Ahnet, and Muydir Basins.


GeoJSON

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Fossils

Brachiopods and trace fossils.


Age 


Age Span: 

    Beginning stage: 
Famennian

    Fraction up in beginning stage: 
0.65

    Beginning date (Ma): 
363.43

    Ending stage: 
Tournaisian

    Fraction up in the ending stage: 
0.2

    Ending date (Ma):  
356.79

Depositional setting


Depositional pattern:  


Additional Information


Compiler:  

Enam O. Obiosio, Solomon Joshua Avong and Henry Nasir Suleiman (2024) - Stratigraphic Lexicon compiled from the following books:

Wendt J., Kaufmann B., Belka Z., Korn D (2008): Carboniferous Stratigraphy and Depositional Environments in the Ahnet Mouydir Area (Algerian Sahara). In: Facies. DOI 10.1007/s10347-008-0176-y

Wendt J., Kaufmann B., Belka Z., Klug C. & Lubeseder S. (2006): Sedimentary evolution of a Palaeozoic basin and ridge system: the Middle and Upper Devonian of the Ahnet and Mouydir (Algerian Sahara). Geol. Mag. 143 (3) pp. 269–299. doi:10.1017/S0016756806001737

Derder M, E.M., Henry B., Amenna M., Bayou B., Djellit H., Guemache M. A., Hemmi A. (2009): New structural implications for the central Sahara (Algeria), from the revisited Upper Carboniferous “Hassi Bachir” Formation: Paleomagnetic constraints. Tectonophysics, 463: pp.69–76.

Perron P., Guiraud M., Vennin E., Moretti I., Portier E., L. Le Pourhiet, M. Konaté (2018): Influence of basement heterogeneity on the architecture of low subsidence rate Paleozoic intracratonic basins (Reggane, Ahnet, Mouydir and Illizi basins, Hoggar Massif). Solid Earth, 9: pp.1239-1275.