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Talus Pleistocene red breccia. Occurrence and origin, Sohag area, Egypt
Ramadan K. Bekir

Geology Dept., Sohag, Fac. Sciences, South Valley Univ., Egypt.

The red breccia of Sohag area is a massive sedimentary rock of economic importance. It has attractive colors relative to other Egyptian breccias. The rock occurs as unstratified lenticular lithosome covering Pleistocene sediments, Issawia Formation. The rock is composed of unsorted limestone fragments cemented by iron stained calcite.

On basis of field observations, petrographic and mineral studies, the red breccia has characteristics of talus accumulate rock type of monogenetic source, locally derived from the limestone plateau. The formation of the rock was accomplished through three successive stages: Talus accumulation, matrix infiltration and iron stain cementation. The rock has some secondary voids of different sizes, due to simple dissolution by occasional rain.