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Richat Structure (Guelb er Richât; Eye of Africa), Ouadane, Adrar Region, Mauritaniai
Regional Level Types
Richat Structure (Guelb er Richât; Eye of Africa)- not defined -
OuadaneDepartment
Adrar RegionRegion
MauritaniaCountry

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PhotosMapsSearch
01689580017632270046340.jpg
Topographical map of the structure

Richat Structure, Ouadane, Adrar Region, Mauritania
04423700017632270051926.jpg
Image from the International Space Station, 17 December 2011

Richat Structure, Ouadane, Adrar Region, Mauritania
01689580017632270046340.jpg
Topographical map of the structure

Richat Structure, Ouadane, Adrar Region, Mauritania
04423700017632270051926.jpg
Image from the International Space Station, 17 December 2011

Richat Structure, Ouadane, Adrar Region, Mauritania
01689580017632270046340.jpg
Topographical map of the structure

Richat Structure, Ouadane, Adrar Region, Mauritania
04423700017632270051926.jpg
Image from the International Space Station, 17 December 2011

Richat Structure, Ouadane, Adrar Region, Mauritania
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
21° 7' 36'' North , 11° 24' 5'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
21.12688,-11.40166
GRN:
N15W08
Köppen climate type:
BWh : Hot deserts climate
Mindat Locality ID:
61339
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:61339:3
GUID (UUID V4):
0
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Guelb Richat


A prominent circular geological feature at the northwestern edge of the Taoudeni Basin, on the Adrar Plateau of the Sahara. It is located near Ouadane.

"It is an eroded geological dome, 40 kilometres (25 mi) in diameter, caused by a subsurface igneous intrusion deforming the overlying sedimentary rock layers, causing the rock to be exposed as concentric rings with the oldest layers exposed at the centre of the structure. Igneous rock is exposed inside and there are rhyolites and gabbros that have undergone hydrothermal alteration, and a central megabreccia. The structure is also the location of exceptional accumulations of Acheulean Paleolithic stone tools. It was selected as one of the 100 geological heritage sites identified by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) to be of the highest scientific value." (Wikipedia)

The area in and around the circular structure has been the object for diamond exploration. Carbonatite dikes and kimberlite are found in the area.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


16 valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Analcime
Formula: Na(AlSi2O6) · H2O
ⓘ Anatase
Formula: TiO2
ⓘ Ankerite
Formula: Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
ⓘ 'Apatite'
Formula: Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
ⓘ Baryte
Formula: BaSO4
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ 'Chlorite Group'
ⓘ Dawsonite
Formula: NaAlCO3(OH)2
ⓘ Diamond
Formula: C
ⓘ Dolomite
Formula: CaMg(CO3)2
ⓘ Gibbsite
Formula: Al(OH)3
ⓘ Hematite
Formula: Fe2O3
ⓘ Kaolinite
Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
ⓘ Magnetite
Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘ Nordstrandite
Formula: Al(OH)3
ⓘ Phlogopite
Formula: KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ 'Pyrochlore Group' ?
Formula: A2Nb2(O,OH)6Z
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ 'Serpentine Subgroup'
Formula: D3[Si2O5](OH)4
ⓘ 'Smectite Group'
Formula: A0.3D2-3[T4O10]Z2 · nH2O

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘDiamond1.CB.10aC
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘ'Pyrochlore Group' ?4.00.A2Nb2(O,OH)6Z
ⓘMagnetite4.BB.05Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘHematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
ⓘAnatase4.DD.05TiO2
ⓘGibbsite4.FE.10Al(OH)3
ⓘNordstrandite4.FE.10Al(OH)3
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
ⓘAnkerite5.AB.10Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
ⓘDolomite5.AB.10CaMg(CO3)2
ⓘDawsonite5.BB.10NaAlCO3(OH)2
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘBaryte7.AD.35BaSO4
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘPhlogopite9.EC.20KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘKaolinite9.ED.05Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
ⓘAnalcime9.GB.05Na(AlSi2O6) · H2O
Unclassified
ⓘ'Chlorite Group'-
ⓘ'Smectite Group'-A0.3D2-3[T4O10]Z2 · nH2O
ⓘ'Serpentine Subgroup'-D3[Si2O5](OH)4
ⓘ'Apatite'-Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ AnalcimeNa(AlSi2O6) · H2O
Hⓘ DawsoniteNaAlCO3(OH)2
Hⓘ GibbsiteAl(OH)3
Hⓘ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Hⓘ NordstranditeAl(OH)3
Hⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ Pyrochlore GroupA2Nb2(O,OH)6Z
Hⓘ Smectite GroupA0.3D2-3[T4O10]Z2 · nH2O
Hⓘ Serpentine SubgroupD3[Si2O5](OH)4
Hⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
CCarbon
Cⓘ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Cⓘ DawsoniteNaAlCO3(OH)2
Cⓘ DiamondC
Cⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ AnalcimeNa(AlSi2O6) · H2O
Oⓘ AnataseTiO2
Oⓘ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Oⓘ BaryteBaSO4
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ DawsoniteNaAlCO3(OH)2
Oⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Oⓘ GibbsiteAl(OH)3
Oⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Oⓘ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Oⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Oⓘ NordstranditeAl(OH)3
Oⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ Pyrochlore GroupA2Nb2(O,OH)6Z
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ Smectite GroupA0.3D2-3[T4O10]Z2 · nH2O
Oⓘ Serpentine SubgroupD3[Si2O5](OH)4
Oⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
FFluorine
Fⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
NaSodium
Naⓘ AnalcimeNa(AlSi2O6) · H2O
Naⓘ DawsoniteNaAlCO3(OH)2
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Mgⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Mgⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
AlAluminium
Alⓘ AnalcimeNa(AlSi2O6) · H2O
Alⓘ DawsoniteNaAlCO3(OH)2
Alⓘ GibbsiteAl(OH)3
Alⓘ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Alⓘ NordstranditeAl(OH)3
Alⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SiSilicon
Siⓘ AnalcimeNa(AlSi2O6) · H2O
Siⓘ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Siⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
Siⓘ Serpentine SubgroupD3[Si2O5](OH)4
PPhosphorus
Pⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
SSulfur
Sⓘ BaryteBaSO4
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
ClChlorine
Clⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
KPotassium
Kⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CaCalcium
Caⓘ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Caⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Caⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
TiTitanium
Tiⓘ AnataseTiO2
FeIron
Feⓘ AnkeriteCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2
Feⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Feⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
NbNiobium
Nbⓘ Pyrochlore GroupA2Nb2(O,OH)6Z
BaBarium
Baⓘ BaryteBaSO4

Other Databases

Wikipedia:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richat_Structure

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

AfricaContinent
African PlateTectonic Plate
North Africa
Northwest Africa MeteoritesGroup of Meteorite Fall Locations
West AfricaUN Subregion

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References

Guillaumen Matton (2008) Le Complexe Crétacé Du Rlchat (Mauritanie); Un Processus Alcalin Péri-Atlantiqu. PhD Thesis University of Montreal.
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