Geochemical and Mineralogical Investigation of Gabbros and Surrounding Granitic Rocks in Abu Murrat Area, Eastern Desert, Egypt: A Review in Petrogenesis of Gabbros Bearing Fe-Ti oxide Ores

Abstract

This article reviews previous works and integrates them with newly generated datasets to reconstruct the petrogenetic evolution of the Abu Murrat intrusions in Egypt's Northern Eastern Desert. The Wadi Baroud area hosts a diverse suite of Neoproterozoic igneous rocks, including older granites (I-type), younger gabbros, and younger granites (A-type) alongside a range of associated mineralizations including Fe-Ti-P oxide ores and rare metals. These lithologies form part of the northern Arabian–Nubian Shield and record the magmatic and tectonic evolution during the late stages of the Pan-African orogeny. The results highlight a three-stage magmatic evolution: (1) early arc-related granitoids formed by hydrous mantle melting, (2) layered gabbros crystallized from tholeiitic melts with strong fractional crystallization and crustal contamination, and (3) younger granites derived from partial melting of metasedimentary crust during post-collisional extension, Geochemical modeling (Rayleigh and AFC) further demonstrates the transition from mantle-derived tholeiitic magmas to crustally contaminated derivatives. The review concludes that the Abu Murrat complex offers an example of linked mantle- and crust-derived magmatism, illustrating the shift from subduction-related processes to extensional tectonics during the Neoproterozoic Era. The review also represents data about the nature and origin of associated mineralization, including Fe–Ti–P oxide mineralization and rare metals.