Iullemmeden Basin


The Iullemmeden Basin is a major sub-Saharan inland basin in West Africa, extending about north to south and east to west. It covers western Niger and parts of Algeria, Mali and Nigeria. It is named after the Iullemmeden, a federation of Tuareg people who live in the central region of Niger. Its geographic range is largely coincident with the Azawagh region.

Description

The area of the Iullemmeden Basin seems to have started to subside in Permo-Triassic times, and to have experienced gradual downwarping during the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene times, while steadily filling with sediment. Two prominent fault trends run NNE-SSW through the center of the basin, while WSW-ENE faults trends are found in the northeast of the basin near the Aïr Mountains.

Stratigraphy

The sediments from Cambrian to Pleistocene times are thick, with alternating layers formed when the basin was undersea and above sea level. Potentially valuable minerals include uranium and copper ores and coal and salt deposits. Niger is one of the world's largest producers of uranium.

Formations of the Iullemmeden Basin