The tectono-sedimentary evolution of a rift margin carbonate platform: Abu Shaar, Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Abu Shaar is a dolomitized Miocene, mixed carbonate- siliclastic platform outcropping on the crest of a fault block in the south-western margin of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt. The Miocene platform rests unconformably on Precambrian basement and is cut to the east by a basinward-dipping and throwing extensional fault; Miocene strata are tilted to the western margin of the basin. Up-section decreases in dip, successive westward thickening of strata and onlap of beds on the hangingwall dip slope indicate that fault-block rotation occurred before and during deposition of this Langhian-aged syn-rift platform.