Diagenetic stylolites of Khashm Al-Raqaba limestones, El Galala El Qibliya, Egypt

El Galala El Qibliya (Southern Galala) plateau is one of the largest plateaus in Egypt. It lies in the Northern part of the Eastern desert; west of the middle part of the Gulf of Suez and exhibits good exposures of wide varieties of Lower and Middle Eocene limestones. It contains huge reserves of hard crystalline light colored limestones which are exploited and cut as dimension stones for ornamental purposes and are the source of the most famous limestone types for export to the international markets. Stylolites are the most widely distributed features among the produced limestone types which form an interesting decorative feature and some varieties have become a defect in the stone that needs treatment. Quartz, clay minerals and halite are the main non-carbonate minerals concentrated along the stylolite seams. Kaolinite, montmorillonite, and illite are the predominant clay minerals.