Geochemical analysis and tectonic evaluation of the Miocene–Pliocene sequence at Al Rehaili area, Northern Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Geochemical data and approach play a vital role in constraining and evaluating provenance of sedimentary rocks and tectonic settings. It provides valuable information on both the rock compositions of the provenance and the depositional setting. This study is aimed to predict provenance, source rocks, and tectonic settings of the non-marine successions of Bathan Formation (Miocene–Pliocene siliciclastic sequence) exposed along the road cuts at Al Rehaili area, north of Jeddah. The non-marine successions of Bathan Formation were divided into three main sedimentary units (units I, II, and III). From these units, 17 sandstone samples were selected and used to carry out the geochemical analysis using major oxides and trace elements. The examined samples are interpreted as quartz-rich sandstones, which are mainly sourced from intermediate rocks of igneous, sedimentary, and meta-sedimentary rocks of the Arabian Shield. Furthermore, the provenance of the studied sandstones is interpreted as that of mixed granite, granodiorite, rhyolite, and basaltic source rocks. Most of the tectonic discrimination plots indicate that the tectonic settings of the study area are defined as an active continental margin, which approves the interpretation of previous studies.