Versteinerte Pflanzen
Morocco, Province Marrakesch - Tensift-El Haouz, Region Sidi Rahal
Abstract
Upper Triassic to lover Jurassic volcanic rocks and volcanoclastics are widespread in the Moroccan High Atlas, province Marrakech. The embedded volcanoclastics in the region Sidi Rahal contain silicified and epigenetic copper mineralized gymnosperm wood. Cracks in these plant remains are filled with the primary copper ore Bornite, partially weathered into Malachite and Azurite. The light to dark brown silicified wood show greenish to bluish colours on their surface. Volcanoclastics in a 1 cm to 3 cm crust/ring around the plant remains are also mineralized with copper ores.
Mattis (1977) indicate a radiometric age of the volcanic rocks of 196 Ma (lover Jurassic/Hettangium). We excavate a lying, 1.2 m long fossil trunk and a lot of fine, copper-mineralized roots in the basal part of the outcrop, therefore I suppose in-situ-conditions at the site.
Desplats et al. (1983) describe a copper-mineralized fossil gymnosperm wood from the Ourika-Valley in the province Marrakech as the new variety Dadoxylon (Araucarioxylon) ourikense nov. sp. Possible the further down displayed plant remains belong to that genus.