Litho-bio-stratigraphy model and palaeoenvironments of the Babouri-Figuil Basin (NE Cameroon): A lacustrine/fluvial/deltaic setting associated to the Benue Trough (Nigeria)

This paper focuses on the lithostratigraphy and the palaeoenvironmental evolutions of the Babouri-Figuil Basin depositional system. Facies analysis, palynology and organic geochemistry were investigated to propose a 2D sedimentary model of the basin. The study reveals that, this basin is made up of four main facies (sandstones, siltstone, claystone/shale and marls) resting on the granite-gneissic basement. The general trend of the beds is EW; they dip to the S (SW or SE) and NE, with angles ranging between 4 and 30 degrees. The sedimentary analysis indicates an arid to semi-arid climate. The pollen assemblage strongly suggests a Cenomanian-Turonian age for the sedimentary interval which contains the black shale formations. The presence of the mixture of marine and terrestrial organic matter (type II, I and III) in the same interval indicates a possible marine shallow-water deposit in the basin. The deposits were also influenced by volcanic events and hydrothermal fluid circulation during diagenesis, which are the source of carbonate enrichment in the sediments. The analysis of the sedimentary bodies, the encountered palynology assemblage and the 2D reconstruction show that the sedimentary formations of the Babouri-Figuil Basin were deposited in a lacustrine/fluvial/deltaic sedimentary environment.

Automated summary

This paper focuses on the lithostratigraphy and the palaeoenvironmental evolutions of the Babouri-Figuil Basin depositional system. The study reveals that the basin's sedimentary formations were deposited in a lacustrine/fluvial/deltaic sedimentary environment, which were influenced by volcanic events and hydrothermal fluid circulation.