The Iullemmeden Basin (Berber language: Iwellemmedden) is a major sub-Saharan inland basin in West Africa, extending about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) north to south and 800 kilometres (500 mi) east to west. It covers western Niger and parts of Algeria, Mali and Nigeria. It is named after the Iullemmeden, a federation of Tuareg people who live in the central region of Niger.[1] Its geographic range is largely coincident with the Azawagh region.[2]
The area of the Iullemmeden Basin seems to have started to subside in Permo-Triassic times, and to have experienced gradual downwarping during the Late CretaceoustoPaleogene times, while steadily filling with sediment. Two prominent fault trends run NNE-SSW through the center of the basin, while WSW-ENE faults trends are found in the northeast of the basin near the Aïr Mountains.[1]
The sediments from CambriantoPleistocene times are 1,500 to 2,000 metres (4,900 to 6,600 ft) thick, with alternating layers formed when the basin was undersea and above sea level. Potentially valuable minerals include uranium and copper ores and coal and salt deposits. Niger is one of the world's largest producers of uranium.[3]
Young, Mark T.; Hastings, Alexander K.; Allain, Ronan; Smith, Thomas J. (2017), "Revision of the enigmatic crocodyliform Elosuchus felixi de Lapparent de Broin, 2002 from the Lower–Upper Cretaceous boundary of Niger: potential evidence for an early origin of the clade Dyrosauridae", Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 179: 377–403
Algeria
Benin
Mali
Niger
Nigeria
