Meidob Volcanic Field

The alkaline Meidob volcanic field in western Sudan, at the NE end of the Darfur volcanic province, covers an area of 5,000 km2 with nearly 700 Pliocene-to-Holocene vents. The field was constructed over an uplifted Precambrian igneous and metamorphic basement and is elongated in an E-W direction. Basaltic scoria cones and associated lava flows dominate, but trachytic-phonolitic lava domes, tuff rings, and maars are among the youngest volcanic products. Basaltic scoria cones are scattered throughout the field; their lavas have produced a broad lava plateau. The central part of the field consists of younger phonolitic lava flows, trachytic pumice-fall deposits, ignimbrites, and maars. The youngest dated eruptions about 5,000 years ago produced a tuff ring and a lava flow.