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| Hazeva Formation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Hazeva Formation |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Period | Miocene |
| Primary lithology | Sandstone, conglomerate, marl |
| Other lithology | Siltstone, claystone, evaporites |
| Named for | Hazeva |
| Region | Negev, Jordan Rift Valley |
| Country | Israel, Jordan |
| Unit of | Neogene sequence |
| Underlies | Rotem, Taqiya Formations |
| Overlies | Lisan Formation, Pleistocene basalts |
Hazeva Formation is a Neogene terrestrial to marginal-marine stratigraphic unit exposed in the southern Levant, particularly in the Negev Desert and the Jordan Rift Valley. The formation records a complex interplay of fluvial, lacustrine, and playa processes during the Miocene to early Pliocene interval and preserves diverse sedimentary facies, ichnofossils, and vertebrate remains that have been important for regional correlations and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Its study connects to broader research programs involving Middle Eastern tectonics, paleoecology, and hydrogeology involving regional institutions and field teams.
The Hazeva Formation sits within the Neogene stratigraphic succession of the southern Levant, bounded stratigraphically above by Quaternary basalts and younger alluvium and beneath by the Lisan Formation and older Neogene units. Regional mapping by geological surveys and university teams in Israel and Jordan has placed the unit within rift-related basins influenced by the activity of the Dead Sea Transform and the evolution of the Jordan Rift Valley. Correlation studies link the Hazeva succession with coeval sequences studied by researchers working on the Zin Basin, the Arava Rift, and sections near Eilat, enabling comparisons with Mediterranean and Red Sea Miocene sequences and ties to broader Mediterranean Basin stratigraphies.
The formation comprises heterogeneous mixtures of coarse-grained conglomerates, medium- to coarse-grained sandstones, interbedded marls, siltstones, and claystone lenses, with local evaporite-rich layers and calcrete horizons. Sedimentological analyses document channelized conglomerates with clast-supported textures, cross-bedded sandstones, planar beds, and paleosol horizons interpreted by field parties from institutions including the Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, and the University of Haifa. Petrographic and grain-size studies show provenance inputs from uplifted Precambrian basement blocks and igneous outcrops in the surrounding rift margins, consistent with tectonically driven sediment supply observed in basin studies by international collaborators.
Biostratigraphic, magnetostratigraphic, and radiometric constraints place most of the Hazeva Formation within the late Miocene to early Pliocene interval. Chronostratigraphic work includes palynological assemblages and vertebrate biostratigraphy that align with regional Neogene mammal zones, while paleomagnetic sampling from key sections has been integrated with global polarity timescales by collaborative teams. Radiometric ages on intercalated volcanic ash and basalt flows provide tie-points that have been used by stratigraphers to refine correlations with Mediterranean Messinian events and with Neogene sequences studied in Sinai and western Arabia.
Fossil preservation in the Hazeva Formation includes vertebrate remains, ichnofossils, plant macrofossils, and palynomorphs, documented by paleontologists from national museums and universities. Vertebrate assemblages recovered comprise mammals, reptiles, and avian trace fossils that inform Neogene faunal dispersal across Afro-Arabia and Eurasia, interfacing with studies on faunal exchange during the Messinian and Pliocene. Trace fossil suites include burrows and trackways analyzed by ichnologists; palynological records reveal shifts in vegetation documented by paleobotanists and linked to regional paleoecological changes. Fossil occurrences have been compared with contemporaneous localities researched by teams working on the Siwa Oasis, Wadi Araba, and Sinai peneplains.
Sedimentological facies and fossil assemblages indicate deposition in braided fluvial systems, ephemeral lakes, playa-lake margins, and locally shallow marine incursions under a seasonally arid to semi-arid paleoclimate. Interpretation of paleosol horizons, evaporite layers, and palynological turnovers suggest intervals of increased aridity, punctuated by wetter phases tied to basin subsidence and climatic variability during the late Miocene. These reconstructions have been integrated into regional paleoclimate syntheses developed by climate modelers and Quaternary researchers studying Mediterranean and Arabian paleoenvironments.
Prominent exposures of the Hazeva Formation occur in the central and southern Negev, notably within the Hazeva and Mitzpe Ramon areas, along escarpments bordering the Arava and the Jordan Valley, and at roadside cliffs near Eilat. Field mapping campaigns by national geological surveys, park authorities, and academic teams have characterized section thicknesses, lateral facies changes, and structural relationships, facilitating regional mapping efforts and inclusion of the formation in geological maps produced by state agencies and international partners.
The Hazeva Formation has limited direct economic mineralization but is significant for groundwater reservoir studies, aggregate resources, and as a host for paleontological and geotourism sites managed by heritage organizations and national parks. Its coarse clastic units have been evaluated for construction materials by local authorities, while fine-grained units influence aquifer recharge and groundwater quality assessed by hydrogeologists. Additionally, the formation provides key outcrops for educational fieldwork and conservation initiatives involving museums, universities, and protected-area administrations.
Category:Geologic formations of Israel Category:Neogene geology Category:Negev Desert