**1. Introduction**

During the Lower Cretaceous, siliciclastic sediments were deposited on terrestial terrestrial partly lacustrine environments [1–3]. The sandstones are quartz (SiO2) arenite with rounded quartz grains, clay minerals and siltstones. Lower Chemical weathering of the Pan-African continental basement favored silicate weathering, particularly a warm and humid climate, low relief and low sedimentation rates which prevailed over large tracts of Gondwana in the aftermath of the Pan-African orogeny [4]. Cretaceous sandstone originates from Paleozoic sandstones, the first-cycle quartz-rich sandstones [5]. The stratigraphic cycles showed progradational – retrogradational trends due to small global sea-level rises which inundated the continent for short periods and fossils were found [6]. In Lebanon similar sandstones were deposited during the Lower Cretaceous [7].

The composition of the sandstones was 85–95% quartz indicating well-sorted sandstone. Sedimentological observations suggest that the Chouf Formation deposited in fluvial, coastal plain and deltaic environments. The origin of the sandstone is from recycling of Paleozoic sandstones. Sandstones of the Lower Cretaceous were deposited and covered by sediments that were deposited after the Thetis Ocean covered the area during the Upper Cretaceous, hence, hard carbonate stones, limestones, dolomites and marls precipitated, overlying the sandstones. At the end of the Mesozoic era, closure of the Thetis Sea yielded formation of the Syrian arc with monoclines of the Hatira and Ramon areas. After regression of the Thetis Sea during the Oligocene, an erosion surface truncated the hard carbonate rocks of the fold's crest and exposed the underlying friable Lower Cretaceous sandstone. For crater (Makhtesh) Hatira, such an erosion base level formed locally and for a limited period in the Early Miocene. The opening of the Ramon crater started in the Early Pliocene, when the Syrian Arc Fold Belt was uplifted and arched and the Dead Sea Rift was established as a deep intercontinental erosion base in the east [8]. In the northern part of Israel, the Lower Cretaceous sandstones were exposed close to the Dead Sea transform fault and uplift of the Manara cliff and formation of Hula valley.

Composition and morphology of the nano-crystals that coat quartz grain reflect the environmental conditions in which they were formed as primary or secondary forms [9].

#### **Figure 1.**

*a. Geomorphological map of Israel. In the northern part is Manara cliff and in the southern part Hatira and Ramon craters. b. Sandstones exposed in the Hatira crater and a sample of red and yellow layers. c. Sandstones exposed in the Ramon crater and a sample with dark violet, red and yellow-red thin layer. d. Sandstones in the Manara cliff.*

**113**

**Table 1.**

*and Manara cliff in Israel*

*Nano-Sized Minerals from Lower Cretaceous Sandstones in Israel Observed by Transmission…*

In this paper, we present Transmission Electron Microscopic (TEM) observation of the nano-sized minerals from Lower Cretaceous sandstones exposed in the Hatira and Ramon craters in southern Israel, and in the Manara cliff in the northern

The main motivation of this research is to identify nano-crystals in sandstone that cause the variability in their colors. By using TEM detrital or authigenic phases

The samples that were collected were separated according to their colors: dark violet, violet, dark red, red and yellow (**Table 1**). Sand stone were put for few minutes into an ultrasonic bath, then the fine fraction was separated from the quartz grains and freeze-dried. Each sample was suspended in distilled water and placed on Cu supported holey carbon film and dried. Nano-sized (5–200 nm) particles were checked with Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) using a JEOL JEM-2100F analytical TEM operated at 200 kV, equipped with a JED-2300 T Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) for microprobe elemental analyses. All chemical analyses were obtained by point analyses with a beam width of 1 nm and are presented as atomic ratios. JEOL Analytical Station software, based on the Cliff-Lorimer ratio technique, with an accuracy of ~5%, was used for the calculations. The CuKa line was used to calibrate the spectrometer. Energy-filtered TEM (EFTEM) experiments were performed using a Gatan image filter. The titanium L-edge (456 eV), silicon L-edge (99 eV) and iron L-edge (708 eV) were used for

**No. Sample Color Location Minerals identified with HRTEM** 1 GNH4 YR Yellow-red Hatira crater, east Kaolinite, illite, hematite, goethite 2 GNH4 DR Dark red Hatira crater, east Quartz, clays, jarosite, anatase,

3 GNH6 R Red Hatira crater, east Kaolinite, ilmenite, hematite, quartz

cliff highway 40

cliff highway 40

cliff highway 40

cliff highway 40

cliff highway 40

cliff highway 40

cliff highway 40

*Location, colors and mineral composition in the fine fractions in sandstones from Hatira crater, Ramon crater,* 

Shmona

goethite, calcite, ilmenite

Anatase, kaolinite illite, smectite, goethite, magnetite, maghemite

Hematite, goethite, kaolinite alunite,

Goethite, hematite, anatase, illite,

Hematite, goethite, kaolinite anatase

Goethite, hematite, kaolinite, illite

Goethite hematite, anatase, kaolinite,

Kaolinite, ilmenite, apatite, goethite,

Hematite, illite, rutile, quartz

apatite

kaolinite

illite, smectite

quartz

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96948*

part of Israel (**Figure 1**).

**2. Sampling and methods**

elemental mapping using the three-window method.

4 GNR1 V Violet Ramon crater northern

5 GNR1 Y Yellow Ramon crater northern

6 GNR2 DV Dark violet Ramon crater northern

7 GNR2 R Red Ramon crater northern

8 GNR2 VR Violet, red Ramon crater northern

9 GNR3 R Red Ramon crater northern

10 GNR5 R Red Ramon crater northern

11 GNKS1 Red Manara cliff near Kiriat

can be identified.

*Nano-Sized Minerals from Lower Cretaceous Sandstones in Israel Observed by Transmission… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96948*

In this paper, we present Transmission Electron Microscopic (TEM) observation of the nano-sized minerals from Lower Cretaceous sandstones exposed in the Hatira and Ramon craters in southern Israel, and in the Manara cliff in the northern part of Israel (**Figure 1**).

The main motivation of this research is to identify nano-crystals in sandstone that cause the variability in their colors. By using TEM detrital or authigenic phases can be identified.
