The ironstone lenses of Ga’ara area are enclosed within the uppermost part of the clastic succession of
Permocarboniferous Ga’ara Formation. This succession is composed mainly of sandstones (sometimes
with pebbles), siltstones, and kaolinitic claystones. The ironstones are classified according to their lithology
and texture into two types: massive and pisolitic–oolitic ironstones. The later is restricted to the
southern rim of Ga’ara Depression. The enclosure of ironstone lenses within the fining upward cycle, predominance
of colloform and pisolitic oolitic textures and the low Cu, Pb, Zn, and Mn contents are good
evidences for the shallow sedimentary environment of deposition. There is no convincing evidence to
suggest any serious role of lateritization process in the formation of the studied ironstones. The most
probable source rocks that consist of plutonic metamorphic complexes of Arabian Shield were subjected
to deep chemical weathering and erosion under humid and tropical climate. These products dominated
by amorphous iron oxyhydroxides, kaolinite, and quartz were transported by rivers to be deposited in
fluviatile and lacustrine environments in Ga’ara area. Iron was carried as colloids and/or associated with
clay fractions. The massive clayey ironstone and pisolitic oolitic ironstone were formed by the deposition
of iron oxyhydroxide-bearing clays within small lakes associated with flood plain river overbanks; while
the massive sandy ironstone was formed by the deposition of water laid detrital quartz grains cemented
by goethite and hematite.