The Fat’ha Formation (Middle Miocene, Langhian?) (Al-
Juboury and McCann, 2008; van Bellen et al., 1959) consists
of numerous shallowing-upward cycles of alternating mudrocks,
limestones, gypsum and/or anhydrite and halite in the
center of the basin. The clastics found only in the upper
member of the Fat’ha Formation form the dominant lithology
in the marginal part of the basin. The unit comprises
sandstone, silty claystone and claystones characterized by red
color and represents two main coarsening-upward cycles.
These cycles have been interpreted as formed within a
fluvially-dominated deltaic depositional system, where the
delta aggraded at the expense of lagoonal cycles (Fig. 3, A).