Composition, lithogeochemical and isotopic-geochemical features of sediments of large rivers of Africa (a brief review of the results of modern research)

Modern data on the formation of the mineral composition, geochemical and isotope-geochemical features of sediments from large rivers in Africa – the Zambezi, Nile, Congo, as well as U-Pb isotope ages of detrital zircon populations in sands, obtained as a result of complex long-term studies by Professor E. Garzanti (Universita’ Di Milano-Bicocca, Italy) and his colleagues are considered. The ideas about the influence of chemical weathering processes on the composition of both silts and sands of the named large rivers are briefly summarized. The influence of river segmentation on the composition of the aluminosiliciclastics they carry is discussed. The key points of the research results presented in the review are outlined for specialists studying ancient sedimentary sequences.