Talemzane
Key facts
- Country
- Algeria
- Diameter
- 1.75 km
- Age
- less than about 3 million years
- Location
- 33.32° N, 4.03° E
A round, bowl-shaped crater about 1.75 km across with a raised rim, on the limestone plateau south of the Saharan Atlas in Laghouat Province, Algeria.
Talemzane is a small, simple impact crater about 1.75 km across on a limestone plateau in Laghouat Province, northern Algeria, south of the Saharan Atlas mountains.
What can be seen. The crater is a well-preserved bowl with a raised rim. Its floor is partly filled with wind-blown sand and sediment.
What it hit. The impactor struck a flat-lying sequence of Cretaceous and younger limestones.
Proof of impact. The crater was described in the mid-twentieth century. Geologists later found breccias and quartz with shock features in the rim rocks, which confirmed an impact.
Age. The age is poorly known. The crater's fresh shape suggests it is young, probably less than about 3 million years old.
Why it matters. Talemzane is one of the best-preserved simple craters in North Africa. The impactor is unknown.
Visiting. The crater lies on a remote plateau. Travel with local guides and carry plenty of water.
Did you know?
Talemzane is a well-preserved simple bowl crater.
It formed in flat-lying limestone.
It is probably less than about 3 million years old.