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Graben identification and geology

A downdropped block of crust bounded on both sides by parallel normal faults, forming a linear valley or trough. Grabens are produced by extensional tectonics—the crust is being pulled apart and blocks subside between the bounding faults. They are often associated with rift zones and can accumulate thick sequences of sediment. The upstanding block between two grabens is called a horst. Field: structural geology. Example: The Rhine Graben in western Europe is a 300 km-long graben bounded by the Vosges Mountains and Black Forest horsts, formed by extensional tectonics beginning in the Eocene.. Related terms: Horst, Normal fault, Rift, Extension.

Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:41.999576+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Graben mean in geology?
A downdropped block of crust bounded on both sides by parallel normal faults, forming a linear valley or trough. Grabens are produced by extensional tectonics—the crust is being pulled apart and blocks subside between the bounding faults. They are often associated with rift zones and can accumulate thick sequences of sediment. The upstanding block between two grabens is called a horst.
What is an example of Graben?
The Rhine Graben in western Europe is a 300 km-long graben bounded by the Vosges Mountains and Black Forest horsts, formed by extensional tectonics beginning in the Eocene.
Which earth-science field uses the term Graben?
Graben is used in structural geology.
Which terms are related to Graben?
Related terms in this reference are Horst, Normal fault, Rift, Extension.

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