GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS AT EL-RASHDA, EL-MAWHOOB AREA, DAKHLA OASIS, WESTERN DESERT, EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Geology Department, Al-Azhar University

2 Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority

Abstract

This work comprises an attempt carried out to throw light on the geochemical evalution of the phosphorite deposits at  El-Rashda, El-Mawhoob area, Dakhla oasis, Western Desert, Egypt. The work is based on the field and laboratory work. Fifty stratigraphic sections, 19 borholes representing the study area, where studied, measured, sampled and studied.
The laboratory work comprises 69 samples for determining the physical properties, 11 samples for XRD analyses, 27 thin sections and 133 samples for chemical analyses using XRF method to detect the major oxides, SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, Na2O, SO3, Cl, P2O5, F, L.O.I. as well as trace the elements, Ba, Sr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, Ni, Co, Ti, V, Y, Ce.
According to the results of, chemical characteristics it can be concluded that the phosphorite deposits in the study area are suitable for fertilization used in the agriculture sector. As well as used in animal feed supplements, food preservation, anticorrosion gents, cosmetics, fungicides, ceramics, water treatment and metallurgy, very important in steel production, in the making of phosphor bronze, the thermal phosphorus used in the treatment of many surface minerals as, Aluminium, Copper, Iron.

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