1. Mineral Resources
  2. Online Spatial Data
  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Mishraq Ash Shurah

Producer in Iraq with commodity Sulfur
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Land status
  13. Ownership information
  14. Production statistics
  15. Reserves and resources
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10230787
MAS/MILS ID 5050000001
Record type Site
Current site name Mishraq Ash Shurah
Alternate or previous names Ash Shurah, Mishraq

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: 43.33465, 35.99871 (WGS84)
Elevation 240
Location accuracy 10000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Iraq(country)

Asia(continent)

Land(continent)

Federal lands

Federal(land status)

Geographic areas

Country
Iraq

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Sulfur Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Anhydrite Unknown
Calcite Unknown
Dolomite Unknown
Gypsum Unknown
Sulfur Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) 43.33465, 35.99871
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 66M
    Length 5500M
    Width 2000M
    Area 10HA
    Depth to top 92M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 2
    Type of Orebody #1 STRATIFORM
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 DISSEMINATED
    Shape of Orebody #2 LENTICULAR
    Type of Orebody #3 REPLACEMENT
    Shape of Orebody #3 IRREGULAR
    Primary mode of Origin RESIDUAL CONCENT
    Secondary mode of Origin OTHER
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Secondary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. UNKNOWN
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 92
    Total Surface Area (HA) 10
    Date of Last Modification 910510

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Non-metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1933
Mining method Auger Mining - Frasch Process
Year of first production 1972

Mining district

District name Northern Group

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category Federal

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner National Iraqi Mining Co. (Nimco)
    Interest 100
    Home office Iraq
    Year 1985
  • Type Owner
    Owner State Organization For Minerals (Som)
    Interest 100
    Home office Iraq
    Year 1985
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner State Organization Of Mishraq Sulphur
    Interest 100
    Home office Iraq
    Year 1985

Comments on the ownership information

  • NIMCO IS RUN BY SOM.

Production statistics

  • Year 1977
    Description Filtered Sulfur Production: 519350 Mt 611000 Annual Mt Sulfur Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 519350mt
  • Year 1978
    Description Filtered Sulfur Production: 510000 Mt 600000 Annual Mt Sulfur Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 510000mt
  • Year 1978
    Description Published Production Of Sulfur 641000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 641000mt
  • Year 1979
    Description Filtered Sulfur Production: 467500 Mt 550000 Annual Mt Sulfur Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 467500mt
  • Year 1979
    Description Published Production Of Sulfur 762000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 762000mt
  • Year 1980
    Description Filtered Sulfur Production: 379100 Mt 446000 Annual Mt Sulfur Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 379100mt
  • Year 1980
    Description Published Production Of Sulfur 600000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 600000mt
  • Year 1981
    Description Filtered Sulfur Production: 123250 Mt 145000 Annual Mt Sulfur Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 123250mt
  • Year 1981
    Description Published Production Of Sulfur 145000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 145000mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Filtered Sulfur Production: 340000 Mt 400000 Annual Mt Sulfur Mined
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 340000mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Published Production Of Sulfur 200000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 200000mt
  • Year 1983
    Description Published Production Of Sulfur 400000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Sulfur Sulfur 400000mt

Comments on the production information

  • RECORDS 7 TO 12 MAY BE THE UNFILTERED ELEMENTAL SULFUR PRODUCTION. THE PUBLISHED DATA WAS NOT CLEAR ON THIS POINT.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1985
    Measured 20000000mt ore
    Indicated 225000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 245000000mt ore
    Total resources 245000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Sulfur S 21.6 wt-pct Sulfur Major 1985

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • THESE ARE THE ESTIMATED INSITU ELEMENTAL SULFUR RESERVES, CALCULATED FROM AN EXTENSIVE DRILLING PROGRAM OVER A 10 SQ KM AREA OF MISHRQ. THE SULFUR GRADE IS THAT OF THE "ORE ZONE". THE MINERALIZED ZONE (S) OF RECRYSTALLIZED LIMESTONE, WHICH CONTAIN NATIVE SULFUR CRYSTALS.
  • SITE BOMBED IN 1991 GULF WAR. LOCATION 40KM FORM MOSUL. MINING METHOD FRASCH PROCESS AND OPEN PIT METHODS. OPERATION BEGAN IN 1973.
  • REPORTED 1985 RESOURCES OF 245MMT @ 21.65% S.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 48M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method FRASCH PROCESS 10-89
    Percent Recovery 70
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK FISSURED WITH MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics UNKNOWN
    Rock Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    Mine Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    Number of Shafts 0
    Number of Inclines 0
    Number of Adits 0
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 1096
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1983

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Geology

    INTERATIONAL GEOLOGY REVIEW, "ORIGIN OF NATIVE SULFUR IN

  • Geology

    MISHRAK DEPOSIT", VOL 17, NO. 8, PP 881-885.

  • Geology

    ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, "SULFATE REDUCTION AND SULFUR DEPOSITION

  • Geology

    IN THE LOWER FARS FORMATION, NORTHERN IRAQ", VOL 72, 1977,

  • Geology

    PP 608-618.

  • Geology

    ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, "ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF THE MISHRAQ NATIVE

  • Geology

    SULFUR DEPOSIT, NORTHERN IRAQ", VOL. 74, 1979, PP 484-495.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL RESEARCH SERVICE. OCT. 6, 1994. REPORT

  • Deposit

    COMPILED FOR LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LAB.

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULPHUR, CORP. LTD. WORLD SURVEU OF SULPHUR

  • Deposit

    RESOURCES, 3RD ED. 1985, PP. 181-184.

  • Deposit

    EUROPA PUBLICATIONS LTD. THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

  • Deposit

    1994. 40TH ED. PP. 411-421.

  • Deposit

    LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. IRAQ, A COUNTRY STUDY. DEC, 1987,

  • Deposit

    PP. 148-152.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING. 1981-1982 WORLD MINES REGISTER. P. 119.

  • Deposit

    MINING ANNUAL REVIEW. 1994, MINING JOURNAL. NOV. 1994.

  • Reserve-Resource

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORP. LTD., "SURVEY OF WORLD SULPHUR

  • Reserve-Resource

    RESOURCES", SECOND EDITION, 1974, PP ??.

  • Reserve-Resource

    RESOURCES", THIRD EDITION, 1984, PP 181-184.

  • Deposit

    MINING ANNUAL REVIEW, "IRAQ", 1981, PAGE 526.

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORP. LTD., "IRAQ EMERGES AS MAJOR SULPHUR

  • Deposit

    EXPORTER", SULPHUR NO. 111, MARCH/APRIL, 1974, PP 36-40.

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORP. LTD., "WORLD TRENDS -- AN EVENTAL TIME

  • Deposit

    -- AGAIN FOR THE WORLD SULPHUR INDUSTRY", SULPHUR NO. 150,

  • Deposit

    SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER, 1980, PP 5-??.

  • Deposit

    1979 E/MJ INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF MINING, PAGE ?.

  • Deposit

    MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1978-79, PAGE 16.

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORP. LTD., "EXPLOITATION OF BEDDEB SULPHUR

  • Deposit

    DEPOSITS BY THE HYDRODYNAMIC METHOD", APPENDIX 1.

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORP. LTD., "HYDRO-DYNAMIC BARRIER FOR

  • Deposit

    SULPHUR MINES", SLUPHUR NO. 149, JULY/AUGUST, 1980, PP30-

  • Deposit

    31.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THIS OPERATION IS LOCATED ABOUT 40KM FROM THE CITY OF MOSUL, IRAQ, IN AN AREA CALLED "THE NORTHERN GROUP STRUCTURES". THIS REGION IS ALSO CALLED THE MOSUL REGION, AFTER THE CITY OF MOSUL. THE CLIMATE IS SEMIARID. MISHRAQ IS LISTED AS A SURF/UNDRG OPERATION SINCE IT USED THE FRASCH PROCESS TO RECOVER ELEMENTAL (NATIVE) SULFUR. THE PLANT ALSO INCLUDES A FILTRATION BENEFICATION PLANT TO REMOVE OIL/ORGANIC MATTER FROM THE RECOVERED ELEMENTAL SULFUR.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 24-SEP-1996 Wilburn, David R. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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