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

Sra Ouertane

Plant in Tunisia with commodity Phosphorus-Phosphates
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Nearby scientific data
  7. Ore body information
  8. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  9. Ownership information
  10. Reserves and resources
  11. Workings at the site
  12. Links to other databases
  13. Bibliographic references
  14. General comments
  15. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10231658
MAS/MILS ID 7230150004
Record type Site
Current site name Sra Ouertane

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: 9.50208, 36.49943 (WGS84)
Location accuracy 5000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Tunisia(country)

Geographic areas

Country
Tunisia

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Phosphorus-Phosphates Primary

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) 9.50208, 36.49943
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Depth to top 12M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Minimum Depth to Top 5
    Date of Last Modification 910626

Comments on the geologic information

  • ALTHOUGH PRESENT IN ROUGHLY HORIZONTAL BEDS, THESE DEPOSITS DIFFER FROM THOSE IN THE SOUTH IN THAT THE ORE IS FOUND ASSOCIATED WITH MORE CARBONATE MINERALS, INSTEAD OF THE USUAL SILICATE, WHICH IS CHARACTERISTIC OF PHOSPHATES IN THE GAFSA REGION.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Plant
Commodity type Non-metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1983
Mining method Strip-Level
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Flotation
Milling method Flotation

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Societe D'Etudes Des Mines De Phosphate De Sra Ouertane
    Home office Tunisia
    Year 1985
  • Type Owner
    Owner Kuwait Pic
    Interest 50
    Home office Kuwait
    Year 1985
  • Type Owner
    Owner Government Of Tunisia
    Interest 25
    Home office Tunisia
    Year 1985
  • Type Owner
    Owner Icm
    Interest 3
    Year 1985
  • Type Owner
    Owner Sirte
    Interest 3
    Year 1985
  • Type Owner
    Owner Tunisian National Railroad
    Interest 3
    Home office Tunisia
    Year 1985
  • Type Owner
    Owner Siape
    Interest 3
    Year 1985
  • Type Owner
    Owner Other Owners
    Interest 13
    Year 1985

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1987
    Indicated 2000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 2000000mt ore
    Total resources 2000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Phosphorus-Phosphates P2O5 12 wt-pct Phosphorus Major 1987
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1985
    Inferred 1100000000mt ore
    Total resources 1100000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Phosphorus-Phosphates P2O5 13 wt-pct Phosphorus Major 1985

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • MAJOR TUNISIAN DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING AN ACID PLANT. SHOULD BE ON LINE BY 1990.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 12
    Primary Material Cover SAND, GRAVEL
    Hardness of Ore SAND, GRAVEL
    Capacity 5758
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 330
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1985
  • Type of workings Surface
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 2
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 12
    Primary Material Cover SAND, GRAVEL
    Hardness of Ore SAND, GRAVEL
    Capacity 9091
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 330
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1985
  • Type of workings Surface
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 3
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 12
    Primary Material Cover SAND, GRAVEL
    Hardness of Ore SAND, GRAVEL
    Capacity 11515
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 330
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1985

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORP., WORLD SURVEY OF PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS,

  • Reserve-Resource

    FIFTH ED. 1987, P. 114.

  • Deposit

    GREEN MARKETS, 4/4/83, P.8.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, MAY 1983, P. 342.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 6/10/83, P.400.

  • Deposit

    INDUSTRIAL MINERALS, JULY 1983, P.11.

  • Deposit

    E & MJ, JULY 1983, P. 86.

  • Deposit

    INTERNATIONAL MINING AUGUST 1984, P. 21.

  • Deposit

    E & MJ, JANUARY 1985, P. 41.

  • Deposit

    INTERNAITONAL MINING, APRIL 1985, P. 70.

  • Deposit

    POWER, TIM," TUNISIA, DEVELOPING DOWNSTREAM INDUSTRIES",

  • Deposit

    INDUSTRIAL MINERALS, JULY 1986, PP. 20-27.

  • Deposit

    INTERNATIONAL MINING, AUGUST, 1987, P. 98.

  • Deposit

    U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. MRDS, MINERAL RESOURCE DATA SYSTEM.

  • Deposit

    U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. MAS, MINERALS AVAIALABILITY SYSTEM.

  • Deposit

    ORGEVAL, JEAN-JAQUES, DENIS GIOT, JALIA KAROUI, JAQUES

  • Deposit

    MONTHEL, AND RACHEL SAHLI. LE GISEMENT DE ZN-PB DE BOU

  • Deposit

    GRINE(ATLAS TUNISIEN. DESCRIPTION ET HITORIQUE DE LA

  • Deposit

    DECOUVERTE. CHRON.RECH.MIN.NO. 482, MARCH 1986,PP.5-32.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE SRA OUERTANE DEPOSIT IS LOCATED ABOUT 40KM SOUTHEAST OF KEF, VERY NEAR THE KALAA KHASBA MINE. IT IS THE LARGEST DEPOSIT DISCOVERED IN TUNISIA TO DATE, WITH IDENTIFIED RESERVES OF APPROXIMATELY 1.1BN MT. A FEASIBILITY STUDY HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND FULL PRODUCTION IS EXPECTED IN 1995 AT THE RATE OF 10MIL. MTPY. CAPACITY REPORTED AT 1,178,000 MT/YR.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 04-JUN-97 Fantel, Richard J. 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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