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Bi'R Hayzan Diatomite Deposit

Prospect in Saudi Arabia with commodity Diatomite
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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. Mineral occurrence model information
  8. Host and associated rocks
  9. Nearby scientific data
  10. Ore body information
  11. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  12. Links to other databases
  13. Bibliographic references
  14. General comments
  15. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10023527
MRDS ID I000621
Record type Site
Current site name Bi'R Hayzan Diatomite Deposit

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: 39.17437, 27.59369 (WGS84)
Relative position DEPOSIT IS FOUND IN THE SOUTHWESTERN ARM OF THE NAFUD SAND SEA, ABOUT 67 KM EAST OF TAYMA IN NORTHWESTERN SAUDI ARABIA.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Saudi Arabia(country)

Geographic areas

Country
Saudi Arabia

Comments on the location information

  • LOCATION IS FOR APPROXIMATE CENTER OF THE DISTRICT.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Diatomite Primary

Comments on the commodity information

  • DIATOM ASSEMBLAGE INCLUDES "AULACOSIRA GRANULATA, VAR. ANGUSTISSIMA" AND "STEPHANODISCUS ASTREA", BOTH FRESH WATER VARIETIES.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Diatomite Ore

Analytical data

Result BASED ON 4 SAMPLES: 85% SIO2
Result 2.34% FE2O3
Result 1.4% AL2O3
Result AND 8.27% LOI (THESE SAMPLES WERE NOT OVEN-DRIED FIRST, THEREFORE THE SILICA CONTENT IS PROBABLY IN EXCESS OF 89%). THE DIATOMITE HAS LOW BULK DENSITY (0.64 G/CUB. CM) AND AN AVERAGE POROSITY OF 63%.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 222
USGS model code 31s
Deposit model name Lacustrine diatomite

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Unconsolidated Deposit > Sand and Gravel
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pleistocene

Nearby scientific data

(1) 39.17437, 27.59369
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Economic information

Ore body information

  • Dip 5 TO 9 DEG NE
    Thickness 2.2M

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Prospect
Commodity type Non-metallic
Significant No

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    WHITNEY, J.W., 1982, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE BI'R HAYZAN DIATOMITE DEPOSIT, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA, WITH A SECTION ON SELECTED PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION BY MARK E. GETTINGS: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN-FILE REPORT 82-1046, 25 P

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE LACUSTRINE DIATOMITE BEDS LIE STRATIGRAPHICALLY ABOVE EOLIAN SAND AND BELOW A LARGE BARCHANOID DUNE, INDICATING DEPOSITION DURING AN EXCEPTIONAL PERIOD OF PLUVIAL CLIMATE IN AN OTHERWISE ARID SAND DESERT, PROBABLY DURING THE LAST INTERGLACIAL CLIMATE OF THE PLEISTOCENE. DIATOMITE RELATED TO THE SAME PLUVIAL EPISODE HAS ALSO BEEN FOUND IN THE AFAR REGION OF ETHIOPIA. THE BI'R HAYZAN DEPOSIT IS EXPOSED ON THE WINDWARD SIDE OF THE LARGE TRANSVERSE DUNE. THE EXPOSED SECTION OF DIATOMITE IS 450 M LONG. THE DIATOMITE IS 1.6 TO 2.2 M (AVE. 1.85 M) THICK IN THE OUTCROP AND HAS PARALLEL LAMINAE. THERE ARE MINOR IRON OXIDE STAINS ON THE SURFACE OF THE OUTCROP AND NEAR THE TOP OF THE DEPOSIT. THERE ARE NO INTERBEDS OF SAND, SILT, OR CLAY IN HTE DEPOSIT. WHITNEY ESTIMATED THAT DIATOMITE SEDIMENTATION LASTED AT LEAST 880 YEARS.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JAN-1990 Orris, Greta J. U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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

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