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Kef Eschfair

Producer 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. Mining district
  10. Mineral rights holdings
  11. Land status
  12. Ownership information
  13. Production statistics
  14. Reserves and resources
  15. Workings at the site
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. General comments
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10232534
MAS/MILS ID 7230300002
Record type Site
Current site name Kef Eschfair

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: 8.46843, 34.38253 (WGS84)
Elevation 550
Location accuracy 1000(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) 8.46843, 34.38253
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N90E
    Dip 20N
    Thickness 10M
    Area 3360HA
    Depth to top 25M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. UNKNOWN
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Strike And Dip N90E:20N
    Minimum Depth to Top 10
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 3360
    Date of Last Modification 830415

Comments on the geologic information

  • PREDOMINATE PHOSPHATE MINERAL IS FRANCOLITE
  • THICKNESS OF RECENT ALLUVIAL SANDS AND CLAYS IS HIGHLY VARIABLE 0-20M. THICKNESS OF LIMESTONE CAPROCK IS ALSO HIGHLY VARIABLE IN THICKNESS, 10-40M. METLAOUI FM. CONSISTS OF LIMESTONE AND MARL INTERBEDDED WITH PHOSPHORITE. EIGHT PHOSPHORITE BEDS ARE MINED.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Non-metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1899
Mining method Strip-Level
Year of first production 1978
Milling method Washing

Mining district

District name Gafsa Basin

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Unknown

Land status

Ownership category Unknown

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Compagnie Des Phosphates De Gafsa (Government)
    Interest 100
    Home office Tunisia
    Year 1981

Production statistics

  • Year 1972
    Description First Yr In Production 1350000 Mt Ore/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1350000mt
  • Year 1973
    Description 1350000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1350000mt
  • Year 1974
    Description 1350000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1350000mt
  • Year 1975
    Description 1350000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1350000mt
  • Year 1976
    Description 1350000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1350000mt
  • Year 1977
    Description 1350000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1350000mt
  • Year 1978
    Description 1350000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1350000mt
  • Year 1979
    Description 1350000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1350000mt
  • Year 1980
    Description 1350000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1350000mt

Comments on the production information

  • MILL RECOVERY = 79%

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1986
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Phosphorus-Phosphates P 17 wt-pct Phosphorus Major 1986

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • MINING RECOVERY = 80%

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 3360HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Percent Waste Rock 16.7
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 25
    Primary Material Cover M-HARD ROCKS
    Hardness of Ore SAND, SILT
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 10
    Capacity 5909
    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

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

  • Deposit

    AMERICAN EMBASSY TUNISIA, INDUSTRIAL OUTLOOK REPORT, 6/9/80.

  • Deposit

    BOYCE, R.L., THE TUNISIAN PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY: TRIP REPORT

  • Deposit

    MARCH 21, 1980

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORP. LTD., WORLD SURVEY OF PHOSPHATE

  • Deposit

    DEPOSITS, FOURTH EDITION, 1980

  • Deposit

    COMPANIE DES PHOSPHATES DE GAFSA, FIVE YEAR PLAN, TABLES FOR

  • Deposit

    YEARS 1978 THROUGH 1984

  • Deposit

    DEVOTO, R.H., AND D.N. STEVENS, URANIFEROUS PHOSPHATE

  • Deposit

    DEPOSITS AND TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS OF URANIUM RECOVERY

  • Deposit

    FROM PHOSPHATE RESOURCES, UNITED STATES AND FREE WORLD,

  • Deposit

    VOL. 1, JUNE 1979

  • Deposit

    INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGICAL CONGRESS, 14TH, LES RESERVES

  • Deposit

    MONDIALES EN PHOSPHATES, 2 VOLUMES, 1926

  • Deposit

    KHAMMOUMA, S., LETTER TO W.F. STOWASSER, JULY 16, 1979

  • Deposit

    SHELDRICK, W.F. AND HARALD STIER, WORLD PHOSPHATE SURVEY

  • Deposit

    BACKGROUND PAPERS, SEPT. 1979. (RESTRICTED CIRCULATION.

  • Deposit

    USE ONLY WITH PERMISSION.)

  • Deposit

    SRI INTERNATIONAL, CHEMICAL ECONOMICS HANDBOOK, PHOSPHATE

  • Deposit

    ROCK, MARCH 1980

  • Deposit

    STOWASSER, W.F., FIELD TRIP REPORT--TUNISIAN PHOSPHATE ROCK

  • Deposit

    MINING INDUSTRY, NOV. 24, 1976

  • Deposit

    STOWASSER, W.F., MEMORANDUM: FIELD TRIP TO PHOSPHATE

  • Deposit

    PRODUCING MINES IN TUNISIA, DEC. 18, 1979.

  • Deposit

    TUNISIA BANKS ON NEW TECHNOLOGY ... P205 PRODUCTION GOALS

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, SEPT. 1980.

  • Deposit

    TUNISIA ... PLANT TO DOUBLE PHOSPHATE PRODUCTION ...,

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, MAY 1976.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit CAPACITY REPORTED AT 1,293,000 MT/YR.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 20-MAY-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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