Geophysical Prospecting for Groundwater Resources in Phosphate Deposits (Morocco)
The Moroccan phosphate deposits are the largest in the world. Phosphatic layers are extracted in open-pit mines mainly in the sedimentary basins of Gantour and Ouled Abdoun in Central Morocco. The purpose of this study was to prospect and evaluate the water potential of aquifers incorporated in the...
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Minerals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/10/842 |
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| author | Fatim-Zahra Ihbach Azzouz Kchikach Mohammed Jaffal Driss El Azzab Oussama Khadiri Yazami Es-Said Jourani José Antonio Peña Ruano Oier Ardanaz Olaiz Luis Vizcaíno Dávila |
| author_facet | Fatim-Zahra Ihbach Azzouz Kchikach Mohammed Jaffal Driss El Azzab Oussama Khadiri Yazami Es-Said Jourani José Antonio Peña Ruano Oier Ardanaz Olaiz Luis Vizcaíno Dávila |
| author_sort | Fatim-Zahra Ihbach |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Moroccan phosphate deposits are the largest in the world. Phosphatic layers are extracted in open-pit mines mainly in the sedimentary basins of Gantour and Ouled Abdoun in Central Morocco. The purpose of this study was to prospect and evaluate the water potential of aquifers incorporated in the phosphatic series using the following geophysical methods: Magnetic resonance sounding (MRS), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), time-domain electromagnetics (TDEM), and frequency-domain electromagnetics (FDEM). The objective was, on the one hand, to contribute to the success of the drinking water supply program in rural areas around mining sites, and on the other hand, to delimit flooded layers in the phosphatic series to predict the necessary mining design for their extraction. The use of geophysical methods made it possible to stratigraphically locate the most important aquifers of the phosphatic series. Their hydraulic parameters can be evaluated using the MRS method while the mapping of their recharge areas is possible through FDEM surveys. The results obtained in two selected experimental zones in the mining sites of Youssoufia and Khouribga are discussed in this paper. The application of the implemented approach to large phosphate mines is in progress in partnership with the mining industry. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:05:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-029f3e60b0c840558a60caf7e5107258 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-163X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:05:16Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Minerals |
| spelling | doaj.art-029f3e60b0c840558a60caf7e51072582023-11-20T14:54:30ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2020-09-01101084210.3390/min10100842Geophysical Prospecting for Groundwater Resources in Phosphate Deposits (Morocco)Fatim-Zahra Ihbach0Azzouz Kchikach1Mohammed Jaffal2Driss El Azzab3Oussama Khadiri Yazami4Es-Said Jourani5José Antonio Peña Ruano6Oier Ardanaz Olaiz7Luis Vizcaíno Dávila8Georesources, Geoenvironment and Civil Engineering (L3G) Laboratory, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, MoroccoGeoresources, Geoenvironment and Civil Engineering (L3G) Laboratory, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, MoroccoGeoresources, Geoenvironment and Civil Engineering (L3G) Laboratory, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, MoroccoSIGER laboratory, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fes 30050, MoroccoOCP Group, Casablanca 20200, MoroccoOCP Group, Casablanca 20200, MoroccoInstituto Andaluz de Geofisica, Universidad de Granada, 18010 Granada, SpainInstituto Andaluz de Geofisica, Universidad de Granada, 18010 Granada, SpainInstituto Andaluz de Geofisica, Universidad de Granada, 18010 Granada, SpainThe Moroccan phosphate deposits are the largest in the world. Phosphatic layers are extracted in open-pit mines mainly in the sedimentary basins of Gantour and Ouled Abdoun in Central Morocco. The purpose of this study was to prospect and evaluate the water potential of aquifers incorporated in the phosphatic series using the following geophysical methods: Magnetic resonance sounding (MRS), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), time-domain electromagnetics (TDEM), and frequency-domain electromagnetics (FDEM). The objective was, on the one hand, to contribute to the success of the drinking water supply program in rural areas around mining sites, and on the other hand, to delimit flooded layers in the phosphatic series to predict the necessary mining design for their extraction. The use of geophysical methods made it possible to stratigraphically locate the most important aquifers of the phosphatic series. Their hydraulic parameters can be evaluated using the MRS method while the mapping of their recharge areas is possible through FDEM surveys. The results obtained in two selected experimental zones in the mining sites of Youssoufia and Khouribga are discussed in this paper. The application of the implemented approach to large phosphate mines is in progress in partnership with the mining industry.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/10/842phosphate minesgeophysical explorationhydrogeologyphosphate extractiongantour BasinOuled Abdoun Basin |
| spellingShingle | Fatim-Zahra Ihbach Azzouz Kchikach Mohammed Jaffal Driss El Azzab Oussama Khadiri Yazami Es-Said Jourani José Antonio Peña Ruano Oier Ardanaz Olaiz Luis Vizcaíno Dávila Geophysical Prospecting for Groundwater Resources in Phosphate Deposits (Morocco) Minerals phosphate mines geophysical exploration hydrogeology phosphate extraction gantour Basin Ouled Abdoun Basin |
| title | Geophysical Prospecting for Groundwater Resources in Phosphate Deposits (Morocco) |
| title_full | Geophysical Prospecting for Groundwater Resources in Phosphate Deposits (Morocco) |
| title_fullStr | Geophysical Prospecting for Groundwater Resources in Phosphate Deposits (Morocco) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Geophysical Prospecting for Groundwater Resources in Phosphate Deposits (Morocco) |
| title_short | Geophysical Prospecting for Groundwater Resources in Phosphate Deposits (Morocco) |
| title_sort | geophysical prospecting for groundwater resources in phosphate deposits morocco |
| topic | phosphate mines geophysical exploration hydrogeology phosphate extraction gantour Basin Ouled Abdoun Basin |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/10/842 |
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