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Petrology and geochemistry of the Az Zabirah south zone bauxite deposit at Al Ba’itha mine, north-central Saudi Arabia

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Abstract

In the central north of Saudi Arabia, outcrop samples from the Cretaceous bauxite profile deposits in the Az Zabirah area were subjected to a comprehensive evaluation aimed at investigating their petrographical and geochemical characteristics using X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with Energy dispersive (EDS) analysis, and X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) analysis. These bauxite deposits in the Az Zabirah area comprises of three main zones: the South zone, the Central zone, and the North zone. Petrologically, the bauxite samples predominantly consist of oolitic to pisolitic grains that are bound together by a matrix comprising bauxitic materials, iron oxides, calcite, and/or kaolinite. Mineralogical investigations indicate that the primary mineral composition of the bauxite includes gibbsite, boehmite, diaspore (kaolinite), hematite, quartz, and calcite. XRF showed that the dominant chemical components of the bauxite samples are Al2O3, SiO2, and Fe2O3. When considering the collective data from the rare earth elements (REEs) analysis (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) and chemical weathering indices such as the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), Chemical Index of Weathering (CIW), and Weathering Index of Parker (WIP), it becomes evident that the Az Zabirah South Zone bauxite laterite profile at Al Ba’itha mine was formed under the influence of significant and persistent weathering conditions. The findings and methods used in this study are considered beneficial and valuable as they support mineral exploration in arid and semi-arid environments.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (MAARIFAH), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Award Number (14-SPA686-02).

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  1. Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, 1 Gamaa Street, Giza, 12613, Egypt

    Mahmoud A. Galmed

  2. Department of Geology and Geophysics, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Hisham A. Gahlan & Essam A. Mohamed

  3. Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut, 71516, Egypt

    Hisham A. Gahlan

  4. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Science, Yarmouk University, Irbid, 21163, Jordan

    Habes A. Ghrefat

  5. Seismic Studies Center, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Khaled M. Al Kahtany

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Galmed, M.A., Gahlan, H.A., Ghrefat, H.A. et al. Petrology and geochemistry of the Az Zabirah south zone bauxite deposit at Al Ba’itha mine, north-central Saudi Arabia. Geosci J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-023-0046-1

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