Geochemical and Mineralogical Characterization of Uranium, Thorium and Rare Earth Elements in Egyptian Phosphate Deposits

Phosphate deposits in Egypt occur in three main locations: (1) Nile valley phosphate in El Sebaiya mine; (2) New valley phosphate in Abu Tarture plateau; and (3) Red sea phosphate in Safaga and Quseir area. Mineralogically, francolite and carbonate hydroxyl apatite are the most abundant varieties of apatite in phosphate rocks in Egypt. Geochemically, phosphate rocks range from 24 to 29% P₂O₅ for the high-grade phosphate ore in El Sebaiya. In addition, uranium content ranges from 50 to 132 ppm with an average of 91 ppm U. The inferred phosphate resource in El Sebaiya area is about 80 Mt P₂O₅. The phosphate rocks in Abu Tarture plateau are enriched in rare earth elements (REEs) and average about 0.2% and are depleted in uranium (average about 25 ppm) and thorium (average 4 ppm). (author)