Studies on geology and radioactivity of a phosphorite occurrence in Taba, Eastern Sinai, Egypt. Vol. 3

A phosphorite occurrence belonging to the Sudr Formation of Campanian-Maestrichtian has been located in Taba area, Eastern Sinai, Egypt. The sedimentary succession covering the area ranges from the Lower Cretaceous Malha Formation up to the Lower Eocene Thebes Formation. The phosphorites are occurring near the top of Sudr Formation. The latter is mainly manifested in the form of a carbonate facies of chalky limestone with thin chert and limestone intercalations. Two phosphate beds have been identified, namely, a lower bed of about 0.3 m thick and an upper bed of about 1.7 m thick. The two phosphate beds have been regularly sampled, and the collected samples were subjected to both XRD and chemical analysis for P2 O5 and uranium contents. The former indicated that the carbonate fluorapatite is the main phosphate mineral. The P2 O5 and uranium contents were found to attain maximum values of 22.4% and 97 Ppm, respectively. Taba phosphorite occurrence is correlated with that of El Qaa plain, southwestern sinai. The two phosphate beds have been compared to those occurring in three main phosphate districts of Egypt, namely, the red sea, the nile valley and the western desert which, belong, however to the Duwi formation. 6 figs., 3 tabs