The economic potential of El-Gedida glauconite deposits, El-Bahariya Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt

• Published in: Journal of African earth sciences (1994) 2016-08, Vol.120, p.186-197
• Main Authors: El-Habaak, Galal, Askalany, Mohamed, Faraghaly, Mohamed, Abdel-Hakeem, Mahmoud
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical properties; El-Gedida iron mine; Glauconite deposits; Physical properties; Potassium fertilizer
• ISSN: 1464-343X; 1879-1956
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2016.05.007

The mining work at El-Gedida iron mine, El-Bahariya Oasis, in the Western Desert of Egypt extracts commercial iron ore deposits without attention paid to the large glauconite deposits overlying these iron ore deposits. For this reason, the present paper aims at evaluating and attracting the attention to these glauconite deposits as alternative potassium fertilizers. The study was achieved by investigating mineralogical, physical and chemical properties of the green deposits. Mineralogical and physical properties involved the determination of glauconite pellets content in different grain size fractions relative to impurities and the analysis of the percentage of clay matrix and grain size distribution. Different pre-treatment strategies and methods including comminution, sieving, magnetic separation, and X-ray diffraction were used for investigating those mineralogical and physical properties. On the other hand, chemical analyses included potassium content, heavy metal concentrations, and pH and salinity measurements. The major elements and trace elements were measured using ICP-OES and the pH was measured using a pH conductometer. Moreover, this study investigated the nature of grain boundaries and the effect of sieving on glauconite beneficiation. Results of this study suggest that El-Gedida glauconite deposits are mineralogically, physically and chemically suitable for exploitation and can be beneficiated for use as an alternative potassium fertilizer. •There is a simple locking between glauconite pellets and quartz grains.•The content of glauconite pellets reaches up to 98.32 wt%, compared to impurities.•El-Gedida glauconites are suitable for fertilizing purposes.•El-Gedida glauconites only require sieving to be suitable for fertilizing purposes.