Geological characteristics and resource potential analysis of potash deposits in Africa

SUN Hongwei; REN Junping; XU Kangkang; WU Xingyuan; TANG Wenlong; HE Fuqing

doi:10.12097/j.issn.1671-2552.2023.08.011

2023 Vol. 42, No. 8

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SUN Hongwei, REN Junping, XU Kangkang, WU Xingyuan, TANG Wenlong, HE Fuqing. 2023. Geological characteristics and resource potential analysis of potash deposits in Africa. Geological Bulletin of China, 42(8): 1390-1401. doi: 10.12097/j.issn.1671-2552.2023.08.011

Citation:

SUN Hongwei, REN Junping, XU Kangkang, WU Xingyuan, TANG Wenlong, HE Fuqing. 2023. Geological characteristics and resource potential analysis of potash deposits in Africa. Geological Bulletin of China, 42(8): 1390-1401. doi: 10.12097/j.issn.1671-2552.2023.08.011

Geological characteristics and resource potential analysis of potash deposits in Africa

1.
School of Earth Science and Resources, China University of Geosciences(Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
2.
Tianjin Center, China Geological Survey, Tianjin 300170, China
3.
Southern African Mining Research Institute, China Geological Survey, Tianjin 300170, China

Received Date: 19 August 2022

Revised Date: 24 February 2023

Publish Date: 15 August 2023

Abstract

Abstract

Potash resources are distributed unevenly on a global scale, and their reserves and output are mainly concentrated in a few countries and companies.Finding new supply sites for potash resources is an important task for China's geological exploration workers due to scarcity of potash resources in China.Africa, rich in potash reserves, predominantly harbours them in countries such as Congo(Brazzaville), Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Morocco, among others.Potassium formations are mainly from the Cretaceous, Neogene, and Quaternary periods.The geological conditions of potash mineralization in Africa are excellent.For instance, the arid and hot environment induced seawater evaporation, and extensional tectonics led to the formation of numerous fault depressions, and multi-stage transgression events provided good conditions for the eventual formation of potash reserves in Africa.Based on the analysis of the geological characteristics, deposit types and metallogenetic potential of typical potash deposits(occurrences) in Africa, it is considered that the North sub-Basin of the Gabon-Congo Basin in West Africa, the central area of the Danakil Basin in East Africa and the dry salt lake area in Northwest Africa are favorable areas for potassium exploration.
- potash /
- deposit characteristics /
- temporal and spatial distribution /
- resource potential /
- Africa

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References

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