Geochemical Siliceous and Silicified Facies of Phosphate Series of Ouled Abdoun Basin (Morocco)

Abstract

Syn-sedimentary post-diagenetic phenomena are remarkable in Moroccan phosphates. Indeed they are reference deposits for geological study, where important interests are given of determination and identification of these geochemical phenomena. Silicification is one of the phenomena that we have studied to determine the diagenetic processes that control the new-formation of silica in phosphate series of Ouled Abdoun. This study was performed on deposit EL Halassa, which belongs to the Ouled Abdoun Basin; they spread out the Maastrichtian to Lutetian. At first, petrographic approach was applied on different terms composing the phosphate series. In a second step, a geochemical approach on the same silica and silicified facies of phosphate series Ouled Abdoun Basin for characterizing silicification deduced the probable links between this diagenetic phenomenon and facies and forms’ affect. Ten major trace elements were measured. According to the phases’ petrographic relationship, the results were presented and discussed: silicate phase, the carbonate phase and clay phase.