Manganese district of Tasdremt-Aoufour (Taroudant … · Geological setting and location: The Tasdremt-Aoufour district is located upstream of the Souss plain, 70 km east of Taroudant.

Geological setting and location:

The Tasdremt-Aoufour district is located upstream of the Souss plain, 70 km east of Taroudant. It is separated from the Imini deposit by the Sirwa area, on which still subsist some cretaceous shreds hosting the manganese mineralization of the district. Six ONHYM’s research permits cover this district. Tasdremt-Aoufour district is composed of two small cretaceous basins, Tasdremt basin (11 km²) to the west and Aoufour basin (14 km²) in the East, witnesses of the Cenomanian transgression over the primary land of the Sirwa. The Cenomanian series hosting manganese mineralization is composed from the bottom to the top by a detrital lower series composed of an alternance of sandstones and red clays; a dolomitic series consisting of clear beige dolostone

Location and geology of Tasdremt - Aoufour Area

Overview :Tasdremt-aoufour mineralization has a similar geological setting to the Imini manganese deposit; it is a stratabound manganese horizon, with kilometric extension and decimeter thickness. Mineralization is in the form of plumbiferous psilomelane and coronadite.

DISTRICT OF TASDREMT-AOUFOUR (Mn) (PROVINCE OF TAROUDANT, MOROCCO)

Target name Tasdremt-aoufour

Type of mineralization StrataboundLicence coverage 1 mining licence (covering 47.2 Km²)Available data Geological data/ Rock samplesGrades 43% Mn ; 6% PbDimensions Basin surface : Tasdremt : 11km²; Aoufour : 14km² Thickness : 0,5 to 1.8 m

Resources /Reserves Estimated resources : 270 000 t@43%Mn & 6% PbInfrastructures Road and high way , Electrical network.

benches with variable thicknesses ; and a higher detrital series consisting of alternation of sandstones and conglomerates. All Cenomanian formations ends with the Senonian composed of sandstone and more in the West by white limestone and marl.

Mineralization :

Manganese mineralization is related to dolomitic series where the layer 1 can be distinguished at the base; it is an irregular layer outcropping especially in Tasdremt, with a maximum thickness of 20 cm. On the top or near of it, the layer 2 or the main layer shows a thickness reaching 0.6 m at Tasdremt and 0.5 m at Aoufour, a thickness of 1.8 m was observed beside Tighanimine in the western part of the district . By layer 3 we denote irregular horizons located in Tasdremt, related to the upper series dolomitic episode at about 10 meters above the main layer.

The mineralization consists of barite and plumbiferous psilomelane with needles of coronadite (lead manganite). The ore is in the form of earthy structure called wad and concretionary when it comes to baritic plumbiferous psilomelane. Rarely pyrolusite can be observed.

Locally, at the West of the Tasdremt deposit, high levels reaching 72.6% MnO2 were identified.Exploration work conducted by SACEM between 1974 and 1976 allowed the estimation of the resources of Tasdremt district to 270 000 t with an average grade of 43% Mn and 6% Pb. In addition, the ONHYM field work carried out between 2011 and 2012 show that there is a mineralized level up to 0.65m thick, spread over 500m x 300 m, the estimation of 300 000 tones with 30% Mn. In 2017 a mineral inventory estimate was

made for Tasdremt sector, this assessment did not concern the Tighanimine area in the West nor that of Aoufour in the East. Using the available data, a solid was created with the Genesis software.This tonnage estimate in the Tasdremt sector only was 200000 tons at 24% Mn and 1.6% Pb. With a cut-off grade of 15% Mn. Considering that the mineralization extends at a distance of 14.5 km between Tighanimine in the west and Aoufour in the east, Further work in the rest of the sector will allow increasing these resources.

Outlook :

The considerable extension of the manganese district of Tasdremt-Aoufour allows considering an important potential of irregular manganese and lead mineralization. In addition, the high grades of lead, closely related to those of manganese could enhance the importance of this district if a metallurgical process to separate the two substances is elaborated.

TASDREMT AOUFOUR

MnO2 43,8 à 61,5 % 54,5 à 61,6 %

SiO2 6,9 à 26,3 % 3,4 à 14,4 %

Fe2O3 0,5 à 1,1 % 0,44 à 1,59 %

Pb 4,7 à 6,7 % 3,8 à 4,6 %

Cu 0,1 à 0,3 ppm 500 ppm

Zn 70 à 300 ppm 30 ppm

Bloc model of Tasdremt created using GENESIS software

For more information, please contact Ms. Amina BENKHADRA

General manager5, Avenue Moulay Hassan- BP 99 - Rabat, MarocTél : + 212 5 37 23 98 98 – Fax : + 212 5 37 70 94 11-

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Manganese observed in Tasdremt sector