Mineral Exploration in Egypt

Introduction

 

  The more you know about Egypt and the more you look inside Egypt, the more you are fascinated and filled with pride and dignity. This was my inherited belief since 1923 when I was born.

     I spent more than fifty years looking inside Egypt for ground water and mineral resources, supported by necessary education and research (BSc, MSc, Dipl. Geoph., PhD) and practical experience required for this responsibility (constructed my own geo-electrical exploration apparatus and equipment, and presented three new systems for representation and interpretation of water analysis).

 

Mineral Exploration in Egypt

     Mineral exploration in Egypt was exclusively geological prospecting until 1956 when I made the first geophysical exploration for mineral deposits in Egypt using my own equipment for investigating two old Lead and Zinc mines in the Eastern Desert between “Quoseir” and “Marsa Alam”.

     The first is a Lead-galena mine discovered by a French geologist for Mohamed Ali Pasha Military industry at “El kala’a”.

     The electrical self-potential method was used without enough anomalies due to the depletion of the ore deposit at “Gabal El Rosas”.

     The second locality was a Lead-Zinc mine at “Um Gheig” area. I worked inside the deserted mine along the main tunnel, through the main shaft with my equipment. It was possible to measure an SP profile and one VES. To my knowledge, this adventure was not repeated in Egypt.

     The area of “Um Gheig” was also covered with surface geo-electrical investigations, and the whole work published by the geological survey of Egypt in 1963, paper No. 33, when I was appointed chief geophysicist (1958-1978).

Main Results Obtained

     The Lead-Zinc deposit at “Um Gheig” mine is a disseminated ore body partly oxidized near the surface. Reliable anomalies SP and resistivity were not clearly indicated and other suitable methods must be looked for.

Looking Inside the Eastern Desert of Egypt

     Many factors and effort participated in the solution of the above problem. The result can be considered as a typical discovery not only at “Um Gheig” area, but all over the Eastern Desert of Egypt.

     The Induced Polarization method was successfully applied for the exploration and discovery of metallic ore bodies at “Um Gheig” area and neighbourhoods.

Results and Conclusions

1-     The Induced Polarization (IP) method outlined clearly the known ore body at “Um Gheig” area.

2-     Anomalies beyond the limits of the known ore body were verified by drilling which proved the presence of sulphide mineralization.

3-     South-East continuation of “Um Gheig” deposit, the IP anomalies are of a deep ore character.

4-     Depth of penetration of IP method is 80-100 meters.

5-     Regional gravity and charged body methods can also be applied thus, a geophysical complex technique is recommended.

6-     The ore is a bed-like deposit of various dips.

7- Drilling 3 boreholes below the water table indicated sulphide mineralization in the Middle Miocene rocks containing minerals of non-ferrous metals and further studies are necessary.

8-     “Um Gheig” deposit extends south-east at least 600 meters up to the southern side of the main “Wadi of Um Gheig”.

9-     A new mineralized bed north-east “Um Gheig” deposit extends north-west at least 500 meters.

10-  Well No. 3 crossed:

* 40 meters oxidation zone.

* 60 meters and deeper: Disseminations of galena and pyrite.

Recommendations

     Mineral wealth kept inside Egypt is awaiting sincere exploration, exploitation and mining, simultaneously accompanied by an industrial stage of Metallurgy and chemical industries related to mineral products.