[ Occurrences antimonifères du Massif Hercynien Central Marocain: Essai comparatif, hypothèse génétique et perspectives d’exploration ]
Volume 42, Issue 3, May 2024, Pages 437–447
Fouad Lotfi1 and Chaïb Mustapha2
1 Université Ibn Zohr, Faculté Polydisciplinaire de Taroudant, Hay El Mohammadi (Lastah), B.P : 271, 83 000 Taroudant, Morocco
2 ONHYM, 5 Avenue Moulay Hassan BP. 99, Rabat, Morocco
Original language: French
Copyright © 2024 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
In Morocco, the antimony indices and deposits are divided into three regions: Central Morocco which contains the majority of the indices, the Rif, the Tazekka and Tamlelt massifs. These mineralizations are mainly hosted in Paleozoic terrains, sometimes near outcrops of Hercynian granites outside their aureole of contact metamorphism. They are in most cases in the form of stibine with fracture filling. Antimony deposits are vein-like and belong to several morphological types: deposits of large fractures opposing those of small fractures to which a particular type can be attributed, including that of cracks, and stratiform deposits with mineralization disseminated within the rock sedimentary host. The pattern of distribution of antimoniferous mineralization in Central Morocco clearly shows their dependence on granite massifs. Lithological control is a key trap for the distribution of mineralization. The preferential alignment of these mineralizations is generally following the major fractures including two tectonic axes of NE-SW direction (Smala-Achemeche; Pays Zaïan-Haut Oued Beht), with a high frequency in the vicinity of the Carboniferous terrains and those of the pre-Carboniferous basement which constitutes the essential element of the search for new mineralized zones. In fact, it is the hearts of the anticlines as well as their flanks that are the best mineralized. Brittle tectonics played an essential role either at the local level of the deposit, or at the regional level of faulted anticlinal folds in determining the distribution of antimoniferous mineralization in the various massifs. The age of emplacement of antimoniferous mineralization is similar to the different massifs having been deposited at the end of the Hercynian orogeny.
Author Keywords: Central Morocco, Hercynian, Antimony.
Volume 42, Issue 3, May 2024, Pages 437–447
Fouad Lotfi1 and Chaïb Mustapha2
1 Université Ibn Zohr, Faculté Polydisciplinaire de Taroudant, Hay El Mohammadi (Lastah), B.P : 271, 83 000 Taroudant, Morocco
2 ONHYM, 5 Avenue Moulay Hassan BP. 99, Rabat, Morocco
Original language: French
Copyright © 2024 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
In Morocco, the antimony indices and deposits are divided into three regions: Central Morocco which contains the majority of the indices, the Rif, the Tazekka and Tamlelt massifs. These mineralizations are mainly hosted in Paleozoic terrains, sometimes near outcrops of Hercynian granites outside their aureole of contact metamorphism. They are in most cases in the form of stibine with fracture filling. Antimony deposits are vein-like and belong to several morphological types: deposits of large fractures opposing those of small fractures to which a particular type can be attributed, including that of cracks, and stratiform deposits with mineralization disseminated within the rock sedimentary host. The pattern of distribution of antimoniferous mineralization in Central Morocco clearly shows their dependence on granite massifs. Lithological control is a key trap for the distribution of mineralization. The preferential alignment of these mineralizations is generally following the major fractures including two tectonic axes of NE-SW direction (Smala-Achemeche; Pays Zaïan-Haut Oued Beht), with a high frequency in the vicinity of the Carboniferous terrains and those of the pre-Carboniferous basement which constitutes the essential element of the search for new mineralized zones. In fact, it is the hearts of the anticlines as well as their flanks that are the best mineralized. Brittle tectonics played an essential role either at the local level of the deposit, or at the regional level of faulted anticlinal folds in determining the distribution of antimoniferous mineralization in the various massifs. The age of emplacement of antimoniferous mineralization is similar to the different massifs having been deposited at the end of the Hercynian orogeny.
Author Keywords: Central Morocco, Hercynian, Antimony.
Abstract: (french)
Au Maroc, les indices et gîtes d’antimoine se répartissent en trois régions: Le Maroc Central qui renferme la majorité des indices, le Rif, les massifs de Tazekka et Tamlelt. Ces minéralisations sont encaissées essentiellement dans des terrains paléozoïques, parfois à proximité d’affleurements de granites hercyniens à l’extérieur de leur auréole de métamorphisme de contact. Elles sont dans la plupart des cas sous forme de stibine à remplissage de fractures. Les gisements d’antimoine sont filoniens et appartiennent à plusieurs types morphologiques: les gîtes de grandes fractures opposant ceux de petites fractures aux quels peut-on attribuer un type particulier dont celui des fissurations, et les gisements stratiformes à minéralisation disséminée au sein de la roche encaissante sédimentaire. Le schéma de répartition des minéralisations antimonifères dans le Maroc Central met en toute évidence leur dépendance avec les massifs granitiques. Le contrôle lithologique constitue un rôle primordial de piège pour la répartition de la minéralisation. L’alignement préférentiel de ces minéralisations est généralement suivant les grandes fractures dont deux axes tectoniques de direction NE-SW (Smala-Achemeche; Pays Zaïan-Haut Oued Beht), avec une grande fréquence au voisinage des terrains carbonifère et ceux du socle antécarbonifère qui constitue l’élément essentiel de la recherche de nouvelles zones minéralisés. En fait ce sont les cœurs des anticlinaux ainsi que leurs flancs qui sont les mieux minéralisés. La tectonique cassante a joué un rôle essentiel soit au niveau local du gîte, soit au niveau régional des plis anticlinaux faillés dans la détermination de la répartition de la minéralisation antimoinifères dans les divers massifs. L’âge de mise en place de ces minéralisations est semblable aux différents massifs ayant été déposée à la fin de l’orogenèse hercynienne.
Author Keywords: Maroc Central, Hercynien, Antimoine.
How to Cite this Article
Fouad Lotfi and Chaïb Mustapha, “Antimoniferous Occurrences of the Moroccan Central Hercynian Massif: Comparative test, genetic hypothesis and exploration prospects,” International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies, vol. 42, no. 3, pp. 437–447, May 2024.
