TITLE:
Geologic and economic potentials of minerals and industrial rocks in Jordan
AUTHORS:
Hani Alnawafleh, Khalid Tarawneh, Rami Alrawashdeh
KEYWORDS:
Jordan; Geology; Industrial Minerals; Metallic Minerals; Mining
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Science,
Vol.5 No.6,
June
17,
2013
ABSTRACT: This work discusses status of
the geologic and economic potentials of minerals and industrial rocks in
Jordan. The major mineral resources are presented in details and the paper is
designed to cover the lack of published data in this field. Geologically, the
structural framework of Jordan is controlled largely by Arabian Nubian Shield
in the south, block—faulted areas in the east, upwarping in north and east, and
Wadi Araba-Dead Sea Transform Fault in the western part. The geologic
environments include Precambrian crystalline
basement (Late Proterozoic) of Arabian Nubian Shield (ANS) that is
composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks at south-western part. Paleozoic
rocks at southern and southeastern part consist of clastic minerals which are dominated by sandstone, whereas Mesozoic sedimentary rocks are widespread throughout
southwestern, northern to southeastern parts of the country. They mainly
consist of major industrial rocks and minerals such as phosphate, oil
shale, limestone, dolomite, chalk, marble, gypsum, diatomite and tripoli.
Cenozoic Era is composed of sedimentary and
volcanic rocks in different parts of Jordan. There are more than twenty
nonmetallic minerals and four main metallic deposits within the various
geologic environments. This paper summarizes their distribution, chemical
and mineralogical characteristics, in addition to
their production statistics.