EXPLORATION OF THE LIMESTONE SUITABLE FOR CEMENT INDUSTRY IN UM-RAHAL/ AL- MYTHANA GOVERNORATE

Abstract

This work was carried out in Um-Rhahal area, within Al-Muthana Governorate, according to the plans of Iraq Geological Survey of year 2014, to investigate the suitability of the limestone for cement industry and to estimate the reserve in C2 and C1 categories, in area of about 15 km2. The field work included drilling of 34 boreholes in a net of (1.0 x 1.0) Km and (500 x 500) m, with an average depth of about 15.0 m. The total drilling meterage is 504.8. Three hundred and eleven samples were collected and subjected to chemical analyses, the average percentages of the analyzed oxides and components are:

SiO2 % Fe2O3 % Al2O3 % CaO % MgO % SO3 % L.O.I % Na2O % K2O % Cl % 7.35 0.2 0.67 49.16 1.4 0.36 39.93 0.105 0.091 0.13

Twenty one samples were tested for Bulk Density and Compressive strength. The bulk density ranges from 1.85 g/cm3 to 2.67 g/cm3 with average of about 2.24 g/cm3, the values of the uniaxial compressive strength, range from (4.092-48.533) MN/m2, with an average of 23.34 MN/ m2. The result of the executed work shows the presence of an industrial bed, which belongs to the lower part of the Euphrates Formation (Early Miocene), with an average thickness of 6.94 m in category C1, in addition of a 8.98 m thickness in category C2. The industrial bed occurs below an overburden bed of mainly recent sediments, which consist of gypseous soil mixed with carbonate rock fragments. The thickness of the over burden range from (0.0-502)m with average of (1.52)m, and the volum is about (1,504,698.92)m3. The reserve of limestone suitable for cement industry is about 168,612,578 ton. 19,912,540 ton within category C2, and 178,700,038 ton within category C1.