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Improving Mindat.orgQuartz geodes from Smara / Foto ID: 138863.
20th Dec 2007 20:29 UTCKarel Bal
Recent you can find nice snow-white quartz geodes on some European shows or on ebay labeled only as "Smara",this is not entirely correct.In fact they comes from worlds largest phosphate mines of Bru Craa.
The openpit mines with draglines operated by Phosboucraa(Fosbucraa)are situated in the northern part of the Western Sahara,approx.100km.southwest of the second major town of Smara.
These deposits(Oued Eddahab Phosphate deposits)are of sedimentary origin:
Upper Cretaceous-Palaeocene and Eocene sediments,and concist of two phosphate bearing layers.Commonly the geodes are found in the upper layer or above.
The mines themselves are located near the small village of:
Bu Craa(Bou Craa)
Laâyoune Province
Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra Region
Western Sahara
Morocco
Lat: 26°19'07"N
Lon: 12°51'08"W
Greetings,
Karel
28th Dec 2007 19:17 UTCUwe Kolitsch Manager
http://www.mindat.org/loc-159597.html
http://www.mindat.org/loc-159212.html
30th Dec 2007 19:27 UTCKarel Bal
By the way,the city of Smara has been indeed located in another region and province:
Smara, Es Semara Province, Guelmim-Es Smara Region, Morocco
Map Ref.26°44'N / 11°40'W
Thanks
Glückauf
Karel
30th Dec 2007 19:36 UTCUwe Kolitsch Manager
Cheers, Uwe
14th Mar 2011 14:41 UTCHans-Jürgen Haas
What do you think from where this Quartz Geode is From?
Bou Craa or from Smara?
Many thanks for your help in advance
and best greets form Bavaria
Hans Jürgen
14th Mar 2011 22:27 UTCKarel Bal
Geodes labeled as "Smara-Morocco" are actually from Bou Craa, but it is impossible to tell where your specimen comes from.
One thing is sure this geode was not found in eruptive rock, The light brown sandy-beige outside is typical of geodes occurring in sedimentary layers as phosphate.
So there is always a possibility that your geode comes from one of the many phosphate mines in Morocco.
I have attached some "Smara"examples.
Glückauf
Karel
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Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: May 7, 2024 07:03:46