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Study of Algerian sand from Zemmouri deposits

  • ICCESEN 2017
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As the largest country in Africa and home to a variety of topographies and geologies, Algeria is rich in substantial mineral reserves. But unfortunately, these minerals are currently underutilized, as the mining sector attracted a little investment and researches. High-purity silica sand for several applications is currently sourced but just from a few locations in Algeria (Beddiaf Chihi and Leghrieb J Afr Earth Sci 106:129–133, 2015; Anas Boussaa et al. A Phys Pol A 129:129–133, 2016a; Anas Boussaa et al. Rev Energ Renouv 19(N°3):481–486, 2016b; Anas Boussaa et al. OpenChem 16:1227–1232, 2018; Zouaouid and Gheriani Silicon 11:1537, 2019; Bendida et al. Energy Procedia 36:825–833, 2013; Maazouzi et al. Silicon 6(3):149–154, 2014; Meftah and Mahboub Silicon. 12:2019–2153, 2019). The grow demand for this material by the industries is expecting, so more silica sand sources are required to be found, and for successful high-purity silica sand resource identification, detailed characterization properties is essential. To our knowledge, no research concerning Zemmouri silica sand characterization has been reported up to now. It is therefore important to investigate the capacity of this vast silica sand deposit for its potential uses and to enable the economic development of this region. This study seeks to determine the various textural parameters and chemico-physical properties of sand located in Zemmouri (Algeria) for its future industrial utilization. The result of this study using XRF indicates that Zemmouri sand has got a very good purity (99.3% silica). The value of densities was determined, agreeing with the actual values required by the standard. According to the granular analysis, different granular parameters were determined and the sand was found as well-graded medium sand and as poorly fair sand. The optical observations were carried out, and the micrograph observations indicated the presence of different shapes of sand grain, some rounded whereas others are angular edged or elongated.

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Funding

This work is financially supported by the National Funds of Research, DGRSDT/MESRS (Algeria).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division croissance cristalline et procédés métallurgiques CCPM, Centre de recherche en technologie des semi-conducteurs pour l’énergétique (C.R.T.S.E), 02 Bd Frantz Fanon BP, 140 Alger 7 merveilles, 16200, Alger, Algeria

    Sabiha Boussaa Anas

  2. Laboratoire des technologies des matériaux, USTHB, B. P. 32 El Alia, Bab Ezzouar, 16111, Alger, Algeria

    Sabiha Boussaa Anas

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  1. Sabiha Boussaa Anas
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Correspondence to Sabiha Boussaa Anas.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Geo-Resources-Earth-Environmental Sciences

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Boussaa Anas, S. Study of Algerian sand from Zemmouri deposits. Arab J Geosci 13, 368 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05342-6

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