THE MAIN METALLOGENIC PROVINCES

The mineral occurences and deposits in Morocco can be grouped in Metallogenic provinces
based on the major geodynamic events that characterized geological features of Morocco.

Mineralizations in the Archean basement

Carbonatite-related mineralization: Based on the latest ONHYM discoveries, the Saharan
domain became a unique zone in the southern part of Morocco, due to the presence of
multiple carbonatites intrusions with several types of mineralization (REE, Nb, Ta and U).
Preliminary studies based on these results have shown that these carbonatites are well
represented in time and space. They cover large areas on either side of Adrar Souttouf, in fact,
the eastern part shows Archaean carbonatites, while the western part, they are of Cretaceous
age.

Greenstone belt-related mineralization: The Imatlane area has characteristics that are
common to these types of mineralization. It is a gold occurence hosted in the gneiss basement
with occurrences of Ni, Cr in basic and ultrabasic greenstone.

Mineralization in the eburnean basement

In this cratonised basement, the Eburnian orogeny is responsible for the formation of orogenic
gold type auriferous deposits, of which the most important is Iourirn deposit (Tagragra of Akka
inlier). Other occurrences are located in the inliers of Kerdous, Zenaga, Ighrem and Tata. In
this basement, there are also pneumatolithic mineralizations with beryl, micas and feldspars
embedded essentially in pegmatite veins.

Mineralization related to the pan- African cycle

Co-Cr Au-Cu mineralization related to the pre- Panafrican rifting event : This event
conditioned the genesis of the mineralization in the two paleogeographic domains that it has
structured: (i) In the platform, pre-Panafrican rifting is responsible for a significant exhalative
activity at the origin of Bleida copper mineralization; (ii) In the oceanic domain, two types of
mineralization have been identified: the Co-Au mineralization of Bou Azzer district (genetically
and spatially linked to the serpentines) and the Tafrent gold mineralization, hosted by
amphibolites in a context comparable to green belt's.

Mineralization of precious metals in the arc context : The most typical mineralizations in the
arc context are located in Saghro and Ougnat massifs: Tiouit (Au-Cu), Imiter (Ag), Qalaat
Mgouna (Au), Taourirt Tamellalt (W), and numerous polymetallic veins such as Boumadine,
Tizi Moudou, Assif Imider and disseminations in the terminal Proterozoic (Ouarzazate area).
Copper mineralization related to the Adoudounian basin : With a typology reminiscent of
kupferschiefers, these (post-Panafrican) mineralizations are located at the base of the
infracambrian transgression and on top of the Proterozoic basement in the Anti-Atlas. The
paleogeographic control of this copper mineralization is indicated by their location in the
vicinity of the Precambrian paléo -hills and their presence in a specific regional stratigraphic
level.

Mineralizations of the hercynian domain:

The Hercynian cycle is also a highly productive metallogenic province where mineralization is
divided into sub-provinces as follows.

Jebilet Guemassa Sulfur Clump SubProvince: It is characterized by volcanogenic polymetallic

mineralizations that are linked to the pre-orogenic volcanism of the Western Meseta. The
most important deposits within this type are: Hajar, Draa Sfar, Kettara and Koudiat Aïcha.

Sub province with peribatholitic mineralization in central Morocco: The term metallogenic
province does not faithfully reflect the distribution of such mineralization, because these are
found everywhere in the Hercynian Morocco. It is therefore recommended to use the notion
of Hercynian metallogenic time which resulted in the deposit of mineralization around
Hercynian granitoids. In Central Morocco, we have the pneumatolithic or acid-initiated tin
mineralization of Achmmach, the El Karit tin deposit, El Hammam’s fluorine vein, Zrahina’s F-
Pb-Ba-Ag deposit , The Sn-W pyrometasomatic concentrations around the Ment granite and
the Pb-Sb or Pb veins alone, the most important being that of Tighza. In the jebilet, we have
the skarns of Sidi Bou Othmane, Silver of Koudia El Beida and Koudiat Hamra, and finally, in
the High Atlas there is the W-Cu-Mo pyrometasomatic deposit of Azegour and the
mineralization of W-Sn -Cu-Au around the Tichka massif. Recently, new types of Hercynian
mineralization have been identified, such as Jbel Malek (Au) (Tan- Tan region) and Azouggar
N’Tilili (Pb, Zn, Ag, Au) (Bas Draa).

Mineralizations of the alpine domain:

The Alpine cycle is characterized by mineralization of base metals and industrial rock and
minerals. Besides the vein mineralization of the pre-atlasic phase and the post-Jurassic
compression, many mineralizations are stratiform and generated in a sedimentary context
related to the different cycles of marine transgressions.It is preferable to classify them by
metallogenic and / or tectonic phase.

BPGC vein mineralization of the pre-atlasic phase: This brittle phase is responsible for
numerous low temperatures vein mineralization, encased either in the Paleozoic basement or
in the Triassic-Jurassic covers. We mainly report the laid veins of Tafilalet and Addana, the Pb-
Cu-Zn veins of the Jebilet and the Central High Atlas and the barite veins of the Western Jebilet
and the High Atlas.

Stratiform mineralization at the base of transgressions: For this type of mineralization

formed in a sedimentary context, the cover contact has played a very important
paleogeographic role in the concentration of metals. In the Triassic, the main mineralizations
are those of the lead red-bed type of Zayda, occurrences of copper of Argana and the
concentrations of rock salt, gypsum and potash of Mohammedia and Safi. In the Jurassic there
are stratified manganese deposits of Bou-Arfa and Tiharatine, the red-bed Pb-Cu deposit of
Sidi-Rahmoune and the gypsum and anhydrite deposits in the Safi basin.

In the Cretaceous, the most important mineralizations are the concentrations of Imini
manganese, the lead - zinc mineralization of Merija and Tansrift, phosphate mineralization in
the Khouribga, Gantour, Oulad Abdoun and Bou Kraa basins, and Marls and oil shales in the
areas of Tarfaya, Boujdour, Timahdit and Tangier.

Mississippi Valley Pb-Zn Mineralization: For this type of deposit, the Jurassic is an important
metallogenic period. They are kastics or vein stratoid mineralization, hosted by dolomites. The
most important deposits are those of Boubker- Touissit, Beddiane, Oued Mekta and Mibladen.
We can also find such mineralization in the eastern and central High Atlas; they are most often
located near basic intrusions. In the Rif, it is interesting to mention the Pb-Zn deposit of
Adeldal located in the calcareous ridge and enclosed by Triassic zebra dolomite.

Mineralization related to basic intrusions: This type of deposits are nickel occurrences
associated with troctolitic gabbros intrusions in the Central High Atlas (Tassent and Tirrhist).

Mineralization related to Neogene volcanism : The main deposits associated with this
volcanism are bentonite and perlite concentrations in the eastern Rif. The main deposits of
bentonite are those of Gourougou, Tidiennit, Lbourhardain, Ikasmeouen and Oued Zemmour.
For perlite, the most important deposit is Tidiennit’s deposit.

Placers : The main placers are located on the seacoast. The most important is the Zr-Ti deposit
of Bouissafen in the region of Tarfaya. Occurrences of the same type are located in Safi,
Essaouira, Agadir and Saïdia regions. An eluvial placer with cassiterite exists on the granite of
Oulmès.