Phosphate Rocks: A Review of Sedimentary and Igneous Occurrences in Morocco

Abstract

Phosphate rocks are a vital resource for world food supply and security. They are the primary raw material for phosphoric acid and fertilizers used in agriculture, and are increasingly considered to be a potential source of rare earth elements. Phosphate rocks occur either as sedimentary deposits or igneous ores associated with alkaline rocks. In both cases, the genesis of high-grade phosphate rocks results from complex concentration mechanisms involving several (bio)geochemical processes. Some of these ore-forming processes remain poorly understood and subject to scientific debate. Morocco holds the world’s largest deposits of sedimentary phosphate rocks, and also possesses several alkaline complexes with the potential to bear igneous phosphate ores that are still largely underexplored. This paper summarizes the main geological features and driving processes of sedimentary and igneous phosphates, and discusses their global reserve/resource situation. It also provides a comprehensive review of the published data and information on Moroccan sedimentary and igneous phosphates. It reveals significant knowledge gaps and a lack of data, inter alia, regarding the geochemistry of phosphates and basin-scale correlations. Owing to the unique situation of Moroccan phosphates on the global market, they clearly deserve more thorough studies that may, in turn, help to constrain future resources and/or reserves, and answer outstanding questions on the genesis of phosphates.