Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Geochemical and hydrogeological studies of a sodium sulphate deposits: the case of Sabkhet El Ghine Oum El Khialate, southeast Tunisia

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Carbonates and Evaporites Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The El Ghine-Oum El Khialate sebkha extends in southeast Tunisia on over than 75 km2. This depression is filled by recent Quaternary deposits containing a brines aquifer situated at a depth varying from 1 to 10 m. This aquifer is highly rich in sodium sulphate. At the surface, noticeable is the deposition of mirabilite and thenardite encrusting. To quantify the salt reserves for a rational exploitation, thirty dry cores (approximately 160 m of core) were carried out in the sebkha. They underwent integrated geological, geochemical and hydrogeological studies. The estimated reserves are in the range of 8.106 t: Na2SO4, 2.106 t NaCl and 1.106 t MgCl2. The extraction of these salts is restricted by the relatively poor hydrodynamic characteristics of the reservoir evaluated during pumping tests.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arakel AV, Cohen A (1991) Deposition and early diagenesis of playa glauberite in the Karinga Creek drainage system, Northern Territory, Australia. Sediment Geol 70:41–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben Ayed N (1986) Evolution tectonique de l’avant pays de la chaine alpine de la Tunisie du début du Mésozoique à l’actuel. Thèse es Sciences. Univ, Paris VI. p 286

  • Ben Ismail H (1991) Jurassic evaporitic deposits in Southern Tunisia: a climatically and tectonically controlled sedimentation. J Afr Earth Sci (and the Middle East) 12:117–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bouaziz S, M’hadhbi M (1990) Carte géologique de Tataouine (1/100 .000). Service géologique de la Tunisie

  • Bouaziz S, Barrier E, Soussi M, Turki MM, Zouari H (2002) Tectonic evolution of the northern African margin in Tunisia from paleostress data and sedimentary record. Tectonophysics 357:227–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Busson G (1967) Le Mésozoïque saharien: 1ème partie: l’Extrème—Sud tunisien. Editions CNRS, p 139

  • Caire A (1971) Chaines alpines de la méditerranée centrale (Algérie et Tunisie septentrionale, Sicile, Calabre et Apennin méridional), Unesco. Tectonique de l’Afrique Sciences de la Terre 6:61–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Castany G (1954) L’accident Sud—tunisien, son âge et ses relations avec l’accident Sud—atlasique de l’Algérie. C R Acad Sci Paris, pp 516–518

  • Choubert G, Robaux A (1940) Carte géologique et hydrogéologique provisoire de la Tunisie. Feuille de Foum Tatouine au 1/200.000. Service géologique de la Tunisie

  • Divernoy B (1994) Tunisian and pelagian basin (Africa exploration opportunities: vol 13). In: Proceeding of the 4th Tunisian Petroleum Exploration Conference, Tunis

  • Estefan SF, Awadalla FT, Yousef AA (1980) Technical-grade sodium sulphate from Qarun Lake brine. Chem Eng J 20(3):247–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabtni H, Jallouli C, Mickus KL, Zouari H, Turki MM (2009) Deep structure and crustal configuration of the Jeffara basin (Southern Tunisia) based on regional gravity, seismic reflection and borehole data: how to explain a gravity maximum within a large sedimentary basin. J Geodyn 47:142–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garrett DE (2001) Sodium sulfate: handbook of deposits, processing, properties, and use. Academic Press, San Diego, p 365

    Google Scholar 

  • Josh Sulman H (1923) Sodium sulphate. J Franklin Inst 196:652

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley L, Holmden C (2001) Reconnaissance hydrogeochemistry of economic deposits of sodium sulfate in saline lakes, Saskatchewan, Canada. Hydrobiologica 466:279–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khessibi M (1985) Etude sédimentologique des affleurements permiens du Jebel Tebaga de Mednine (Sud-Tunisien. In: bull. Centres de Rech. Expl Prod Elf Aquitaine 9:427–464

    Google Scholar 

  • Kilic O, Kilic AM (2005) Recovery of salt co-products during the salt production from brine. Desalination 186:11–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lazzez M, Zouaghi T, Ben Youssef M (2008) Austrian phase on the northern African margin inferred from sequence stratigraphy and sedimentary records in southern Tunisia (Chotts and Djeffara areas). CR Geosci 340:543–552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loukil CH (1988) Sebkhat Oum Khialate: etude bibliographique et programme de prospection géochimique. Rapport du service de Géochimie. Office National des Mines

  • Mahjoubi H, Rouine H (1990) Sebkhet Oum El Khialate. Potentialités en Sulfate de Soude. Rapport du service saumures. Office National des Mines, p 30

  • Mammou A (1983) Etude hydrogéologique de Sabkhet Oum El Khialet. Rapport inédit.BIRH, p 36

  • Mathieu G (1949) Contribution à l’étude des Monts Troglodytes dans l’Extrême Sud—tunisien. Ann Mines et Géol Tunis 4:82

    Google Scholar 

  • Ouaja M (2003) Étude sédimentologique et paléobotanique du jurassique moyen-crétacé inférieur du bassin de Tataouine (Sud-Est de la Tunisie). Thèse Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1

  • Perthuisot JP (1976) Une sebkha sulfatée sodique en pays sédimentaire. La Sebkha Oum el Khialate (Sud tunisien). Géologie méditerranéenne 4:256–274

    Google Scholar 

  • Peybernes B, Kamoun F, Ben Youssef M, Trigui A, Ghanmi M, Zarbout M, Frechengues M (1993) Sequence stratigraphy and micropaleontology of the Triassic series from the southern part of Tunisia. J Afr Earth Sci (and the Middle East) 17:293–305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raulin C, Frizon de Lamotte D, Bouaziz S, Khomsi S, Mouchot N, Ruiz G, Guillocheau F (2011) Late Triassic—early Jurassic block tilting along E-W faults, in southern Tunisia: new interpretation of the Tebaga of Medenine. J Afr Earth Sc 61:94–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roy PD, Smykatz-Kloss W (2005) REE geochemistry of the recent playa sediments from the Thar Desert, India: an implication to playa sediment provenance. Chem Erde 67:55–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Solignac M (1942) Note sur les gisements de sulfate de soude du Sud tunisien. Rapport inédit, p 6

  • Tagorti MA (1999) Morphology of the superficial aquifer sodium sulfate-sabkha Oum El Khialete Tataouine (South-Eastern Tunisia). Notes Serv Geol Tunisie 66:147–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Tlig S (1978) Les conditions de dépôt du Jurassique supérieur et du Crétacé inférieur du Sud tunisien: étude sédimentologique et géochimique. Thèse 3ème cycle. Univ. Paris Sud, p 126

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. U R: Génome, Diagnostic Immunitaire et Valorisation (GEDIV), Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia

    Mohamed Ali Tagorti

  2. Laboratoire de Géoressources, CERTE, Pôle Technologique de Borj Cédria, Université de Carthage, 8020, Soliman, Tunisia

    Rihab Guellala

  3. Département des Sciences de la Terre Faculté des Sciences de Gabès-Tunisia, RU: Géoressources, Géosystèmes et Géoenvironnement, Gabès, Tunisia

    Wissem Gallala

  4. RU: Sedimentary Dynamics and Environment, National Engineering School of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia

    Elhoucine Essefi

  5. Département Des Sciences de la Terre, FST, Université de Tunis El Manar, 1060, Tunis, Tunisia

    Said Tlig

Authors
  1. Mohamed Ali Tagorti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rihab Guellala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wissem Gallala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Elhoucine Essefi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Said Tlig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wissem Gallala.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tagorti, M.A., Guellala, R., Gallala, W. et al. Geochemical and hydrogeological studies of a sodium sulphate deposits: the case of Sabkhet El Ghine Oum El Khialate, southeast Tunisia. Carbonates Evaporites 29, 299–307 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-013-0180-3

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-013-0180-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation