K I N G D O M O F M O R O C C O

KEY POINTS
AD DAKHLA
RABAT
CASABLANCA
TANGER
OUARZAZATE
MAROC AGADIR
TAZENAKHT
LAGWIRA
EL AYOUN
K I N G D O M O F M O R O C C O
TAN TAN
BOUMADINE POLYMETALLIC DEPOSIT
(Zn, Pb, Ag, Au)
(Eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco)
- A polymetallic deposit which can be important by the valorization of precious metals;
- Existence of the mining infrastructure;
- Polymetallic Mineralization with gold, marked by a quartz-sericite alteration linked to the deposit
of sulphides with an abundance of pyrite;
- Possibilities to increase the potential of the deposit are important in the North.
LOCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
The Boumadine polymetallic deposit is located on the northwest side of the massif of Ougnat,
to 70 km in the SW of the city of Errachidia. It can be reached by the road joining Errachidia to
Ouarzazate from Tinjedad by borrowing tracks. During the period of the industrial tests, the mine has
been fed in electric energy from Tinjdad.
Espagne
MARRAKECH
Tafrent
FES
OUJDA
FIGUIG
Boumadine
Goulimine
Tiznit
Safi
SITUATION GEOGRAPHIQUE DU GISEMENT DE BOUMADINE
Agadir
Kerdous
Essaouira
Taroudant
Ighrem
Marrakech
Tata
Sirwa
Zenaga
N
Accident
Ouarzazate Sarhro
El Grara
0
Tagragra
d'Aka
Sud
Atlasique
Ougnat
Accident Majeur Anti-Atlasique
Tarrains protérozoiques
100Km
Errachidia
Boumadine
Taouz

Néoprotérozoïque
terminal
REGIONAL GEOLOGY
The massif of Ougnat is constituted of a basement schiste-sqndstone of the upper Neoproterozoic
surmounted by a set of volcano-sedimentary formations of the terminal Neoproterozoic and limited
by a Paleozoic cover. The basement is represented by a succession of sandstone, pelites and
grauwackes. It shows locally intrusions of granite, granodiorite and diorite. The terminal
Neoproterozoic consists of acidic and basic facies separated by volcano-detrital and sedimentary
episodes. II is subdivided in three formations which are from the oldest to the most recent :
- Volcanic formation of Tamerzaga, which includes ignimbrites, rhyodacites and andesites.
This formation contains the mineralization of Boumadine.
- Formation of transition which is volcano-sedimentary, it starts by a level of tuffs, and
continues by deposits of breccias, sandstone, limestones, pelites and conglomerates.
- Volcanic formation of Aoujane Aissa which is essentially formed of ignimbrites and dacite.
These formations are crossed by basic dykes (dolerite, microdiorite and andesite) which are
reduced at the mine to andesite dykes NS to N 170°.
The massif of Ougnat was subjected to a Neoproterozoic shearing, causing regional faults
N30° and associated secondary fractures. It has also been affected by a last stage of extensional
fractures NS before finally being assigned by the hercynian essentially compressive
Several indices and mineralized occurrences have been recognized in the massif of Ougnat.
They can be classified into two types :
� Lead-copper mineralization in quartz-carbonate gangue and barium filling fractures EW
(Hercynian or probably Liassic). This type of mineralization doesn't have a big economic
importance;
� A polymetallic sulphide mineralization PBGC, type Boumadine with concentration of Zn,
Pb, Ag and Au filling fractures NS to N 160° (Neoproterozoic).
The massif also contains other substances such as barite and pyrophyllite.
LEGENDE
Quaternaire
Couverture paléozoïque
Ensemble basique terminal
Formation d'Aoujane Aissa
Formation de transition
Formation de Tamerzaga
Socle (Néoprotérozoïque supérieur)
Granite de Mellab
Rhyolites
Sill basique de Bou Isseghi
Dykes
Piste
Faille
CARTE GEOLOGIQUE SIMPLIFIEE DE L'OUEST DE L'OUGNAT
Ü
0
Vers Isilf
2 Km
NS
N30
NNW
Ç
Mine
Vers Mellab

LOCAL GEOLOGY
The Boumadine deposit is hosted in ignimbrite of the volcanic formation of Tamerzaga
(terminal Neoproterozoic) based, through a level of detrital brechia, on the folded and metamorphosed
basement (upper Neoproterozoic). At the outcrop, the ignimbrite is very heterogeneous and greenish
with feldspath phenocrysts in varying proportions. It has an average depth of 400 m around the mine
and it decreases until it disappears to the north. It should be noted that some intrusions are
contemporaneous to deposit of ignimbrite. This includes trachyandesite sills, chonolites of ryholite,
dykes and andesite.
Three episodes of alteration were distinguished in the sector of Boumadine, a propylitization
affecting formation of Tamerzaga, quartz-sericite alteration around mineralized veins accompanied by
development of chlorite and carbonates and related to sulphide deposition with an abundance of pyrite
and finally an alteration affecting the post-mineralized formations and marked particularly by a
dominant chloritization and reddening.
The tectonic pattern affecting Boumadine deposit is characterized by a large accident N160 °, which
contains the main mineralization, accompanied by crushing zones (oriented NS and NNW-SSE) in
which the veins are hosted. The entire veins are intersected by a hercynian fault system that causes
their fragmentation.
Boumadine mineralization consists of veins extending over 4 km on the surface. It is marked by
discoloration areas (limonite) structures along the subvertical NS and NNW-SSE direction and the
thickness of veins varies from 1 to 4 m. This mineralization is hosted in the ignimbrite as veins with
250 to 350 m of deep. It consists of massive pyrite, sphalerite, galena, arsenopyrite and of many other
minerals in lesser quantity (chalcopyrite, cassiterite, stannite, enargite, gray copper, etc....). Pyrite is
the matrix and forms the central part of the body vein, other sulphides, particularly galena and
sphalerite, are more concentrated in the margins of veins. The Boumadine mineralization is epithermal
whose equivalents are vein deposits of the Andean chain.

RESEARCH WORK
The polymetallic Boumadine deposit has been the subject of several researches since the sixties until 1992 in
order to certify more resources, increasing the potential of the deposit and perform tests industrial pilots.
Geological research campaigns that were conducted on different sectors of the deposit consisted of conducting
geological, topographical, geochemical and geophysical studies to delimitate the mineralized zones. The deposit
was also be the subject of mining works during the period 1964 -1989 which consisted of surveys, wells, galleries,
transcuts etc. The volume of the research work by drilling and mining work performed on the Boumadine deposit
during the period 1964-1992 can be summarized as:
• Drillings : 32756 m
• Gallery : 6036 m
• Wells : 638 m
METALLURGICAL TESTING
Taking into consideration the nature of Boumadine deposit, studies and pilot industrial tests
have succeeded between 1986 and 1992 by SODIM, and BRPM SODECAT which conducted a
differential flotation in order to improve recovery of Precious metals in concentrates galena and
sphalerite. The results of chemical analysis performed on several batches of ore deposit are :
S Fe Sio2 Zn Pb As Cu Cd Sn Ag Au
35% 29% 21% 6% 2% 2% 0,20% 0,10% 0,09% 400 ppm 3,50 ppm
The results of metal tests by flotation differential are :
RESOURCES
galena Concentrate Sphalerite Concentrate Content of releases
Pb (%) 41,55 Zn (%) 44,50 Pb (%) 0,4
Ag (g/t) 4711 Ag (g/t) 565,00 Zn (%) 0,96
Au (g/t) 24,64 Au (g/t) 3,70
Ag (g/t)
Au (g/t)
125
2,38
Galena Metal Recovery (%) Sphalerite Metal Recovery (%)
Pb 69,08 Zn 77,04
Ag 32,01 Ag 18,03
Au 13,52 Au 9,53
The resurces update at end August 1992, the date of the cessation of industrial tests, is 3838
970 t divided into:
- Measured resources : 1043 010 t à 0,77 % Pb - 3,65 % Zn - 186 g/t Ag et 3,66 g/t Au.
- Indicated resources : 869 960 t à 0,65 % Pb-3,12 % Zn -171 g/t Ag et 1,56 g/t Au
- Infered resources : 1926 000 t
PERSPECTIVES
- Ability to discover additional similar mineralization;
- Possible development of the mineralization at depth on the NW;
- Geophysical methods (electromagnetic and induced polarization) are well removed their
effectiveness in identifying mineralized structures.
For further information, please contact:
Mme Amina BENKHADRA
General Director
5, Avenue Moulay Hassan- BP 99 - Rabat, Morocco
Tel. : + 212 37 23 98 98 – Fax : + 212 37 70 94 11
E-mail : benkhadra@onhym.com
Site web : www.onhym.com