GROUND MAGNETIC AND SPECTROMETRIC TECHNIQUES AS TOOLS FOR EXPLORATION AND EVALUATION OF THE BLACK SAND BEACH DEPOSITS, EAST ABU KHASHABA, ROSETTA AREA, EGYPT.

Abstract

The area under investigation is located to the northeast of Abu Khashaba village, on Rosetta beach. It represents one of the most interesting areas of the black sand placer deposits in the Egyptian country. The present work presents the results of• the ground magnetic and spectrometric surveys that were conducted in the area, as well as the results of the mineralogical analysis which has been carried out on samples collected from the bore­ holes drilled on a grid pattern.

A detailed ground magnetic and spectrometric survey have been ca"ied out on the area, to throw more lights on the subsurface concentrations of the heavy minerals. The ground geophysical data have been subjected to the different corrections and modern analysis techniques to help the interpretation. The application of spectral analysis technique on the total magnetic intensity profiles distinguished two depth levels at 37.4 m. and 339.1 m. from the mean measuring surface.

The results obtained by the various methods, particularly ground spectrometric one, revealed the presence of 4 main distinct zones of heavy mineral concentrations with different grades. The higher concentration lies at the first zone (high grade zone) and occupies the beach strip near the Mediterranean shore line. The second zone is recorded to the south of the first zone, then these concentrations decrease towards the central and southern parts of the area representing the moderate and low grade zones.