Geochemical Characterization of The Wadies (Al Hash, Al Shaigh, and Rahib), Tobruq-Burdi Area, NE Libya

This work was primarily focused on the chemical analysis (major and trace wt. %) of the Tobruq - Burdi area in northeastern part of Libya, on the geological formations ranging in age from Late Cretaceous to Late Miocene at Wadies; Al Hash, Al Shaigh and Al Rahib. The chemical analysis data showed that the Al Faidiyah Formation is richer in SiO2, TiO2, A12O3, Fe2O3, MgO, Na2O, K2O and Cl than the other studied formations. In the Al Faidiyah and Al Jaghboub formations, the Na/Cl ratio is about 1 and Na2O is strongly correlated with Cl (r = 0.98) which indicate their accommodation in the form of halite. The positive correlations between Na2O and SO3 (r = 0.71) and between Cl and both MgO and K2O (r = 0.98 and 0.77, respectively) indicate the possibility of other evaporate. However, from viewpoint of commercial the formations are vary in grade from high purity to impure limestone rocks. In addition to calcite, limestone contains other carbonates such as dolomite, and noncarbonate included quartz, clay, halite, hematite and glauconite minerals. The possible applications of limestones are; cement industry, animal feedstuffs, agricultures, construction as aggregates, weighting agent in drilling mud fluids, plastics, and glass. Generally, the studied sediments contain low concentrations of high field strength element oxides and contain low concentrations of heavy metal oxides.