Phosphate mine subsidences deduced from differential interferometry (DInSAR): The Moulares case example (southern Atlas of Tunisia)

Tunisia is submitted to numerous small topographic displacements due to both the geodynamic of the Eurasian-African plates’ convergence, and to important anthropic actions such as oil production, underground water pumping, mine extraction and linked post-mining displacements. We propose herein to study the latter and locate, characterize, and quantify small topographic displacement fields due to the production of underground phosphate mines in central Tunisia. After having acquired and processed 17 radar images (ERS 1 and 2) of the central Tunisia (Gafsa area) through Differential Interferometry (DInSAR), we clearly observed local subsidence that we interprete as corresponding to mine exploitation of the underground Moulares Phosphates mines (southern Atlas of Tunisia). Field studies (circular normal faults located above the Phosphate extraction area) confirm the movement revealed by DinSAR. Also, DInSAR allows us to monitor temporal variations of the small vertical displacements on this specific area and since the collapse occurred near an urban area (Moulares city), this problem can be considered a potential anthropic risk.