From a Mining Mindset to Regional Discovery: A Case Study for Hematite Iron Ore Exploration in Mauritania

Abstract

There has been extensive mining for hematite mineralisation in Mauritania since the 1950s, focused on the Kediat Ijil and Mhaoudat regions in northern Mauritania. These discoveries were largely made during the colonial period, with only limited additional discoveries in more recent years. In an effort to allow the discovery of additional hematite mineralisation in the district, the Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) has obtained regional airborne VTEM and magnetic data and has tested a variety of ground-based geophysical methods on and near existing mineralisation. A re-interpretation of these datasets alongside structural mapping on the ground has allowed the development of a series of conceptual models for targeting high-grade hematite mineralisation, and the development of suitable exploration strategies to locate the next generation of prospective hematite iron ore mines to develop into the future.