| Abstrakt: |
The present study aims to discuss the technology of preparing and evaluation, in addition to granting proposal for ideal specified sequence and number of stages and ponds for the multi-ecosystem saltworks ponds in order to extract pure halite. Also that, it discusses the sedimentology of this valuable mineral in the shallow modern artificial brine ponds belonging to the already existing or future saltworks projects especially at the southern El-Bardawil Lake (North Sinai, Egypt) or generally in the southern Mediterranean Sea. Two types of sabkhas are identified from the El-Bardawil Lake; coastal and inland sabkhas. The lake water passes by three main stages to prepare and to be ready for extraction of halite from suitable brine solution. The first stage is the concentration stage ponds, where the lake water flows through a series of ponds to increase brine salinity and deposit less soluble salts first (calcium carbonate and calcium sulphate). The other more soluble salts (sodium chloride and magnesium chloride) remains in solution. The second stage is the crystallization stage ponds, where the brine is pumped to solar ponds and left to increase brine density again until most of the halite mineral has crystallized and deposited. The pure halite crystals are crystallized as rafts, mounds, cumulates and bottom crusts and petrographically as euhedral cubic to subhedral, distorted platy and chevron crystals. Finally, the third stage is the storage ponds, where the residual bittern solution that is left over after recovery of sodium chloride is pumped to storage ponds to precipitate the residual high soluble minerals and salts (magnesium sulphate and magnesium chloride). Saltworks from El-Bardawil Lake don’t have economic impact only, but also have environmental impacts through decreasing the salinity of the lake and accordingly keeps its ecological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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