A survey study on geology and location of major sand resources in Lebanon, eastern mediterranean

Abstract

The reconstruction of Lebanon has started after more than 15 years of devastating civil wars. There is an urgent need today to evaluated sources of ma for the construction industry. Extensive surveys and investigations were carried out, covering 80 percent of the Lebanese territory, to locate the major sand resources of Lebanon. The part of Lebanon occupied by Israel was excluded from the survey for security reasons. Previous data from geological maps and research reports were used as background information. Forty-one major sand quarries were located, described, and sampled. The description was made as to their administrative coverage and to nature. The naturally occurring sands come mainly from the basal Cretaceous rather loosely consolidated sandstone formation, and to a lesser extent from various Quaternary deposits. The Cretaceous sands are quartzitic, whitish to yellow with iron oxides cementation, mostly medium-grained, and intercalated with minor other lithologies. They are distributed in the mountains but used all over the country. The coastal cities, major centers of demand, use in addition the local Quaternary sands. In several segments along the coast, illegal extraction of Quaternary beach sands is taking place. Further engineering geological investigations and materials testing are being conducted on the collected samples. The results will be presented in another paper.