Suitability of the Carbonate Rocks of the Bekhme Formation Exposed in Shakrook Anticline, Iraqi Kurdistan region, for Cement Industry

Mohammed J. Hamwandy; Rahel Kh. Ibrahim; Varoujan K. Sissakian

doi:10.14500/aro.10907

Mohammed J. Hamwandy Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan region – F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9532-5112
Rahel Kh. Ibrahim Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan region – F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1242-747X
Varoujan K. Sissakian Natural Resource Engineering and Management Department, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan region – F.R. Iraq http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9840-5422

Keywords: Bekhme formation, Cement production, Limestone, Geological reserve, Shakrook anticline, Weighted average, Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Abstract

The Bekhme Formation forms almost the bulk of the Shakrook anticline, especially the limbs. The current research deals with studying the exposed beds within the Bekhme Formation at the Shakrook anticline to check the suitability of the exposed rocks at the northeastern limb of the anticline for the cement industry. Twenty rock samples from a section which lies along a deeply cut valley that crosses the northeastern limb of the Shakrook anticline within the Bekhme Formation were collected. The channel sampling method was applied; therefore, each sample represents the concerned sampling interval and to be representative for the thickness of the sampled interval. The total thickness of the sampled section is 110 m with a covered interval of 15 m, totaling to 125 m. The collected 20 samples were prepared at the laboratory of the Koya University and were subjected to XRF test at the Tarbiat Modares University, Iran, to indicate the concentration of the main oxides (CaO, MgO, Al2O3, Fe2O3, Na2O, K2O, and SO3), and Cl and L.O.I. The indicated concentrations at each sample, from both universities, were compared and were found to be almost coinciding. The average concentrations at each sample were changed to weighted averages and the results were compared with the Iraqi standards for cement industry. The results revealed that the sampled rocks are excellent for cement production.

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Author Biographies

Mohammed J. Hamwandy, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan region – F.R. Iraq

Mohammed J. Ahmed is a Lecturer at the Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at the University of Koya. He got his B.Sc. degree in Geology, Geochemistry from the University of Baghdad in 1980, the M.Sc. in Petrology and Mineralogy from the University of Baghdad in 2002 and the Ph.D. degree in Sedimentology and Mineralogy from the University of Baghdad in 2015. His research interests are in mineralogy, geotechnical engineering and industrial rocks. He is a member of Iraqi Geologists Union and Kurdistan Geology Society, Sulaimany Branch.

Rahel Kh. Ibrahim, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan region – F.R. Iraq

Rahel K. Ibrahim is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Koya University. He got the B.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering from Salahaddin University, the M.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering from EGE UNiversity, Turkey and the Ph.D. degree in Civil and Structural Engineering from UKM, Malaysia. His research interests are in Construction materials and sustainability, nano technology in concrete and fire resistance of concrete. Dr. Rahel is a member of Kurdistan Engineers Union.

Varoujan K. Sissakian, Natural Resource Engineering and Management Department, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan region – F.R. Iraq

Varoujan K. Sissakian graduated from University of Baghdad in 1969 with a B.Sc. degree in Geology, and an M.Sc. in Engineering Geological Mapping from I.T.C., the Netherlands in 1982. He joined Iraq Geological Survey (GEOSURV) in 1971 and was nominated as Expert in 2005. His major fields of interest are geological mapping, the stratigraphy of the Iraqi territory, site investigation, and geological hazards. He was a Visiting Lecturer in University of Kurdistan, Hewler, since October 2014 and Lecturer since February 2017.

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Suitability of the Carbonate Rocks of the Bekhme Formation Exposed in Shakrook Anticline, Iraqi Kurdistan region, for Cement Industry

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