Geology of Mauritania ore. A Neoproterozoic carbonate unit, part of a synformal nappe overturned in the Paleozoic, now forms a major copper deposit 250 kilometers northeast of Nouakchott in the Mauritanides Belt. The one kilometer, 250 meter wide deposit spans the West and East Moghrein Guelb hills. Forty meters below the deposit is a secondary deposit of cuprite, azurite, malachite and tenorite, with an additional 2.25% copper, some gold and sulfide mineralization including cubanite, chalcopyrite, pyrrohitite and aresnopyrite. In the 2000s, mining at the site had mostly ceased except for gold mining in the tailings pile. Gypsum is extracted from the N'Drahamcha quarry,
Rampura Agucha to have occurred approximately 1 billion years ago. There are a few sulphides and oxide minerals that form within the ore that are a particular interest, the major one being sphalerite. Galena, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and marcasite commonly occur with the sphalerite along with some minor arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite. Gahnite and rutile are the most common oxide minerals that form within the ore, with rutile being the most abundant. Graphite is also a mineral that is commonly found within the ore and surrounding rock. Extracted deposits through drilling, blasting, and underground mining methods are loaded and taken to be processed while