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The study aims to characterize the structural features of Jordanian tar sand using analytical techniques including (FTIR, ultimate and proximate analysis, TGA, XRD, and XRF). The tar sand shows a low content of volatile matter (bitumen) with significant nitrogen content. The bitumen contains a high proportion of aliphatic hydrocarbons of which high content of it attached to oxygen atom. The minerals were mainly quartz and low concentration of carbonate with noticeable content of sulfite and potassium oxide from XRF. The recovery of bitumen was evaluated using three different extraction techniques: solvent extraction methods (ultrasound-assisted extraction, non-aqueous extraction) and thermal pyrolysis using the Fischer assay apparatus. The non-aqueous solvent extraction method gave the highest bitumen recovery using toluene as a solvent; however, the high-temperature Fischer assay method provided a low recovery. The extracted bitumen under the optimum condition was characterized using NMR, elemental analysis, and GC-MS analysis. The oil products from tar sand showed a high concentration of oxygen and noticeable concentration of sulfur atoms. The 1H-NMR revealed a high content of aliphatic hydrocarbons in good agreement with raw tar sand characteristics. The identified compounds in the GC-MS where mainly substituted with oxygen atom in the form of alcohols and ethers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2-Kaolinite nanocomposite photocatalysts were synthesized using the sol-gel method, with titanium isopropoxide/HCl as reactants and Jordanian kaolinite clay as a support material. The samples' TiO2 content ranged from 10% to 70% (m/m). TiO2-Kaolinite composites were characterized using FTIR, SEM, XRF, and XRD. According to XRD measurements of the nano-composite samples, the intensity of the anatase peaks increased as the TiO2 percentage of the composition increased. As the percentage of TiO2 increased, so did the peaks of Ti-O-Si in FTIR. The extent of photocatalytic degradation of Congo-red dye was used to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of the prepared nanocomposites. After four hours under the sun, the percentage of Congo-red degradation ranged from 27 to 99 percent depending on the TiO2 content of the used nanocomposite. Meanwhile, the concentration drop in the dark did not exceed 10%. Photodegradation outperforms traditional treatment methods in terms of target degradation. Using naturally abundant materials such as clay in conjunction with metal oxides is widely regarded as an effective method of modifying the photoresponse properties of TiO2 particles, thereby improving solar light harvesting for target degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper investigates the unconventional hydrocarbon potential and characteristics of Campanian-Paleocene oil shales at five outcrop sections in central Egypt and Jordan. Onehundred and seven outcrop samples were analyzed for their content of total organic carbon and total sulfur. Twenty-four samples were selected for further geochemical treatment, including Rock-Eval pyrolysis, and six samples were subjected to molecular analyses using gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The distribution of aliphatic hydrocarbon biomarkers indicated that most of the organic matter in the studied samples had a marine origin under anoxic to suboxic conditions. The results indicated that the upper Campanian Duwi Formation in the Quseir area of central Egypt and the Maastrichtian-Paleocene Muwaqqar Chalk Marl (MCM) Formation in the Lajjun area of central Jordan had a relatively high hydrocarbon generating potential with a TOC content of up to 20%wt of immature Type I/II kerogen. Biomarker studies of the investigated formations revealed that the origin of the organic matter is marine algae with a minor contribution of bacterial biomass. The terrigenous/aquatic ratio (TAR) indicated the marine origin of the Jordanian organic matter (MCM and Al-Hisa Phosphorite Formation formations). By contrast, the Duwi Formation in Egypt and the Amman silicified limestone Formation in the Umm Qais section of Jordan showed that these localities were affected by a more terrigenous influx to the principal marine organic matter compared with other rock units. In addition, in the Abu Tartur section the Duwi Formation showed a significant microbial reworking of organic matter reducing the actual amount of organic matter and its hydrocarbon generating potentiality. Clear correlations between nature and the preservation of organic matter is noticed, where the high organic matter mainly occurs in regional paleo-upwelling areas, strongly related to an increase in marine phytoplanktonic/algal and bacterial productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An exploration program aided by field investigation, exploration drilling, detailed sampling, lithological and petrological studies, geochemical investigation, and resource calculation leads to the discovery of a potential phosphate resource in northeast Jordan close to the international border with Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The studied phosphate is of the Middle Eocene age that belongs to the Wadi Shallala Formation. It is equivalent to the phosphate deposits recorded in the lower part of the Umm Wual Formation in the Turayf region of Saudi Arabia and the Eocene Ratga Formation in the Ethna phosphate deposit west of Iraq. The phosphorites in the region are broadly similar in mineralogical composition and geochemical affinities. X-ray diffraction indicates the presence of francolite with variable amounts of calcite and quartz. Most samples consist of phosphate clasts embedded in carbonate and silica matrix and cement. PO content is up to 32.3 % with an average equal to 18.6 %. The impurity is caused by the presence of variable amounts of SiO and CaO. The F% and F/PO ratio in studied phosphates is lower compared with that in phosphates from Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The geological and geochemical results were integrated for resource estimation. Three high-grade phosphate layers with ≥23 % PO were considered in the calculations. The phosphate resource is classified as an inferred resource. The total volume of the resource is about 649 million tons. The average PO content is 24.57, and the stripping ratio is 1:5.8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]