Leila Mahmoud
Former postdoctoral researcher at UPPA, France
Assistant Professor in Mansoura University, Egypt
Visiting professor at Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan
Geo-consultant for upstream geo-energy companies
Petroleum geoscientist and basin analyst with current research interests focusing on integrating geological, geophysical, and geochemical data for understanding the evolution and subsurface distribution of different resources such as hydrocarbon, hydrogen, helium, as well as geothermal fluids. Current research interests also involves research projects that aim at investigating the potentiality of subsurface storage of both hydrogen and CO2 mineralization in mafic and ultramafic rocks.
The Paleozoic ophiolite massifs are widely distributed in Kazakhstan and present a part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). These ophiolites consist mainly of ultramafic-mafic units, volcano-sedimentary sequences, and basaltic and doleritic lavas. In Western Kazakhstan, the Kempirsai peridotite massif is one of the largest in the south Urals. It contain several mines for podiform chromite ores which are associated with ultramafic lithotypes (dunite and Harzburgite). This study is focused on Khromtau mine in Aktobe region in northwestern Kazakhstan to investigate the distribution of the different peridotite lithotype. The mineralogical and geochemical composition of the peridotite lithotypes were studied in order to define the type and relative abundance of Fe-, mg-bearing minerals as well as the extent of serpentinization and its byproducts (e.g. magnetite, serpentine, brucite) . The investigated peridotite rocks consist mainly chromite- rich dunite enriched in fayalite and forsterite minerals and clinopyroxene. Tiny magnetite crystals are also reported growing on the fayalitic olivine. Lizardite and Fe-brucite are dominant mineral phases observed in the studied peridotite rocks. Mineralogical and geochemical composition of the studied peridotite reveal their significant potential for natural H2 generation via serpentinization. Batch reactor experiment will be conducted to investigate potential hydrogen generation from the Aktobe peridotite at temperatures less than 100°C.
Authors: Mahmoud Leila1,2, Randy Hazlett1, George Mathews1, Milovan Fustic1 1School of mining and Geosciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan 2Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
Geo-consultant
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