Application of electrical tomography technique for landside investigation: Case of the Kef Essenoun phosphate deposit, Djebel Onk (Northeastern Algeria)

The enormous development of the technology of raw material extraction drives the economic companies and technicians to make efforts to meet the needs of consumers. These efforts directly influence the nature, creating voids or cavities in the soil and subsoil inducing a structure disturbance and subsequently giving damages. A landslide of the Kef Essenoun phosphate deposit occurred in 2007 when large mass of rocks detached caused a number of undesired and negative effects. To analyze this deformation, a two-dimensional (2D) electrical tomography with the Wenner and Schlumberger device was deployed, using equipment of Syscal Pro 48 type for the implementation of an electrical profile, through a transect length of 140 m with electrode spacing of 3m and a depth of investigation that measures 32 m to the center. Data processing was carried using out RES2DINV software and the results allowed to map visible cracks of a high resistivity value of 890 Ωm as well as low values of 6 Ωm for marls and clays. In addition, phenomena have been evidenced due to tectonic (rough terrain) on one side and sliding on the other.