Log In
Al Ba’itha Mine, Zabira bauxite deposit, Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabiai
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Al Ba’itha Mine | Mine |
| Zabira bauxite deposit | Deposit |
| Al-Qassim Region | Region |
| Saudi Arabia | Country |
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Get Involved with mindat.org
Mindat.org has grown through countless contributions from mineral enthusiasts, collectors, researchers and experts around the world — people just like you.
Want to take part?
1
2
3
4
Contribute
Add photos, locality information and knowledge
Every contribution helps make mindat.org better for everyone.
Help document this locality
Do you have photos, specimens or locality images from Al Ba’itha Mine, Zabira bauxite deposit, Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia? Share them with the community.
Upload specimen photos
Show interesting minerals, fossils or rocks from this locality.
Show interesting minerals, fossils or rocks from this locality.
Add locality images
Share photos of the site, outcrops or surrounding area.
Share photos of the site, outcrops or surrounding area.
Improve coverage for this page
Your contributions help build a more complete record for everyone.
Your contributions help build a more complete record for everyone.
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
27° 39' 26'' North , 44° 1' 41'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Al Baitha Mine; Al-Baitha Mine
An open pit bauxite mine located approximately 600km northwest of Riyadh.
The bauxite formed as a Cretaceous paleolateritic profile developed on the exposed surface of the Early Cretaceous Biyadh Sandstone. Its genesis is attributed to intense lateritic weathering of aluminous sedimentary rocks under warm and humid tropical conditions during the Aptian–Albian (~121–113 Ma). Subsequent Neogene uplift and erosion partially removed the laterite profile, resulting in its present discontinuous distribution along a NW–SE-trending belt approximately 105 km long and 5 km wide.
The preserved bauxite profile averages 8–10 m in thickness and is vertically subdivided into three main units: the Lower Clay Zone (LCZ), the Pisolitic Bauxite Zone (BXZ), and the Upper Clay Zone (UCZ). The BXZ constitutes the economic ore horizon and consists predominantly of compact pisolitic to oolitic bauxite, locally capped by iron-rich duricrust. The LCZ represents a transitional weathering zone grading downward into kaolinized Biyadh Sandstone, while the UCZ comprises kaolinitic claystones marking the upper boundary of the paleolaterite sequence. In the South Zone, which hosts the active Al Ba’itha mine, the bauxite rests unconformably on the Biyadh Sandstone and preserves the most complete lateritic profile.
The bauxite formed as a Cretaceous paleolateritic profile developed on the exposed surface of the Early Cretaceous Biyadh Sandstone. Its genesis is attributed to intense lateritic weathering of aluminous sedimentary rocks under warm and humid tropical conditions during the Aptian–Albian (~121–113 Ma). Subsequent Neogene uplift and erosion partially removed the laterite profile, resulting in its present discontinuous distribution along a NW–SE-trending belt approximately 105 km long and 5 km wide.
The preserved bauxite profile averages 8–10 m in thickness and is vertically subdivided into three main units: the Lower Clay Zone (LCZ), the Pisolitic Bauxite Zone (BXZ), and the Upper Clay Zone (UCZ). The BXZ constitutes the economic ore horizon and consists predominantly of compact pisolitic to oolitic bauxite, locally capped by iron-rich duricrust. The LCZ represents a transitional weathering zone grading downward into kaolinized Biyadh Sandstone, while the UCZ comprises kaolinitic claystones marking the upper boundary of the paleolaterite sequence. In the South Zone, which hosts the active Al Ba’itha mine, the bauxite rests unconformably on the Biyadh Sandstone and preserves the most complete lateritic profile.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
8 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Anatase Formula: TiO2 |
| ⓘ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 |
| ⓘ Diaspore Formula: AlO(OH) |
| ⓘ Gibbsite Formula: Al(OH)3 |
| ⓘ Goethite Formula: Fe3+O(OH) |
| ⓘ Hematite Formula: Fe2O3 |
| ⓘ Kaolinite Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Hematite | 4.CB.05 | Fe2O3 |
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Anatase | 4.DD.05 | TiO2 |
| ⓘ | Diaspore | 4.FD.10 | AlO(OH) |
| ⓘ | Goethite | 4.FD.10 | Fe3+O(OH) |
| ⓘ | Gibbsite | 4.FE.10 | Al(OH)3 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Kaolinite | 9.ED.05 | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Diaspore | AlO(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Gibbsite | Al(OH)3 |
| H | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Anatase | TiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Diaspore | AlO(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Gibbsite | Al(OH)3 |
| O | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| O | ⓘ Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Diaspore | AlO(OH) |
| Al | ⓘ Gibbsite | Al(OH)3 |
| Al | ⓘ Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ti | Titanium | |
| Ti | ⓘ Anatase | TiO2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| Fe | ⓘ Hematite | Fe2O3 |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
Arabian PeninsulaPeninsula
Arabian PlateTectonic Plate
- Arabian-Nubian Shield
- Ad Dawadimi TerraneVolcanic Arc
- Widyan-North Arabian Gulf basinBasin
AsiaContinent
This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to
visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders
for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.
References
[1]Almutairi, Abdulaziz N.; Lloyd, Jonathan R.; Taylor, Kevin G.; Alkhammali, Sultan A.; Gahlan, Hisham A.; Xie, Jinxin; Almalki, Saad A.; Almutairi, Yasir A.; Coker, Victoria S. (2026) Rare Earth Element Potential from Bauxite to Red Mud: Economic Insights from the Al Ba’itha Mine, Saudi Arabia. Minerals, 16 (10). doi:10.3390/min16101050
