Farouk El-Baz

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-15-1978

Abstract

The Western Desert occupies two thirds of the arca of Egypt. It is basically a platform of sodimentary rocks crossed by numerous belts of sand dunes that inundatc whatever stands in their way. The flat terrain is broken by numerous depressions enclosing oases that provide the only respite from the prevailing harsh conditions. Early exploration in the 1920's by llassanein and Kamal E1-Din and in the 1930's by Sanford, Peel, and particularly Bagnold provided the basic data on this desert. However, to this date muich Of the desert is relatively unexplored. Space photographs and inages provide a useful tool in the selection of areas for detailed field study. The most potentially valuable aspect of the Western Desert is the occurrence of clayey, fertile soils in many locations. Sone of these lie above a reservoir of fossil underground water, which if carefully used could supply enough water for irrigation. Additional possibilities for development include deposits of iron, phosphates and other valuable minerals as well as a vast reservoir of building materials, particularly those necessary for cement production.

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