Geology
The Phnom Dek area is in the midst of an extensive and heterogeneous
peneplain formed on Triassic sedimentary rocks, with
Fig.
Jurassic-Cretaceous sedimentary units and Quaternary alluvium.
The iron oxide deposits are located at the contact points between
granite, andesite, rhyolite intrusions and hornfels metamorphic
rocks (Carò and Douglas, 2013; Christensen, 2007; Dottin, 1971).
The local iron oxide and gold reserves are found in two major
outcrops, Phnom Dek and Phnom Royoum, which are currently
being commercially exploited; taking mineral samples for
comparative purposes was not possible at this time. Laterite is
another potential source material for iron production, though the
distribution of northern Cambodia sources sufficiently enriched in
iron is not known (Pryce and Natapintu, 2009).