Gafsa Phosphate Basin (Tunisia)
The Tunisian counterpart to Morocco's Khouribga — Eocene phosphate deposits worked by the Compagnie des Phosphates de Gafsa. Same geological story (Tethyan upwelling), same kinds of Eocene-Paleocene shark teeth. Access is via mining-company arrangement and university paleontology programs only.
No casual access — coordinate with the Université de Tunis paleontology program or a research expedition. Mine-affiliated guided visits are the only legal collecting path.
Gafsa city is the regional base. The active mines (Métlaoui, Redeyef, M'dhilla) are gated industrial sites.
Tunisian heritage law strictly controls export of fossils. Significant material must remain in country; small surface samples require a permit.
- Active heavy industry
- Remote desert with extreme heat
- Region-specific travel-advisory checks recommended
- If serious, contact the Office National des Mines or the Tunis natural history museum
- Casual collectors are far better served by Morocco's Khouribga — easier access
Shark teeth findable here
Trophy = headline find · Rare = real score · Uncommon = some trips · Common = most trips.
Also findable here
The beachcomber's bonus round — what else the geology gives up.
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