Khouribga phosphate mines
The active phosphate mining belt of central Morocco is the single largest source of fossil shark teeth on the global dealer market. Eocene Otodus obliquus teeth, mosasaur jaws, and basilosaur whale bones move out of Khouribga and Ouled Abdoun by the truckload. Mines are operated by OCP and not open to casual collecting.
Most foreign 'access' is via village markets in Khouribga, Oued Zem and Boujniba where miners sell extracted material. Direct mine entry requires OCP permission, rarely granted to outsiders. Academic teams partner with Moroccan institutions.
Restricted — active industrial mines (OCP). Local mineral and fossil markets in nearby towns are open. Exporting fossils requires Moroccan customs paperwork.
Moroccan cultural heritage rules restrict vertebrate fossil export. Buyers should verify CITES and Moroccan paperwork; much market material is technically illicit. Always purchase from credentialed dealers.
- Open mining pits
- Heat
- Hostile weather (sandstorms)
- Counterfeit fossils in markets
- If you're buying, work with established international dealers who carry Moroccan export documents
- Restoration and composite teeth are widespread in Khouribga material — learn the tells
- The Faculty of Sciences at Mohammed V University in Rabat is the academic gateway
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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