Locality · State phosphate mines (OCP); informal digging; dealer sales
Oued Zem and Khouribga
Khouribga Province, Béni Mellal-Khénifra, Morocco
Oued Zem, beside the giant OCP phosphate mines of Khouribga, is the source town for the world's mosasaur teeth, Otodus shark teeth, Enchodus jaws and Cretaceous–Eocene marine reptile bone. The mines are closed, so material is bought from town dealers who acquire it from diggers working the spoil and open pits. Composite mosasaur jaws are assembled here; single teeth and honest prepared jaw sections are also sold, and a buyer should ask which is which.
| Country | Morocco |
|---|---|
| State / province | Béni Mellal-Khénifra |
| County | Khouribga Province |
| Land manager / status | Office Chérifien des Phosphates (state); informal diggers |
| Access | Mines are closed to visitors; buy from Oued Zem dealers and Erfoud/Tucson wholesalers |
| Formations | Oulad Abdoun Basin phosphates |
| What is found | Mosasaurus, Prognathodon, Globidens, Otodus obliquus, Squalicorax, Enchodus, Zarafasaura, turtles, crocodiles |
| Coordinates (public site) | 32.86, -6.57 |
Rules
Fossils from the phosphate mines reach the market through local diggers and Oued Zem dealers; export follows the same dealer-invoice route as other Moroccan fossils. Museums increasingly refuse undocumented Khouribga skulls and skeletons, and composite jaws are the ethical problem. Record the bed (couche) if known.
Source: https://www.aaps.net/ethics.htm (checked 2026-09-16).
Elsewhere
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Oued Zem and Khouribga" (Locality). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-19. https://stratum.black/study/localities/oued-zem-and-khouribga. Accessed 2026-09-20.
@misc{stratum-oued-zem-and-khouribga,
title = {Oued Zem and Khouribga},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/localities/oued-zem-and-khouribga}},
year = {2026},
note = {Locality article, Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-19; sources: stratum, commons. Accessed 2026-09-20.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.