The phosphorite rocks in the northern basin of Tebessa region were deposited during the Upper Paleocene–Lower Eocene period around the Kasserine Paleo-Island, and coincide well with PETM events. These rocks are extensively studied across various scales, such as whole-rocks, particle separates, matrix, and grain-size fractions. Decimeter- to meter-thick phosphorite layers are interbedded within marls, dolostones, and silica-rich carbonate rocks. Although partly exploited in the early 20th century, the Troubia, Ain Dibba, and Ain Kissa deposits received limited exploration due to their lower P2O5 content and ore reserves. The present study aims to highlight the knowledge of their critical trace and REE contents, as well as the understanding of their paleo-depositional environment. Selected samples were analyzed using optical microscopy, XRD-FTIR, SEM-EDS, XRF, and ICM-MS methods. Petrographic data show that these phosphorites are mainly composed of pellets, coprolites, bioclasts and rare glauconite, gypsum, and detrital quartz grains. These constituents are cemented by calcareous, siliceous or rarely clayey matrix. Here, amorphous silica, represented by opal-CT; and crystalline silica represented by quartz grains. XRD, FTIR and SEM data reveal that phosphorites are composed of CFA, Opal-CT, quartz, dolomite, calcite, gypsum, and zeolites. This siliceous material may be originated from fragmented fossils of siliceous tests, and precipitated silica, or quartz detrital grains. The XRF and ICP-MS chemical analyses show that the studied phosphorites are not as rich neither in P2O5 nor in REE contents (average = 20.24 wt% and average = 252 ppm, respectively) as the southern basin Djebel Onk phosphorites. The highest Ce/Ce* and lowest Eu/Eu*anomalies are recorded in the relatively REE- and glauconite-rich lower layers, while the lowest Ce/Ce* and highest Eu/Eu* values, indicating more oxic conditions, characterize the glauconite-free, REE-poor upper layers. The redox- sensitive trace element (Cr, Ni, V, U) data display transition from relatively sub-oxic to oxic conditions (from the lower to the upper layers), indicating that slightly reducing conditions during early diagenesis enabled uptake both REE and trace element onto apatite and glauconite from pore waters through substitution and adsorption mechanisms. These features indicate that phosphorites from the northern basin were deposited, through upwelling currents, in a more open, shallower, oxygenated, fast sedimentation, and agitated environment during the Paleocene-Eocene phosphogenesis, with less PETM influence, in Tebessa region.