IDENTIFICATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF MINERALS IN SOILS FROM AL-AHRAR AREA, WAIST PROVINCE, IRAQ

Abstract

The clay mineralogy of soils and of the main calcareous sedimentary soils of middle of Iraq were investigated to determine the presence of different clay minerals and their distribution pattern in soils. Six pedons were chosen and total of 24 soil horizons were collected. The results revealed that the soil minerals were primary and others were secondary minerals. Generally, the results of the semi-quantitative distribution of the clay minerals in clay fractions showed the dominance of the montmorillonite minerals and illite alternate with chlorite in being main and kaolinite are major, while, the presence of palygorskite mineral were trace except P5 may be miner (saline soils). The origin of the montmorillonite minerals in these soil may be inherited in origin from the mica. Soil chlorite was found in some soils due to chloritization of expanding clay minerals. The mineralogical distribution in bulk soils were dominated by calcite, and quartz, while other minerals were identified feldspar, hematite and pyroxene in addition to the clay minerals in all the soil samples.