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Journal of Applied Sciences

Year: 2009 | Volume: 9 | Issue: 4 | Page No.: 601-614
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Authors

A.S. Mahjoor

M. Karimi

A. Rastegarlari

Keywords

Research Article

Mineralogical and Geochemical Characteristics of Clay Deposits from South Abarkouh District of Clay Deposit (Central Iran) and Their Applications

A.S. Mahjoor, M. Karimi and A. Rastegarlari
Clay-rich sediments from South Abarkouh district of clay deposit (SADC) in central Iran were analyzed for mineralogical and chemical composition, including the Rare earth element contents. Fifteen clay deposits have been located in Lower Permian (Artinskian) sediments of the area. The sediments are dominated by kaolinite, illite and quartz and minor phases include chlorite, albite, goethite, paragonite, natroalonite and gypsum. Whole rock chemistry shows that sediment samples rich in SiO2 and Al have low Fe, Sc and Cr contents. The high Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) values, high Chemical Index of Weathering (CIW) values, high ratio of TiO2/Zr and low contents of the alkali and alkali earth elements of the clay-rich sediments suggest a relatively more intense weathering source area. Barium, Rb, Ca and Mg were probably flushed out by water during sedimentation. The chondrite-normalized Rare earth element patterns of the clay-rich sediments show LREE enrichments and a negative Eu anomaly. The high chondrite normalized La/Yb ratios and Gd/Yb ratios lower than 1.3, indicate that the sediments are enriched in LREEs. The mineralogical composition, REE contents, main elements discrimination diagram and elemental ratios in these sediments such as TiO2/Al2O3 suggest a provenance mainly felsic rocks, with only minor contributions from basic sources. The basic sediments were most likely derived from Granitic-Riolitic rocks. The most significant geochemical finding is that despite intense weathering, which has affected most elements, the REE, Th and Sc remain immobile. The chemistry and the mineralogy of the studied samples, compared to other commercial clays, shows that they need some treatment to render them suitable for ceramics production.
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