MINERALOGICAL CHARACTERISATION OF CLAY DEPOSIT NEAR IGBILE SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46881/ajsn.v6i0.139Keywords:
X-ray diffraction, d-spacing, Kaolinite, Quartz, crystal shapeAbstract
X-ray diffraction is a basic tool in mineralogical analysis of sediments, and in the case of fine grained sediments an essential one. Understanding of rocks composition, the nature of clay mineralogy content and provenance is very important in Basin evaluation. This study therefore focuses on the use of X-ray diffraction to study the clay stone unit exposed along Igbile, southwestern Nigeria. Five clay stone samples were collected following fieldwork in the study area and were subjected to X-ray Diffraction analysis. This was done in order to delineate the associated mineral composition in the rock samples, determine the crystal forms and shape of the mineral and probably provenance of the mineral content. Observations from the result of the X-ray Diffraction indicated peaks with d-spacing range of 1.488Ã…, 1.63 Ã…, 1.59 Ã…, 1.62 Ã… and 7.17 Ã… indicative of Kaolinite and d-spacing range of 1.541Ã…, 1.817 Ã…, 2.282 Ã…, 2.458 Ã…, 3.343 Ã… and 4.26 Ã… indicative of quartz as the only significant, minor to moderate abundance minerals in the rock samples. The nature of the kaolinite in the rock samples is suggestive of a transformational and neoformational origin with acid tropical environment where the degree of leaching is probably intensive. The d-spacing and the plane axis values of the kaolinite also indicated Dioctahedral, Trioctahedral and Pinacoid crystal shape with range of forms {001},{060}, {133},{134}and {002}. Similarly the quartz d-spacing and plane axis values suggested Orthorhombic and Trigonal crystal shape with crystal forms {101}, {100}, {112}, {211}, {110}and {102}. In conclusion, the clay deposit exposed in the study area is made up of detrital kaolinite and quartz which are probably sourced from low latitude region in acid tropical high leaching environment.References
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