Mineralogical and Geochemical Study of Recent Clays in Tikrit Area/ Central Iraq

Abstract

The non-clay and clay minerals have been recognized also major oxides and some of the heavy metals in four selected locations in Tikrit city are determined.The most identified non-clay minerals are; quartz, calcite, gypsum and feldspar,while the clay minerals in abundance are: Illite, chlorite,montmorillonite, kaolinite and palygoarskite. The major oxides are; SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, MgO, FeO, Na2O, K2O, SO3 and L.O.I. The presence of these oxides due to source rocks and the high fraction of clay in sediment.The concentration of Cd, Zn, Cu, Mn, Co have determined in (ppm) and it is found within the average in earth crust except Co was more than the average and that may be due to the source rock or associated with organic materials in the sediment. It is found that the sediments are silty clay or clayey silt with fine sand.