EI-Tapey, H. M. A.( 2007). Mineralogy Of The Sand Fraction And Its Relation To Origin And Mode Of Formation Of Some Soils Of North Western Coast Of EgyptEgypt. J. of Appl. Sci.,22(12A) 2007 301-314
Abstract: A mineralogical study of the sand fraction was conducted on some soil profiles representing the different geomorphic units of the North western coast of Egypt between Sidi Barrani and EI-Sallum to evaluate the nature and origin ofthese soils. Data of the statistical size arameters showed that the soils are poorly and moderately sorted sediments containing the fine and I or strongly fine skewed and leptokurtic to very leptokurtic. These mean that water or water and wind actions are the main factors affecting the media of both transportation and deposition ofthe soil material. The mineralogical composition of the sand fraction indicate that quartz predominated the light minerals and constituted more than 92.1 % of these minerals with less pronounced amounts of feldspars. The presence of feldspars indicates that the soils are young from the pedagogical viewpoint. Heavy minerals are generally dominated by opaques. Non-opaques are dominated by amphiboles, pyroxenes and epidote. Zircon, rutile, tourmaline, garnet and biotite are detected in moderate amount, while the other minerals are found in few and rare amounts. Distribution ofthe resistant mineral ratios and weathering values indicate that the soils are generally formed from multi-origin and lor multi-depositional regimes and are thus young (immature stages from the pedological point of vIew.
Keywords: ()
