Mineralogical Vertical Distribution of Sediments for Selected Area in Basrah, Southern Iraq

The presence of clay in the sediments can lead to various engineering problems. For this reason, a study was conducted on both clay minerals and non-clay minerals to determine their distribution spatially and vertically and to analyze the grain size distribution. Sediments were studied in various locations in the Basrah Ring Road, to know the mineral diversity and grain size gradation in these deposits, 12 samples were collected from recent sediments to a depth of seven meters, and an analysis of grain size was done. The analyses revealed that the predominant component is silt, followed by clay, while the proportion of sand is very low. The main non-clay minerals in the study area are represented by quartz, calcite, dolomite, feldspar, and halite, whereas the mixed layers of montmorillonite-chlorite, kaolinite, palygorskite, and illite indicate the clay minerals. The montmorillonite and quartz are the main minerals in the clay and non-clay minerals, respectively. The predominant of quartz in the sediment is attributed to the higher silt content compared to clay in the study area.