Textural, Mineralogical and Chromatic Characterisation of the Beach Sediments of Cuba: Management Implications

Although it is practically impossible to find locations without a massive flux of tourists, few beach destinations present a great attraction due to their privileged natural characteristics. This is often the case for sites that show splendid beach sands. To maintain their tourist attraction and related economic income, it is essential to know sediment characteristics such as their mineralogical composition, particle size, and colour. This paper presents a textural, chromatic, and mineralogical database of 90 beaches in Cuba. The composition of sediments was identified by stereomicroscopy, their texture by digital image analysis, sand colour according to the CIE space and X-ray diffraction, and fluorescence and electron microscopy were used to determine sediment mineralogy. Two main groups of beaches were identified: the lighter and brighter beaches of the cays are dominated by the association of authigenic carbonates (aragonite, kutnohorite, and calcite) while the south and northeastern coasts of eastern Cuba are dominated by darker sediments with larger grain sizes composed of amphibole, pyroxene, serpentines, chlorites, quartz, and plagioclase of detrital origin. The data obtained will allow the design of proper management actions of coastal resources, i.e., the maintaining of beaches’ sediment quality after nourishment works and, at the same time, the promotion and development of new, presently undervalued areas.