Palynology and Mineralogy Study of Gypsiferous Soil, Center of Iraq

O. Ali, Maysoon; K.Al- Nuaimi, Suhad

	Palynology and Mineralogy Study of Gypsiferous Soil, Center of Iraq
Diyala Journal For Pure Science
Article 1, Volume 10, Issue 3, 2014, Pages 43-62
Authors
Maysoon O. Ali; Suhad K.Al- Nuaimi
Abstract
This study deals with gypsiferous soil and its ability to reserve organic matter. Nine samples from sedimentary sequence depth of 320 cm from the site southeast of Al-Tharthar lack were analyzed. Samples were collected from the "Mutawakkil terrace", one of the terraces of Tigris River resulting from the seasonal flooding of river and increase its elevations in pluvial periods during Pleistocene. Muttawakkil terrace is one of oldest river terraces a modern gravel deposits belonging to the Pleistocene. Sediments of the area consists of sedimentary deposits envelope with gypsum, soil is considered immature. Gypsum soils were spread in this region and percentage of gypsum from 11-90%, this is indicate of dry climate.Palynological analysis showed a varied in different levels like: Quercus, Taxodiacea, Graminea, Pine, Palme, composite . Mineralogical study showed the existence of gypsum, quartz, feldspar, calcite, and dolomite. Also mudstone minerals were occurs with palygorskite was the dominant among other minerals. Illite, montmorillonite, kaolinite and chlorite, transmission electron microscope technology indicated three type of palygorskite formations: first, transformation of montmorillonite, second continuous growth of palygorskite into woven forms which indicates its neoformation and third, it consisted of different thickness of losses single small fibrous which indicated it's detrital.
Keywords
gypsiferous soil; Palynological analysis; clay minerls; TEM

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