Geochemical, Textural And Mineralogical Analysis Of Aeolian Sediments

Abstract

Geochemical characteristics of sediments of sand dune will control the quality of shallow ground water and soil type and its composition. In this study sediments from stabilized sand dunes found in in the area of Bathinda and Sikar Region were investigated. With time and change of climatic condition pedogenesis process will be active on the stabilized sand dunes. Aeolian sediments of stabilized sand dunes provides clue to understand the paleoclimate, paleo-vegetation, paleo-wind flow direction of these area.Grain Size Distribution and mineralogical analysis of the sediments helps to understand the depositional environment and energy condition of that area, degree physical and chemical weathering and transportation history.In the present study textural and mineralogical analysis of Aeolian sands was carried out to find out the chemical weathering intensity of that area and depositional environment of the sediments. The sediments of Bathinda andSikar regions are texturally very fine sand. The Sikar regions are unimodal with fine grain size, whereas in Bathinda few samples shows bimodal. Based on various discrimination plots it is infer that the sediments are deposited in the quite aeolian environmentwith low active energy condition. Presence of calcrete and clay minerals indicate dunes were stabilized and pedogenesis process were active in the sand dunes. Maximum carbonate percentage is observed from the Loc S. Bulk geochemistry indicates the SiO2 percentage varies from 58 to 64%. The maximum CIA value of 83 was observed in the Loc C samples. A-CN-K and A-CNK-FM ternary plot shows maximum samples are low to moderately weathered and trending towards Al2O3 apex.