Clay mineralogy of Kuala Ibai River sediment

Abstract

Ten sediment samples were collected from the lbai River estuary. The sediments were analyzed to determine the clay mineral contents and to study the sediment texture in the lbai River estuary surface sediment. The mineralogy was analyzed using the X-ray diffractometer (XRD) while the texture analysis was determined using the wet sieving method. Generally, the sediments in Ibai River are low in clay mineral contents, where quartz is dominant in the area, which was over 70%. Thus, the study also indicates that the study area, is dominated by primary minerals. In addition, trace amount of other minerals such as feldspar kaolinite micas and chlorite also revealed in this study. Texture analysis shows that the dominant texture in the sediment is clay especially at stations 6, 7, 8, 9 and IO. However, sand texture was dominant the sediment at the river mouth of the estuary.