Mineralogy of Johor coastal (South China Sea) sediments

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the sediment types and mineral contents in Johor coastal sediments. The sediment samples were collected from thirty stations at the Johor coastal area (South China Sea) using the Smith McIntyre Grab operated from the Fisheries Department vessel KL CERMIN. Sediments collected were put in labeled plastic bags and then were brought back to the laboratory for analysis. These sediments were air-dried for sample preparation. For the purpose of this study, the sediment samples which are sandy are not considered in the analysis. Only twenty sediment samples out of the thirty stations were taken. Mineral contents in the sand and silt fractions were determined using petrographic microscope. While the clay minerals in sediment were detected using the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).