Abstract:
The study was conducted to determine the mineral contents and also the textural classes
of the Kemaman coastal sediments (from Dungun River to Kemaman River). The
sediments were collected from 12 stations by using Smith Mc Intyre grab. The sediments
were analyzed using three methods: (i) X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD), for silt and clay
fractions, (ii) Quantitative Mineral Estimation (QME), for heavy mineral analysis, and
(iii) Textural class analysis using Hydrometer method. The result of XRD analysis
showed that quartz is the dominant mineral in most of the stations, while other minerals
such as feldspar, illite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, chlorite and vermiculite were found in
trace amounts. The QME analysis also showed that quartz is the dominant mineral in
every station. The other 10 minerals obtained which are listed in a decreasing abundance
are: andalusite, ilmenite, iron oxide, siderite, tourmaline, hydroilmenite, magnetite, rutile
and zircon. According to the result of textural class analysis, there were two classes of
sediment that were identified: (i) sand, and (ii) sandy loam. The group of sand texture are
mostly found at nearshore area (Stations 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11 ), while sandy loam
texture are found at offshore area (Stations I, 3, 4, 8 and 12).