Environmental and Mineralogical Studies of the Sabkhas Soil at Ismailia—Suez Roadbed, Southern of Suez Canal District, Egypt

Mohamed M. El-Omla, Hamdy A. Aboulela

Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
Marine Science Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.

DOI: 10.4236/ojg.2012.23017                

Abstract

Eight surface sabkha soils samples were collected from Ismailia—Suez roadbed, southwestern of Suez Canal district. Sedimentological and mineralogical analyses were conducted using grain size; X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Grain size analysis indicates high contents of fine sand and mud as well as presence of salts. X-ray diffraction; Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and EDAX tool clarified that the sabkha soils are enriched by quartz, sulfate minerals (gypsum, anhydrite), carbonate minerals (calcite-dolomite-aragonite), chlorides (halite and bischofite), and clay minerals. The results elucidate that the appearance of sabkha deposits and their distribution in the study area are controlled mainly by the content of water soluble salts through parent materials; ground water table; subsurface structural; and physiographic features for instance surface relief or topography; and human activity.

Keywords

Suez Canal; Sabkha Soil; Grain Size; SEM and X-Ray Diffraction Analyses

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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