Author(s)

Atangana Jacqueline Ntsama^1*, Kadaguina Doussana², Joseph Roland Atenga Essama³, Akoa Philémon Rémi Etoundi⁴, Bilobi Roland Touna⁴, Jean Pierre Nguetnkam²

¹Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
²Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
³College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China.
⁴Department of Mining Geology, School of Geology and Mining Engineering, University of Ngaoundere, Meiganga, Cameroon.

The present study examines the morphological, physicochemical, and mineralogical specificity of clay sediments in the Hamakoussou Basin with the objective of exploring their potential applications. Field data collection was followed by a series of physicochemical and mineralogical tests on the clay samples. Results show that the clay layers, which range in thickness from 11 - 120 cm, exhibit gray, yellowish, or greenish colors. From a physicochemical perspective, these clay layers are found to be basic with a pH ranging from 8.5 for the higher Hama2 layer to 7.6 for the lower Hama1 layer. The sum of exchangeable bases (S) is medium to high with higher values in the Hama1 layer (53.45 meq/100g) and lower values in the Hama3 layer (17.09 meq/100g). Similarly, the cation exchange capacity (CEC) varies from 62.32 meq/100g for the higher Hama1N4 clay layer to 35.6 meq/100g for the lower Hama1N3 clay layer. Mineralogically, the clay materials are primarily composed of smectites, with illite, kaolinite, calcite, quartz, feldspar, hematite, and goethite also present. This study emphasizes the versatility of clay in various industries and scientific domains. It is known for its impermeability, plasticity, and fossil-preserving capabilities, making it a valuable material for economic, practical, and academic applications.

Morphostructural, Sediments, Clay Layers, Sedimentary Basin, Hamakoussou

Ntsama, A. J., Doussana, K., Essama, J. R. A., Etoundi, A. P. R., Touna, B. R. and Nguetnkam, J. P. (2024) Characterization of Sediment from Ourokessoum, North Cameroon: Morphostructural, Mineralogical, and Physicochemical Properties. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 12, 51-76. doi: 10.4236/gep.2024.129004.