Geochemistry and origin of the Cretaceous sedimentary kaolin deposits,Red Sea,Egypt |
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| Authors: | Hassan M Baioumy |
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| Institution: | Central Metallurgical R & D Institute, Box 87, Helwan, Cairo, Egypt |
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| Abstract: | This work reports, for the first time, the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the Cretaceous sedimentary kaolin deposits in the Red Sea area, Egypt and sheds the light on their source. Mineralogical and geochemical analyses of both bulk deposits and the sand and clay fractions of these deposits indicated that they are composed of kaolinite (average of 75 wt.%) and quartz (average of 22 wt.%). Traces of anatase (average of 1 wt.%) were identified in all kaolin samples, while traces of halite (average of 2 wt.%) and hematite (average of 1 wt.%) were reported in the majority of the analyzed samples. The clay fractions show relatively high contents of TiO2 (average of 2.1%), Ni (average of 103 ppm), Nb (average of 98 ppm), Y (average of 67 ppm), and Zr (average of 630 ppm). Sum of the rare earth elements (ΣREE) in the clay fractions varies between 193 and 352 ppm. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns show enrichment of the light REE relative to the heavy REE ((La/Yb)N = 9) and negative Eu anomaly (Eu*/Eu = 0.67). |
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| Keywords: | Sedimentary kaolin deposits Red Sea Mineralogy Geochemistry Source |
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