Clay Minerals of Suspended Matter and Surficial Sediments of Khor Al-Zubair Estuary, NW Arabian Gulf

Distribution of clay minerals in the suspended matter and surficial sediments of 36 samples collected from Khor Al-Zubair estuary revealed the presence of montimorillonite, kaolinite, chlorite, illite and palygorskite in wide variations. These variations are interpreted to be due to: different source areas of these minerals, the complex hydrodynamic conditions in the Khor and to flocculation. No regular distribution of clay minerals (except for montimorillonite) was found in the water samples. In the sediments samples montimorillonite and palygorskite showed a trend of increasing values toward the Arabian Gulf, which interpreted to be brought by Shatt Al-Arab River and/or formed diagenetically. Kaolinite and chlorite increased landward due to eolian effect. Illite values showed an increment near Shatt Al-Basrah Canal caused by the sediments brought by the Euphrates River from Hor Al-Hammar Lake.