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Mineralogical and geochemical aspects of Miocene laterite, Sharm Lollia area, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

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Abstract

A lateritic soil profile formed on the top of the middle Miocene was identified in the south of the Eastern Desert of Egypt. It is located about 55 km south of Marsa Alam and far about 3 km from the Red Sea coast. The mineral identification of samples was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The study revealed the relative predominance of kaolinite and gibbsite beside iron minerals (hematite and goethite), evaporates (halite and anhydrite), carbonate (dolomite and calcite), quartz, and cryptomelane. Accessory minerals are represented by columbite, tapiolite, thorite, monazite, zircon, barite, atacamite, anarkite, romanchite, hemimorphite, cerussite, garnet, ilmenite, nickel, and flurorichterite. The geochemical data of the bulk samples reflect enrichment in SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, Zn, Pb, Ba, Sr, As, Nb, Cu, and Zr. This lateritic soil shows high Uc/Th ratio indicating addition of uranium under suboxic to anoxic condition. The LREE predominance was over the HREE due to the presence of monazite mineral. Negative Eu anomaly confirms the saturated source rocks of these laterites.

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Acknowledgments

The author sincerely thanks Prof. Dr. Ibrahim M. El Ahmady, NMA, for his continuous discussions during all stages of this work. Great thanks also go to Prof. Dr Ibrahim E. El Aassy, NMA, for the fruitful helpful comments for his critical reviewing and valuable comments on the manuscript. Thanks are also extending to Prof. Dr. K. Watanabe, Kyushu Univ. Japan, for supporting all facilities during XRF analyses.

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  1. Nuclear Materials Authority, P.O Box 530 El, Maadi, Cairo, Egypt

    Gehan A. M. Aly

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Correspondence to Gehan A. M. Aly.

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Aly, G.A.M. Mineralogical and geochemical aspects of Miocene laterite, Sharm Lollia area, South Eastern Desert, Egypt. Arab J Geosci 8, 10399–10418 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-015-1943-z

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