MINERALOGY OF LOESS IN SOUTHERN EUROPEAN RUSSIA: X-RAY DIFFRACTION DATA
N.M. Khansivarova1,2, S.V. Levchenko1,2, O.S. Bondareva1,2, A.N. Lednev1,2
1Southern Federal University, ul. Zorge 40, Rostov-na-Donu, 344090, Russia
2Institute of Earth Sciences, ul. Zorge 40, Rostov-na-Donu, 344090, Russia
Keywords: Loess, loess-like sediments, mineralogy, clay minerals, detrital minerals, size fractions, XRD images
Abstract
The mineralogy of loess and loess-like sediments has important implications for the mechanisms of postdepositional alteration, as well as for environmental and geotechnical issues. The geotechnical properties of soils, their mechanical strength, and the bearing capacity of the soil foundations depend on the mineral species, their percentages, and relationships. Clay minerals control the mass transport processes which have bearing on pollution of ground and water. Loess covers vast territories on all continents, including southern Russia, West Siberia, southern East Siberia, the Russian Far East, Transbaikalia, and other regions. Loess and loess-like sediments have specific genetic, lithologic, geotechnical, stratigraphic, and geomorphic features. The mineralogy of Quaternary loess has been studied by X-ray diffraction, chemical, and particle size analyses, following the standard techniques, with reference to earlier published evidence. The study area comprises three watershed provinces in the southeastern Russian Plain (southern European Russia). The results have geotechnical and environmental applications for loess provinces.
|
