The Mesopotamian Geochemical researches..

THE GEOCHEMISTRY OF IRON IN THE MUDROCKS OF THE GA'ARA FORMATION WESTERN DESERT, IRAQ

A,H. AL-SAYEGH* , M.Y. TAMAR—AGHA** & K.T. Al-YOUZBAKEY*

* College of Science, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq.

** College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.

kotayba_tawfiq@yahoo.com

Iraqi Geological Journal, 27(3), PP, 1-19, (1994)

Abstract

  Iron occurs with kaolinitic mudrocks of Ga'ara Formation in two valency states. First; the ferric state, as a result of the oxidizing environment in which iron oxides formed together with kaolinite. Second; the ferrous state which is present in very small amounts.

  Iron oxides and hydroxides occur as the minerals goethite and haematite, and as amorphous hydroxides coating the kaolinite, Small amount of iron, also found within the structure of kaolinite, In the present work, it has been found that either sodium dithionite or concentrated HCl are suitable for the purification of the kaolinite mudrocks from the free iron oxides and hydroxides.