X-Ray diffraction study on the clay fraction of eroded soils in the north western coast of Egypt [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Continuous soil erosion along the hilly landscape of the North Western Coast of Egypt is expected to result in some changes in the mineralogical composition of the clay fraction. Therefore, surface Soil samples were collected from top and bottom slopes as well as, inside and outside the main gully. X~ray diffractograms revealed that kaolinite is the major clay mineral in the eroded soils of EL-Omayed area. Kaolinite crystallization is appeared at the top slope while being dominant in the bottom slope. The dominant clay minerals in Khashm El-Eish ridge area are semectite (montomorillonites), hydrous mica (illites), attapulgite and kaolinites. These clay minerals are almost the same at the top and the bottom slopes and also inside or outside the main gully but bearing well crystallization at the lower slope and affect their crystallinity and amount.

Summary in Arabic.

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