Mineralogy and geochemistry of Jeribe formation from selected areas, east of Iraq

Abstract EN

The mineralogy and geochemistry of the Jeribe Formation are examined by XRF and XRD techniques.

The formation belongs to the Miocene sequences, which are exposed in the eastern part of Iraq within the low folded Zone.

Dolomite and calcite are the main minerals making the carbonate rocks of the formation with subordinate minerals of quartz and clay minerals (kaolinite, montmorillonite and illite).

Application of Ca/Mg ratio for classification of carbonate rocks reveals that the majority of the rock dolomitic in the formation.

The molar ratios of certain trace elements of Mo/U, V/Cr and Ni/Co reveal Oxic-Redoxs conditions and Ca/Mg, Mg/Ca, and Ba/Ca ratios imply moderate salinity at the time of sedimentation.

While Mg/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios infer low temperature at the carbonate deposition.

Comparing the low Sr/Ca with the moderately high Ca/Mg ratios indicate that the dolomitization process played the main role in the diagenesis processes.