Recognition of diagenetic dolomite and chemical surface features of the quartz grains in coastal sabkha sediments of the hypersaline Shuaiba Lagoon, Eastern Red Sea Coast, Saudi Arabia

Abstract EN

X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscope have been used to study the mineralogy and quartz grain surface features of the supratidal and intertidal sabkha sediments of Shuaiba lagoon.

Results of X-ray diffraction analysis of the supratidal sabkha sediments below 60 cm at a location farther inland indicate that diagenetic dolomite is developed at 30 cm depth.

Percentage of aragonite varies inversely with that of dolomite indicating that aragonite is consumed in the production of dolomite.

Sabkha quartz grains are characterized by the predominance of chemical surface features which are generally developed by solution and precipitation of recent silica in the near surface diagenetic environment.