Clay Mineralogy of Dune and Associated Sandy Plain Soils of Western Rajasthan

Chemical and cation exchange characteristics, x-ray and DTA study of coarse and fine soil clays from duny areas of western Rajasthan showed that fine clays contained smectite, mica, mica-smectite and kaolinite. In addition to these, dune soil clay had minor amount of interlayered smectite and chloritic minerals, whereas the interdunal soil clay had vermiculite, and the alluvial plain soil clay chloritic minerals. Coarse clays in all the soils were dominated by illite (mica) followed by smectite and kaolinite. Amorphous material was also present in both fine and coarse clays.