Sedimentological Investigation of the Euphrates River from Babylon to Basrah, Iraq

• Published in: Iraqi geological journal Vol. 56; no. 1F; pp. 226 - 242
• Main Authors: Hussien, Mohammed, Al-Jaberi, Mohanad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Union of Iraqi Geologists (UIG) 30.06.2023
• ISSN: 2414-6064; 2663-8754
• DOI: 10.46717/igj.56.1F.15ms-2023-6-23

The Euphrates River is considered a famous one among the rivers in the world. The current study is an attempt to give information about the bed sediments from Hilla to Shatt Al-Arab at Basrah, through sedimentological investigations. Forty-two samples were subjected to grain size analysis, representing twelve core sampling sites. The sand fractions (fine-very fine) decrease from Hilla to Basrah cities, beside the interval depths from top to bottom, whereas the silt fractions increase in the same direction and the depth interval, because the water current declined. The light minerals are examined by a polarized transmitted microscope as well as scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer techniques. The light minerals consist of 95.7%, and the heavy minerals of 4.3% among the total counted grains. The rock fragments, particularly carbonate and chert are the predominant constituents and increase from Hilla to Basrah cities, followed by quartz reduced in the same pattern. In addition, the lowest abundance of feldspar minerals where recognize in lower values also decreases to the southern orientation. Monocrystalline quartz is higher than polycrystalline. However, plagioclase is lesser in proportion than potash feldspar (orthoclase and microcline). The river bed sands are litharenite classification, and petrogenically, are transition recycled to transition arc referring to orogenic recycled derivation.