MINERALOGICAL COMPOSITION OF FINE SAND, SILT AND CLAY FRACTIONS OF THE KOM OMBO WESTERN PLAIN SOILS, ASWAN GOVERNORATE, EGYPT

In this research, Kom Ombo Western plain, Western Desert selected as a case study sits which considers one of the high priority regions for future development agriculture in Egypt Based on ENVI 5.0 and Arc GIS 10.8 using Sentinel 2 to producing geomorphic map for studied area. A total of 22 soil profiles representing the geomorphic map units, were dug and descripted. Mineralogy of the fine sand, silt and clay fractions in Kom Ombo western plain soils was studied. The obtained results reveal that light minerals are the major component and manly dominated by quartz which constitutes more than 86%, while feldspars are depicted with few amounts and represented by orthoclaseand plagioclase in addition to mascuvite and calcite. Heavy minerals are dominated by opaques which constitute from 38.54 to 46.15%. Non opaque minerals are dominated by ultrastable minerals and unstable minerals are depecated with moderate amounts. The rest of the investigated minerals are detected in less pronounced amounts. The ratios of resistant minerals and weathering ratios indicate that the studied soils are heterogeneous either due to their origin or due to a subsequent variation along the course of sedimentation. The clay fraction of the studied soils is dominated by kaolinite followed by smectite. Also, hydrous mica, chlorite and interstratified minerals are present, yet in variable frequency depending on the geomorphic unit. With regard to the mineralogical composition of the fine sand and silt fraction, the obtained results indicate that quartz and /or kaolinite are dominated minerals. Other minerals are calcite, feldspars, dolomite, gypsite, albaite, siderite, hematite, pyrite, magnetite, muscovite and apatite in less pronounced occurrence. The differences in the mineralogical composition among the studied soils conferences the multi-origin of Kom Ombo western plain soils. Due to the variations in depositional regime, the discrepancy in mineral components within profile depths was verified.