Distribution And Mineralogy Of The Clay Deposits In Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The main goal of this paper is to characterize the mineral clay deposits in Saudi Arabia; especially their mineral composition, deposit size, geological setting and possible uses. Different published reports and papers on clay deposits of Saudi Arabia have been reviewed. Three major clay deposits have been studied by XRD, DTA and chemical analyses. Saudi clay deposits consist generally of kaolinite as a major mineral, and small amounts other clay minerals, such as montmorillonite and illite. Most of the Saudi clay deposits contain quartz. The paper concentrates on the cooperation and coordination between the Gulf Universities and institutes and industry to undertake a detailed studies on the clay deposits of the Gulf states for possible industrial uses and applications.