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MINERALOGY AND MORPHOLOGY OF SALT EFFLORESCENCES ON SALINE SOILS IN THE GREAT KONYA BASIN, TURKEY
Author(s) -
DRIESSEN P. M.,
SCHOORL R.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1973.tb02310.x
Subject(s) - halite , geology , mineral , geochemistry , mineralogy , salt (chemistry) , structural basin , chemistry , geomorphology , materials science , metallurgy
Summary Samples from fifteen salt crusts from the central Great Konya Basin, Turkey, were studied in the laboratory. Chemical analyses data were combined with the results of X‐ray diffraction. In the mineralogical systems studied, three types of salt efflorescences of different morphology were distinguished, with mirabilite/thenardite, bloedite, and bloedite/epsomite/halite as major mineral associations. These crusts seal the surface soil more or less effectively, thus reducing evaporation and thereby preventing cracking of the saturated soils. The effectiveness of this sealing depends on the morphology of the accumulated salt minerals rather than on their chemical composition. Reclamation of salt‐encrusted spots therefore requires understanding of the mineralogy and the morphology of the efflorescent salts.