Mineralogy, Origin and Distribution of Clay in the Meyghan Playa, Arak

The Meyghan Playa is an inland closed basin, which is located in center of the aquifer Arak plain. This playa is a seasonal lake and from hydrological point of view acts as erosional base level of region and is appropriate site for precipitation clastic and chemical deposits. For mineralogical and sedimentological investigations 94 sediment samples were collected from the playa. 19 samples from surface sediments in transect to the center of playa and 31 specimens from 7 cores were systematically collected and studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The clay minerals include Illite, Chlorite, Kaolinite, Vermiculite and Smectite. Illite and Chlorite are the most important clay minerals in the playa. Origins of clay minerals in the Meyghan playa are generally detrital, occurred by physical weathering and indicate composition of bed rock. The study of surface sediments indicate that amount of clay minerals from margin to center of the playa such as another detrital mineral (Quartz) is decreased. In addition, amount of them towards depth is increased. Therefore it shows the presence of a high water level and cold - humid climate in the past (late Pleistocene).