THE EFFECT OF AGRICULTURAL EXPLOITATION ON THE MINERALOGICAL COMPOSITION OF SOME SOIL OF IRAQS WESTERN DESERT OASES .

Abstract

The objective of the present study is to identify the effect of agricultural exploitation on the mineralogical composition of the three oases in the western region of Iraq: Oasis Kilometer 98 (O98) and Oasis Okachiti (OK) and Oasis Fahida (OF),all located within the same unit formative. One pedon at each unit has been chosen by agricultural use with pedon control on within each unit, were classified soils to the level of series, Soil samples collected from each horizon ,dried and separated to silt fractions were examined by X- ray reflection .Results showed that: 1 - for the silt mineral the superiority sequences of metals were as follows: Quartz > Feldspar> Chlorite > Vermiculite >Kaolinite . 2 - To study the mineralogical composition of clay showed the rule of palygorskite metal followed lllite > Chlorite > Kaolinite. 3 -The chemical weathering in these soils was in their initial stages and the low rates of smectite group formation despite the availability of appropriate conditions to be configured as compared with Vermiculite metal. 4 - The nature of the farming system and agricultural exploitation have not clear influence the proportions of minerals and sovereignty