Mineralogical Variation of the Banks of Shatt Al-Arab and Shatt Al-Basrah River Sediments in Southern Iraq

The sediments on the banks of Shatt al-Arab and Al-Basrah have been studied to find out their mineralogical variation. Twenty-two samples were collected from depths 20 cm recent Al-Arab Rivers banks, with approximately equal distances between them, grain size analysis was conducted, selected prepared for X-ray diffraction, heavy light minerals analysis. result showed that silt loam texture is dominated in River while silty clay River. quartz, calcite, dolomite, feldspar, halite represent fraction study area sediments, are represented by kaolinite, palygorskite, illite, montmorillonite-chlorite same small amount montmorillonite petrographic mineral contents sand composed primarily rock fragment. main fragments consist carbonate, chert igneous metamorphic rocks, mudstone, evaporates (Gypsum). opaque minerals, pyroxene, hornblende, chlorite, biotite muscovite, epidote, staurolite, kyanite, garnet, tourmaline, rutile, zircon.