The characterization of clay minerals in the Kashafrud Formation in a gas field in northeast Iran.

This study focuses on the identification of type, abundance, and distribution patterns of the clay minerals within the Kashafrud Formation, a Middle Jurassic sedimentary rock sequence in the Khangiran gas field, Kopet-Dagh Basin, northeast Iran. This investigation shed light on the identification of type, abundance, and distribution patterns of the clay minerals obtained from 10 representative core samples by employing laboratory techniques, such as powder X-ray diffraction, polarizing light microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Results from the XRD analysis revealed quartz as the dominant mineral (49-65%), accompanied by the clay minerals (illite 8-18%, kaolinite 2-6%, chlorite 3-11%), alkali feldspar (7-16%), and plagioclase (3-10%), with occasional presence of ankerite (2-7%) or pyrite (1-3%).

Geochemical characterisation of pyrite oxidation and environmental problems related to release and transport of metals from a coal washing low-grade waste dump, Shahrood, northeast Iran.

Pyrite oxidation and release of the oxidation products from a low-grade coal waste dump to stream, groundwater and soil was investigated by geochemical and hydrogeochemical techniques at Alborz Sharghi coal washing plant, Shahrood, northeast Iran. Hydrogeochemical analysis of water samples indicates that the metal concentrations in the stream waters were low. Moreover, the pH of the water showed no considerable change.