Kyanite and Staurolite Detrital Grains: Chemistry and Occurrence in Recent Sediments of Tigris River, Northern Iraq

Abstract

The present work describes the mineralogy and optical properties of the detrital kyanite and staurolite occurring in the recent deposits of Tigris River and its tributaries in northern Iraq using thin section microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. In addition, chemical analyses are obtained using electron microprobe analyzer for the detrital kyanite and staurolite grains and then were used as indicators to elucidate the provenance; by comparing their chemistry with the same minerals in the metamorphic rocks of Turkey. There is a good similarity in mineral chemistry between them affirming that the detrital kyanite and staurolite are derived from the metamorphic rocks (schist) that contain kyanite and staurolite, which are transported by Tigris River to the Iraqi territories after the process of disintigration.