Our intention was to check the heavy mineral content in both the Upper Triassic dolomite, and the soil in three areas in Slovenia, around Postojna, Zaplana and Stična. Heavy minerals could be autochthonous or allochthonous. Also, we examined the influence of the land use (meadow, forest) on their distribution.
XRD showed the presence of dolomite, quartz, muscovite/illite and the chlorite group mineral in the soil samples and only dolomite in rock samples. By using optical microscopy, we also determined separate grains of feldspar, quartz, muscovite, dark opaque minerals and lithic fragments.
The percentage of insoluble heavy minerals residue in the dolomite is small, between 0,03 % and 0,70 %. The SEM/EDS analysis of insoluble residue and thin sections showed the presence of 7 minerals: zircon, TiO2 (most probably rutile), minerals of the monazite and the apatite group, sphalerite, pyrite and fluorite. The sizes of the mentioned minerals are up to 10 μm. Mineral grains mostly do not show signs of longer transport and weathering.
The percentage of heavy fraction in soils ranged between 0,01% and 0,16%. With SEM/EDS analysis we determined 13 minerals. Zircon, ilmenite, TiO2 (most probably rutile), monazite group mineral and chromite are present in most of the soil samples. Iron oxides/hydroxides and xenotime group minerals are frequent as well. Apatite group minerals, titanite magnesiochromite, titaniferous magnetitie, lead oxide/carbonate and pyrite appear only in one, two or three samples.The average size of the minerals is 60 μm. Signs of transport and weathering are more pronounced than in rock.
We determined twelve different minerals in the meadow soil and nine in the forest soil. Nevertheless, we believe that the land use (meadow, forest) has not got a fundamental influence on the heavy mineral content in the soil. The results show that the minerals in the soil may have autochthonous and allochthonous origin.
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