CLAY-MINERALS IN IDENTIFICATION OF PROVENANCE OF SEDIMENTS OF MANDOVIESTUARY, GOA, WEST-COAST OF INDIA

Relative abundance and spatial distribution of the clay minerals show considerable variation with changing seasons all along the length of t he Mandovi estuary. Kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite and gibbsite ha ve been identified as chief clay minerals in both the suspended sedime nts and the surface bed sediments. Of all the minerals, kaolinite is t he most dominant. Kaolinite and gibbsite predominantly have their orig in in the laterites and lateritic soil. Illite originates basically fr om the metasediments, while majority of montmorillonite is brought in from the offshore.