Pedogenic Development and Mineralogical Characteristics of Sedimentary Soil Pedons

Abstract

The study focus on determining the pedogenic development, mineralogical and micromorphological characteristics of sedimentary soils in northern Iraq. Four soil pedons had been selected around Mosul Dam Lake in northern Nineveh province, to represent these soils. The main objective of this study was to determining some of the mineralogical and development characteristics of sedimentary soils in these sites. The process involved a morphological description of soil pedons in the sites, laboratory analyses to determine the physical and chemical properties of soil samples, XRD analysis of clay minerals, and thin section analysis for soil micromorphology. The results indicated That the soil textures were clay, silty clay and clay loam, with the variations in physical and chemical and morphological characteristics of studied sites. whereas, thin section analysis revealed carbonate and gypsum nodules, clay masses, and dissolution voids, indicating transmission and accumulation processes. XRD analysis identified a mixed mineral assemblage consisting of chlorite, illite, palygorskite, montmorillonite, and gypsum. The occurrence of palygorskite under alkaline and moisture-deficient conditions reflects pedogenic processes typical of semi-arid environments (Azimi et al, 2025). Therefore, these findings provide new insights into soil genesis and mineral transformation in northern Iraq and contribute to the sustainable management and conservation soil resources in semi arid zones.