Análise textural e geoquímica dos argilominerais do talude continental do oeste do Ceará

Abstract

This research was conducted on the continental slope of Camocim region, 80 km from the mainland. Its main objective was to characterize the core SIS-134, collected at a depth of 1350 m, about the texture, color, chemical composition and mineralogy, in search of help to classify the sediments of submerged areas. The studies were based on literature references and used methodologies for geochemical analysis and characterization of clay by XRD and X-ray fluorescence techniques. The geology of the continental slope is part of the passive margin, and its evolution occurred during the rifting of the ocean basin, being modeled by the action of plate tectonics, the variations of the mean sea level, fluvial deposition, the tides, ocean currents, waves, among others. There was a predominance of muddy sediments in all sections analyzed, with levels ranging from 75.3% to 90.8%, the lowest value found in the bottom of the core, indicating that the area comprises a low energy environment where is deposited only sediment of finer grain size. The clay minerals found correspond to groups of smectite, kaolinite and illite. Values were 42.36% illite the top, in the middle 51.32% and 60.9% on the basis of the core, which may indicate that in the past there was a strong influence of a river environment. The smectite in the sections got the top, middle and base levels of 12.06%, 1.09% and 4.9% respectively. The kaolinite is presented in the core at levels of 45.58%, 47.59% and 34.2% respective to the top, middle and base. In the chemical composition of the core, there was a predominance of CaO3, followed by SiO3, Al2O3, Fe2O3, and that reinforces the influence of the continental slope sedimentation. The content CaO3 appeared high in almost all the testimony, and the highest values found in the top and middle sections with 95.2% and the lowest values were found at the base of the core with 40.5% and 57.1%. The organic matter content, which ranged from 7.03% to 36.21% is explained by the slow deposition and low energy environment. The results generated a higher based on studies of the deep sea and its dynamics