Mineral microscopic analysis of stream sediment deposit in Soppeng Regency, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

Abstract

Ten stream sediment samples from some locations along the river in Soppeng Regency, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia were collected. Stream sediment is influenced by water which functions as metal transportation from the mainland, metal mobilization starts from the process of weathering, erosion and rock formation. In the mobilization process, trace elements are absorbed by clay and organic matter or can precipitate together with oxides and hydroxides. Mineral distribution occurs naturally from rock formations that are easily weathered, in rivers. According to the microscopical observation in this study, stream sediment samples in the study area showed some of the minerals present in the samples. The results of observations using a microscope identified several minerals in the sample, including the mineral quartz (Qz), pyroxene (Px), plagioclase (Pl), muscovite (Ms), biotite (Bt), hornblende (Hbl), sericite (Ser), tourmaline (Tour), rutile (Rt), and orthoclase (Or). Based on the results of microscopic analysis, it can be identified that several minerals were deposited and disseminated in the study area.