STRUCTURAL AND LITHOLOGICAL MODEL OF THE SHABERIVSKE DEPOSIT OF ELUVIAL KAOLIN

Abstract

Data on the zonation and material composition of the weathering crust within the Shaberivkske deposit of the eluvial kaolin, which is located in Baranivka district of Zhytomyr region and is the part of the Dubrivsko-Khmelivsky kaolin district of Volyn kaolin subprovince. The minerals of the Shaberivske deposit are normal and alkaline kaolins, which were formed due to the weathering of granitoids. Some areas of conditioned kaolin are present in the upper part of the weathering crust of gneisses. On the basis of coordinates and the description of wells the relief of a sole and a surface of a deposit of eluvial kaolins, and also lateral change of their thickness is investigated. Layer-like kaolin deposits have been found to have complex morphology and internal structure. It was established that the greatest thicknesses of kaolins are confined to depressions in the topography of their soles. The maximum thicknesses of kaolin are inherent in the areas of the weathering crust formed by the weathering of granites and migmatites. Based on the results of well testing and chemical analysis of kaolins, the distribution of the contents of Al2O3, Fe2O3, TiO2 oxides and the index of whiteness along the lateral and vertical sections of kaolins was investigated. It was established that in the greater part of the deposit, beyond the lateral, there is a direct correlation between the average content of Al2O3 and TiO2 and the reverse – between the content of Fe2O3 and TiO2 and between Al2O3 and Fe2O3. In the vertical section of the kaolin layer, the distribution of oxides of iron, titanium, aluminum and whiteness index is uneven. As a rule, these indicators do not always correlate with each other. In general, the deposit is characterized by an uneven sole and surface with elevations and depressions, an uneven lateral distribution of the thickness of the kaolin deposit. The lateral distribution of the average contents of iron oxides, titanium and the whiteness index, as well as the vertical distribution of the contents of iron oxides, aluminum, titanium and the whiteness index, is uneven. It was found that the geological heterogeneity of the rocks of the crystalline foundation was reflected in the structure and material composition of the weathering crust and, accordingly, in the structure (character of the relief of the sole and surface, thickness) and quality parameters (whiteness, harmful impurities) of eluvial kaolins.