A Mössbauer spectroscopic study of salt lake sediments from Qaidam basin

Mossbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry and chemical fractionation have been used to study the clay smaples in sediments of Charhan playa and Qinghai lake. The spectral components of the Mossbauer spectra of the samples are attributed to Fe2+ ions in chlorite and siderite, Fe3+ ions in clay minerals and hematite, and partly in amorphous ferric hydroxides. The essential difference in the mineral composition of the sediments of both lakes is the presence of siderite in the samples of Char han playa, whereas it is absent in the samples of Qinghai lake. The fraction of the amorphous ferric hydroxides is higher in the sediments of Qinghai lake. Total Fe2+/Fe3+ ratios increase with sediment …