Characterization of A Hard Opaline Clayey Bed Overlying Phosphates from Esh-Shidiya Area, SE of Jordan.

The top two meters of a yellowish clayey bed in esh-shidiya area are characterized by using x-ray diffraction (xrd), x-ray fluorescence (xrf), and scanning electron microscope techniques. the clay rich bed is composed of dioctahedral smectite (100% expandability), quartz, and goethite. the sem photos have indicated that there is a close relationship between the dioctahedral smectite and silica phases (quartz and amorphous silica). the porous nature of the silica rich bed that overlies a porcelanite (tripoli) layer and the nature of the continuous growth of smectite plates suggest a diatomite rich precursor.