DISTRIBUTION PATTERN AND ASSEMBLAGE FEATURE OF CLAY MINERALS IN SURFACE SEDIMENTS FROM THE COASTAL AREA OF SHANDONG PENINSULA

By analyzing the clay minerals in 200 samples of surface sediments from the Coastal area of Shandong Peninsula, the distribution pattern of clay minerals (illite, chlorite, smectite, and kaolinite) was constructed. Results show that illite is the dominant clay mineral (61%), followed by smectite (16%), chlorite (13%), and kaolinite (10%). There are two areas in accordance with clay minerals assemblage. The first one, characterized by illite-smectite-chlorite-kaolinite assemblage and extensively distributed in the north, east and southeast offshore areas, was defined as the area dominated by the Huanghe-derived sediments. The other one located at the southern offshore area and characterized by a clay minerals assemblage of kaolinite-illite-smectite-chlorite or illite-kaolinite-smectite-chlorite, was defined as the area with Peninsula-source sediments dominating. The distribution pattern and assemblage features of clay minerals indicate that the transport and dispersal processes of sediments around the Shandong Peninsula were strongly controlled by the near shore circle currents.