Analysis of Quaternary Sediments of Quartz Grains Applied to the Identification of the Environment of Some Ivory Beaches East of Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire)

Konan Konan Ernest

UFR Earth Sciences and Mineral Resources, Laboratory of Marine Geology and Sedimentology,University Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire and Department of Géography, University of Gand, Krijgslaan 281 (S8), 9000 Gand, Belgique.

Gbangbot Jean-Michel Kouadio

UFR Environment, Laboratory of Environmental Science and Technology, University Jean Lorougnon Guedé, BP 150 Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire.

Diangone Eric

UFR Earth Sciences and Mineral Resources, Laboratory of Marine Geology and Sedimentology,University Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire.

Wognin Ama Valérie

UFR Earth Sciences and Mineral Resources, Laboratory of Marine Geology and Sedimentology,University Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

Morphoscopic and exoscopic analysis of quartz grains collected on the Ivorian beaches of the gulf of Guinea between Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) and Aforenou (Ghana) during topographic surveys between March 2007 and March 2009 on the examination of quartz at the binocular loupe, reveals blunting grains shining on all beaches (50% to 70%).

In Abidjan area, the majority of the grains are reddish, indicates a ferrous and inherited environment. The exoscopy for the fine and detailed study of the morphology and the surface of the quartz grains was made with the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). This approach makes it possible to interpret traces related to events (energy level) or environments (transport, transition and storage environments).

These observations indicate that the quartz after a long transport in a fluvial environment have been reworked in a marine environment. They were finally deposited in a low-energy aquatic continental medium marked by the polishing of the crystalline points and the siliceous corpuscles dotting the surface of the grains.

The energy of the transport environments crossed is high in a turbulent environment through traces of shock, as large and numerous as they are. SEM examination of the samples reveals that beach quartz has generally been transported by river and recovered in an intertidal and/or subtidal environment. They have a continental and marine origin.

Keywords: Morphoscopy, exoscopy, quartz, transport, Côte d’Ivoire.


How to Cite

Ernest, Konan Konan, Gbangbot Jean-Michel Kouadio, Diangone Eric, and Wognin Ama Valérie. 2019. “Analysis of Quaternary Sediments of Quartz Grains Applied to the Identification of the Environment of Some Ivory Beaches East of Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)”. International Journal of Environment and Climate Change 9 (9):486-502. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijecc/2019/v9i930134.