CONTRIBUTIONS TO MINERALOGY AND RADIOACTIVITY OF WADI ABU MAYAH STREAM SEDIMENTS, CENTRAL EASTERN DESERT, EGYPT

The area is far from the Red Sea about 40 km west of Safaga City. The wadi Abu Mayah is located south Qena-Safaga road. This wadi has long 30km, and width 50m to 200m, and covered by stream sediments. The rocks cropping out in the sides of wadi area are metagabbros (oldest), older granitoids, and younger granites (youngest).
The heavy content ranging from 2.9% and 9.4% and the average content of total heavy minerals is 5.4%. Opaque minerals represented by Magnetite, Ilmenite constituents have an average 1.2 %, and 0.4 % respectively. Abrasive minerals as Garnet constituents has an average 0.15%, and panting minerals as Rutile and Titanite constituents have an average 0.34%, and 0.15% respectively. Radioactive minerals as Zircon, Monazite, Apatite and Thorite constituents have an average 0.26%, 0.02%, 0.01, and 0.02 % respectively. Amphiboles and Pyroxene constituents range from 2.1% to 4.4% with an average 2.8 %. The eU contents range between 12 and 40ppm with an average 21.3ppm, while eTh is between 20 and 86ppm for with an average 38.2ppm. The average Ra content for these sediments is 2.9ppm, and the average content of K% is 1.5%.