Evaluation of Textural and Mineralogical Properties of Quaternary Alluvium as an Economic Resource in the Northeastern Part of the United Arab Emirates

Quaternary deposits represent vital economic and environmental resources in the UAE and are used in the different construction industry such road paving, building and dams. These deposits are also significant agricultural ground and groundwater aquifers and provide space for landfills and waste disposal. Quaternary deposits in the UAE include a wide range of lithological and textural variation ranging from Wadi and alluvial fan to sand dunes and to the inland sabkha and coastal carbonates. We present here textural and mineralogical characteristics of the Quaternary alluvium deposits that occupy large areas in the northeastern part of the United Arab Emirates. Two Wadies were targeted here as they contain also relatively thick (reaching up to 50m) alluvium deposits and extend over a relatively long distance (Fig. 1). These include Wadi Ham which is about 30km long and is located in the eastern part between Masafi and Al Fujairah and Wadi Al Bih which extends about 10km and is located in Ras Al Khaimah.