Clay mineralogy of Quaternary sediments in the Wash Embayment,eastern England

The Wash is an area of extensive intertidal flat sedimentation. Samples were examined from the intertidal zone of deposition and also from areas that are probable sources of the sediments being deposited.The mineralogy of the clay fractions of the sediments is dominated by illite, mixed layer illite-montmorillonite, montmorillonite, kaolinite and chlorite with only minor amounts of quartz and calcite. There is no apparent difference in the qualitative nature of the clay minerals found in the sediments. There is also little or no significant variation in the relative proportions of the clay minerals in the modern intertidal flat sediments. However, variations are found between the relative proportions of clay minerals present in the probable source materials and the intertidal flat sediments.Evans (1965) proposed that the main sources of the intertidal sediments are via erosion of the floors of the North Sea and the Wash, and the exposed coasts of Lincolnshire and Norfolk. Whilst accepting these as primary sources, the clay mineral data indicate that erosion and redeposition of the intertidal flat material is a further important source of clay grade sediments.