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Clay resources in the Nelas region (Beira Alta), Portugal. A contribution to the characterization of potential raw materials for prehistoric ceramic production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

R. Marques ,
A. Jorge ,
D. Franco ,
M. I. Dias  and
M. I. Prudêncio
R. Marques*
Affiliation:
Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear, Estrada Nacional 10, 2686-953 Sacavém, Portugal
A. Jorge
Affiliation:
University of Sheffield, Department of Archaeology, Northgate House, West Street, Sheffield S1 4ET, UK
D. Franco
Affiliation:
Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear, Estrada Nacional 10, 2686-953 Sacavém, Portugal
M. I. Dias
Affiliation:
Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear, Estrada Nacional 10, 2686-953 Sacavém, Portugal
M. I. Prudêncio
Affiliation:
Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear, Estrada Nacional 10, 2686-953 Sacavém, Portugal
*
*E-mail: rmarques@itn.pt
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Abstract

Mineralogical and chemical compositions of residual and sedimentary clays (bulk and <2 μm fraction) from the Nelas region (schist, aplite-pegmatites, granites and Tertiary sediments from both Mondego River margins), Portugal, were studied, aiming to establish indicators for raw materials in ancient ceramic provenance studies. The mineralogy of bulk material does not provide a clear distinction between samples. Among clay minerals, kaolinite dominates, except in the aplite-pegmatites where illite prevails. Smectite was only found in sediments of the left river bank.

A more successful result was the geochemical differentiation of clay types. The weathered schist presents greater enrichment in Cr, whereas the clay fraction of aplite-pegmatites shows enrichment in all the chemical elements studied. The sediments and weathered granites are not easy to differentiate; the best geochemical indicators are U (lower contents in clay-size fraction of sediments) and REE patterns in both bulk and clay-size fraction.

Keywords

clay mineralsgeochemistryrare earth elementsmineralogyarchaeometryNelas regionPortugal
Type
Research Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 45 , Issue 3 , September 2010 , pp. 353 - 370
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2010

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