X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Analysis of Local Rock Minerals from the Geological Zones of Dembek and Wariab Villages, West Papua

¹ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Papua University, Jalan Gunung Salju Amban, Manokwari, Papua Barat, 98314, Indonesia
² Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Papua University, Jalan Gunung Salju Amban, Manokwari, Papua Barat, 98314, Indonesia
³ Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences and Engineering, Nusa Cendana University, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Kupang 85148, Indonesia
⁴ Department of Geological Engineering, Faculty of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, Papua University, Jalan Gunung Salju Amban, Manokwari, Papua Barat, 98314, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

This study aims to characterize the minerals in rock samples from Dembek and Wariab Villages, South Manokwari Regency, West Papua, using the X-ray Diffraction (XRD) method. XRD was used to identify crystalline phases and mineral compositions in the rocks, as well as to understand the geological conditions and mineral resource potential in the area. Rock samples were systematically collected from both locations and analyzed using an X-ray diffractometer. The analysis results show that the rocks from Dembek Village are dominated by quartz (SiO₂), Sodium Aluminum Silicate (Na_1.45 Al_1.45 Si_0.55 O₄), Potassium Aluminum Silicate (KAlSi₂O₆ and KAlSiO₄), Potassium Silicon Fluoride (K₂SiF₆), Albite (Na (Si₃Al)O₈), Magnesium (Mg), Sodium Magnesium Aluminum Silicate (Na₃MgAlSi₂O₈), and Potassium Magnesium Silicate (K₂MgSi₅O₁₂). The rocks from Wariab Village contain a more varied range of minerals from two sampling points, namely, at the WRB-L1 location, consisting of halite (NaCl), quartz (SiO₂), Potassium Magnesium Fluoride (KMgF₃), Potassium Magnesium Silicate (K₂MgSi₅O₁₂), anorthite (CaAl₂Si₂O₈), and Potassium Aluminum Silicate (KAlSi₂O₆). The WRB-L2 location consisted of fluorite (CaF₂), Potassium Silicon Fluoride (K₂S1F₆), sylvite (KCl), sodalite (Na₄Al₃Si₃O₁₂Cl), and Sodium Aluminum Silicate (Na_1.65 Al_1.65 Si_0.35 O₄). These differences in mineral composition reflect variations in the formation environment and geochemical processes that occur at each location.