Mineralogy of Sediments from Lake Waiau, Hawaii

Abstract

Fourteen sediment samples from Lake Waiau, a tropical alpine lake in Hawaii, were analyzed by X-ray diffraction for their mineral composition. Plagioclase is the major mineral; others are montmorillonite, goethite, and quartz. Plagioclase is derived from local tephra; montmorillonite and goethite are weathering products; and quartz is of eolian origin. A diagenetic mineral, vivianite, is also present.