Clay sized fraction and powdered whole-rock X-ray analyses from alluvial basin deposits in central and southern New Mexico

As part of the study of the water quality and geochemistry of Southwest Alluvial Basins (SWAB) in parts of Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, which is a Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) program, whole rock x-ray analysis and clay-size fraction mineralogy (x-ray) analysis of selected samples from alluvial basin deposits were done to investigate the types of minerals and clay types present in the aquifers. This was done to determine the plausible minerals and clay types in the aquifers that may be reacting with groundwater and affecting the water quality. The purpose of this report is only to present the whole rock x-ray and clay-fraction mineralogy data. Nineteen surface samples or samples from outcrop of Tertiary and Quaternary alluvial basin deposits in the central and southern Rio Grande rift were collected and analyzed. The analysis of the samples consisted of grain size analysis, and clay-size fraction mineralogy and semiquantitative analysis of the relative abundance of different clay mineral groups present. (USGS)