ASSESSMENT OF THE CHEMICAL AND MINERALOGICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCKS FROM THE MOUNTAINOUS AREAS OF CHORTOQ DISTRICT, NAMANGAN REGION, BASED ON XRF AND FTIR METHODS

Abstract

This article investigates the chemical and mineralogical composition of rocks from the mountainous areas of Chortoq District, Namangan Region, using modern instrumental analytical methods, namely energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The elemental composition was evaluated in terms of the mass fractions of the major oxide-forming components, and the relative amount of the carbonate phase was calculated from the calcium content using a stoichiometric approach. Spectral identification of mineral phases was carried out based on FTIR spectra. In order to establish the relationship between chemical and mineralogical indicators and mechanical strength parameters, integrated indicators such as the silicate index (SI), carbonate intensity index (CI), and mineral strength index (MI) were proposed. The obtained results confirmed that an increase in the carbonate phase content has a positive effect on the structural compactness and mechanical strength of the rocks.