CHARACTERISTICS AND UTILIZATION OF SERPENTINITE ROCKS IN UEKULI VILLAGE, TOJO UNA-UNA REGENCY, CENTRAL SULAWESI PROVINCE

:CHARACTERISTICS OF SERPENTINE ROCKS IN UEKULI VILLAGE TOJO UNA-UNA REGENCY, CENTRAL SULAWESI PROVINCE

Abstract

Serpentinite rock is one of the mineral sources of magnesite  this is known by the considerable content of the element magnesium (Mg). Testing the physical and chemical properties of serpentinite rocks found in certain locations is considered to have considerable prospects  to be utilized and developed. The research was conducted in Uekuli Village  Tojo Una-Una Regency  Central Sulawesi Province using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-Ray Flourescence (XRF) methods. The results of XRD analysis obtained 4 types of minerals in the ST 02 test sample  namely olivine as much as 3.4%  lizardite 72.4%  forsterite 18.6% and orthopyroxine as much as 5.6%. While at station 09 2 minerals were obtained  namely lizardite 97.5% while hematite was 2.5%. Meanwhile  based on the results of XRF testing  the ST 02 sample has a dominant compound of MgO as much as 42.754% and SiO2 as much as 43.185%. Similarly  the ST 09 sample has a dominant compound of MgO as much as 39.314% and SiO2 as much as 40.866%. In the analysis results it can be seen that the content of Al2O3  and K2O is quite low while the content of MgO and Fe2O3 is quite high. The high content of MgO and SiO2 is a characteristic of serpentinite rocks  where serpentinite rocks are rich in magnesium and silica.