Uzbekistan loess, genesis and distribution

The distribution and genesis of Uzbekistan loess rocks, their composition, properties and conditions are naturally changing from mountains to the piedmont plains. For the piedmont plains and intermontane depressions the occurrence of alluvial and deluvial loess types is typical, and in the high mountains eluvial, deluvial, eluvial-deluvial and fluvioglacial ones. This can be explained by the difference of tectonic activity as well as by climatic humidity. The study and analysis of the accumulated data of loess of various genetic type, composition and properties show that the initial material of loess formation comes from the mountainous and alpine areas. The primariy sources of the parent rocks are ancient sediments above the limit of loess occurrence. As a result of intensive developments and irrigation in the territory of the republic, loess areas are decreasing, losing their properties, while they are transforming into the loess-like rocks. It was also determined that their structural and textural properties such as porosity, density, salt composition and filtration coefficient are changing simultaneously. The same changes are also noted in the mineralogical and granulometric composition.