KARAKTERISASI JENIS MINERAL ORNAMEN GUA SALUKANG KALLANG DENGAN METODE X-RAY DIFFRACTION

Abstract

Abstract: Characterization of Type Mineral of Ornaments Salukang Kallang Cave with X-Ray Diffraction Method. It has conducted a study to describe the characteristics of the Cave Salukang Kallang in the village Samangki District of Simbang Maros South Sulawesi includes underground rivers, fauna and flora cave, cave ornaments observations and sampling of cave ornaments on  five point is at a distance of 200 meters, 400 meters, 600 meters, 800 meters and 983 meters from the mouth of the cave (border can be measurable). Moreover were characterized of minerals in cave ornaments samples conducted at the Laboratory Microstructure Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences  State University of Makassar with X-Ray Diffraction Method. Salukang Kallang cave is an active cave is characterized by the existence of an underground river that is found in almost every aisle and has a low temperature and high humidity is characterized by the presence of moss plants. Characterization X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) obtained information that the stalactites, stalagmites, columns and flowstone dominated by white color brown and contains calcite (CaCO3) to 99%, of these results indicates that the ornament Cave Salukang Kallang still relatively young and is still active due to water seepage on the ornament.

Keywords: cave ornament, characteristics of cave, mineral, XRD

Abstrak: Karakterisasi Jenis Mineral Ornamen Gua Salukang Kallang dengan Metode X-Ray Diffraction. Telah dilakukan penelitian untuk mendeskripsikan karakteristik Gua Salukang Kallang di Desa Samangki Kecamatan Simbang Kabupaten Maros Sulawesi Selatan meliputi sungai bawah tanah, fauna dan flora gua, pengamatan ornamen gua serta pengambilan sampel ornamen gua pada lima titik yaitu pada jarak 200 meter, 400 meter, 600 meter, 800 meter dan 983 meter dari mulut gua (batas daerah yang bisa terukur). Selain itu dilakukan karakterisasi jenis mineral pada sampel ornamen gua dilakukan di Laboratorium Mikrostruktur FMIPA UNM dengan Metode X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Gua Salukang Kallang merupakan gua aktif karena hampir di setiap lorongnya ditemukan sungai bawah tanah dan memiliki suhu rendah serta kelembaban tinggi dengan adanya tumbuhan lumut. Hasil karakterisasi X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) diperoleh informasi bahwa stalaktit, stalagmit, pilar maupun flowstone didominasi oleh warna putih kecoklatan dan mengandung calcite (CaCO3) hingga 99%, dari hasil tersebut menandakan bahwa ornamen Gua Salukang Kallang masih tergolong muda dan masih bersifat aktif karena adanya rembesan air pada ornamen tersebut.

Kata Kunci:         Karakteristik gua, ornamen gua, mineral, XRD