Abstract

• This research is aimed to investigate the physicochemical constituents of soil samples from the well-known glazed pot industry of Nwe-nyein and to characterize these soil samples by advanced spectroscopic techniques. Potters make earthen and glazed pot by mixing too types of soil: yellow soil (sample 1) and red soil (sample 2). They prepare the combined soil (sample 3) by mixing these two types of soil with two: one ratio by weight of yellow and red soil. pH, moisture, colour, electrical conductivity and cations exchange capacity of yellow soil, red soil and combined soil samples were measured by their respective methods to explore their physicochemical properties. Then exchangeable cations analysis informed the cations exchange capacity (CEC), Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP %) and Exchangeable Magnesium Percentage (EMgP %) of tested soil samples and the values of SAR pointed out that all soils were dispersive due to the sodium contents. Textural analysis was done on all soil samples and they were classified as clay. Soluable salt extraction tests were carried out by titration methods to detect the amount of soluble chloride, sulphate, carbonate and bicarbonate but the bicarbonate was not found in all samples. To characterize soil constituents, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Scanning Electron Microscopic techniques(SEM) were also applied. According to the EDX results, the highest relative abundance of Si were 42.06 %, 42.55 % and 44.50 % in sample 1, sample 2 and sample 3 respectively and it was followed by the percentages of Fe with 25.92 %, 30.36 % and 28.53 %. Heavy toxic mineral constituents were not found in these soils. SEM examination showed that the crystal like structure of sample 1 and flaky similar soil structures with many porous could be observed in the soil sample 2 and 3. It was concluded that the soil samples used in Nwe-nyein pottery industry were suitable for pottery making and the products of this area were popular in the whole Myanmar.