Celadonite occurrence

Celadonite occurrence deep-sea data. Celadonite is almost exclusively found associated with basic-eruptive rocks in deep-marine environments. The Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) has recovered altered basalts from ocean-bottom environments which contain celadonite. Basalts containing celadonite can, of course, also be found on dry land, but these are usually assumed to have experienced a cycle of marine alteration. 

Wise, W.S. and Eugster, H.P., 1964. Celadonite synthesis, thermal stability and occurrences. Am. Mineralogist, 49 1031-1083. 

Some glauconites have been identified in hydrothermally altered basalts together with celadonites (Alt et al., 1992 Clayton and Pearce, 2000). This material appears to form a mixed-layer mica-ferric smectite series. The formation of glauconite mixed-layer minerals is therefore not restricted to peloids under shallow-ocean-bottom conditions. However, the identification of glauconite as distinct from ferric Ulite is difficult. Perhaps these mineral occurrences should be given another name. 

Celadonite-bearing rocks are restricted to zones where basaltic rocks are found, and where these basalts were probably extmded under deep-sea conditions. Their geological occurrence now is, of course, a matter of plate tectonics. One can suspect that initially the altered basalt in which... 

Another, less well-documented occurrence of celadonite is the subaerial alteration of basic and basaltic rocks. Here interaction of surface waters promotes the formation of celadonite, a similar process to that of hydrothermal alteration but at a lower temperature. In both cases there is significant oxidation of the initial iron-bearing rocks. This is reflected in the high ferric iron content of the celadonite minerals. 

Deep-sea occurrences (see Velde (1985) for an overview) are varied, but the material is generally associated with basalts. Nontronite seems to be formed directly from basaltic glass weathering at a very low rate in deep-sea environments. It is, however, not directly associated with celadonite. XRD data are sparse, and hence there is always the possibility that there is a tendency to form a mixed layer nontronite/celadonite mineral. Nontronite can be found as a product of precipitation from solution around hydrothermal vents where there... 

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