Layered clay mineral smectites

Main gangue minerals of the Se-type deposits comprise quartz, adularia, illite/ smectite interstratified mixed layer clay mineral, chlorite/smectite interstratified mixed layer clay mineral, smectite, calcite, Mn-carbonates, manganoan caleite, rhodoehrosite, Mn-silicates (inesite, johannsenite) and Ca-silicates (xonotlite, truscottite). 

In the Se-type gangue minerals comprise quartz, adularia, illite/smectite inter-stratified mixed layer clay mineral, smectite, calcite, Mn carbonates (manganoan calcite, rhodochrosite), Mn silicates (inesite, johansenite) and Ca silicates (xonotlite, truscottite). In comparison, the Te-type contains fine-grained, chalcedonic quartz, sericite, barite, adularia and chlorite/smectite interstratified mixed layer clay mineral. Carbonates and Mn minerals are very poor in the Te-type and they do not coexist with Te minerals. Carbonates are abundant and barite is absent in the Se-type. Grain size of quartz in the Te-type is very fine, while large quartz crystals are common in the Se-type. 

Mixed layer clay mineral (sericite/smectite) is found in Kuroko ore bodies and altered dacitic rocks underlying the ore. This mineral is thought to have formed by the... 

Principal gangue minerals in base-metal vein-type deposits are quartz, chlorite, Mn-carbonates, calcite, siderite and sericite (Shikazono, 1985b). Barite is sometimes found. K-feldspar, Mn-silicates, interstratified mixed layer clay minerals (chlorite/smectite, sericite/smectite) are absent. Vuggy, comb, cockade, banding and brecciated textures are commonly observed in these veins. 

Zeolite minerals (wairakite, laumontite etc.), mixed-layer clay minerals and sme-cite occur in the upper part of the propylitically altered rocks (e.g., Seigoshi, Fuke, Kushikino), but they are sometimes poor in amounts. Generally carbonates are more abundant in the mine area as in the Toyoha district. Temporal relationship between the formation of high temperature propylitic alteration minerals (epidote, actinolite, prehnite) and low temperature propylitic alteration minerals) (wairakite, laumontite, chlorite/smectite, smectite) in these areas (Seigoshi, Fuke, Kushikino) is uncertain. 

The suite of minerals occurring as impurities in U.S. coals of commercial quality is moderately consistent this suite includes quartz, calcite, pyrite, various clay minerals including kaolinite, illite, and varieties of illite-smectite mixed-layer clay minerals. The weathering of pyrite produces some sulfate minerals in many coals. Several other minerals are present in most coals in trace amounts. 

The natural montmorillonite clays consist of several hundred individual platelike particles of dimensions 1 jum x 1 jum x 1 nm, held together by electrostatic forces with a gap of approximately 0.3 nm between two adjacent particles. The structure at the atomic level is shown in Figure 13.28 (77). The sodium montmorillonite layer is a crystalline 2 1 layered clay mineral in which a central alumina octahedral sheet is sandwiched between two silica tetrahedral sheets. These structures are sometimes called smectite clays, because of their layered structure see Figure 7.1. Note that this clay mineral comprises silicate layers in which the fundamental unit is planar. In the gap between the silicate layers are sodium ions. The gap is widely known as a gallery or an interlayer. The density of montmorillonite clays vary slightly with composition, but is generally near 2.5 g/crn (78). 

Smectites (Montmorillonites). Smectites are the 2 1 clay minerals that carry a lattice charge and characteristically expand when solvated with water and alcohols, notably ethylene glycol and glycerol. In earUer Uterature, the term montmorillonite was used for both the group (now smectite) and the particular member of the group in which Mg is a significant substituent for Al in the octahedral layer. Typical formulas are shown in Table 2. Less common smectites include volkhonskoite [12286-87-2] hich. contains Cr " medmontite [12419-74-8], Cu " andpimeUte [12420-74-5], (12). 

Smectites are stmcturaUy similar to pyrophylUte [12269-78-2] or talc [14807-96-6], but differ by substitutions mainly in the octahedral layers. Some substitution may occur for Si in the tetrahedral layer, and by F for OH in the stmcture. Deficit charges in smectite are compensated by cations (usually Na, Ca, K) sorbed between the three-layer (two tetrahedral and one octahedral, hence 2 1) clay mineral sandwiches. These are held relatively loosely, although stoichiometricaUy, and give rise to the significant cation exchange properties of the smectite. Representative analyses of smectite minerals are given in Table 3. The deterrnination of a complete set of optical constants of the smectite group is usually not possible because the individual crystals are too small. Representative optical measurements may, however, be found in the Uterature (42,107). 

Mixed-layer clays, particularly lUite—smectite, are very common minerals and illustrate the transitional nature of the 2 1 layered siHcates. The transition from smectite to iUite occurs when smectite, in the presence of potassium from another mineral such as potassium feldspar, or from thermal fluids, is heated and/or buried. With increasing temperature smectite plus potassium is converted to iUite (37,39). 

An alternative description of iUite—smectite mixed-layer clays begins with megacrystals of smectite that incorporate smaller packets of iUite (163). These constituents are observed as mixed-layer minerals in x-ray analysis. Diagenesis increases the percentage of iUite layer and with increasing alteration the mixed-layer mineral takes on the characteristics of an iUite dominated iUite—smectite. 

Chlorite is another mineral that is commonly associated with mixed-layered clays. Complete soHd solutions of chlorite mixed-layer minerals have not been identified. In contrast to iUite—smectite mixed-layer minerals, chlorite mixed-layer minerals occur either as nearly equal proportions of end-member minerals (Rl) or dominated by one end member (RO) (142). Mixed-layer chlorite may consist of any of the di—tri combinations of chlorite and chlorite mixed-layering occurs with serpentine, kaolinite, talc, vermicuhte, smectite, and mica. References of specific chlorite mixed-layer minerals of varied chemical compositions are available (142,156). 

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