Minerals layered

Calcium siHcate hydrate is not only variable ia composition, but is very poody crystallised, and is generally referred to as calcium siHcate hydrate gel or tobermorite gel because of the coUoidal sizes (<0.1 fiva) of the gel particles. The calcium siHcate hydrates ate layer minerals having many similarities to the limited swelling clay minerals found ia nature. The layers are bonded together by excess lime and iatedayer water to form iadividual gel particles only 2—3 layers thick. Surface forces, and excess lime on the particle surfaces, tend to bond these particles together iato aggregations or stacks of the iadividual particles to form the porous gel stmcture. 

Talc and Pyrophyllite. Talc (qv) and pyrophjlhte are 2 1 layer clay minerals having no substitution in either the tetrahedral or octahedral layer. These are electrostatically neutral particles (x = 0) and may be considered ideal 2 1 layer hydrous phyUosiHcates. The stmctural formula of talc, the trioctahedral form, is Mg3Si402Q(0H)2 and the stmctural formula of pyrophylUte, the dioctahedral form, is Al2Si402Q (OH)2 (106). Ferripyrophyllite has the same stmcture as pyrophylUte, but has ferric iron instead of aluminum in the octahedral layer. Because these are electrostatically neutral they do not contain interlayer materials. These minerals are important in clay mineralogy because they can be thought of as pure 2 1 layer minerals (106). 

Regularly interstratified (1 1) chlorite and vermiculite has been attributed to the mineral corrensite [12173-14-7] (141). Chlorite mixed layers have been documented with talc, vermicuhte, smectite, iUite, biotite, kaolinite, serpentine, and muscovite. The mixed-layer mineral is named after the components, eg, talc—chlorite. The eadier Hterature, however, has reference to specific minerals such as kulkeite [77113-95-2] (talc—chlorite and tosudite... 

The physical stmcture of mixed-layer minerals is open to question. In the traditional view, the MacEwan crystallite is a combination of 1.0 nm (10 E) non-expandable units (iUite) that forms as an epitaxial growth on 1.7 nm expandable units (smectite) that yield a coherent diffraction pattern (37). This view is challenged by the fundamental particle hypothesis which is based on the existence of fundamental particles of different thickness (160—162). 

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). 

Kaolin minerals (kaolinite, dickite, nacrite), pyrophyllite and mica-rich mica/smec-tite mixed layer mineral occur as envelopes around barite-sulfide ore bodies in the footwall alteration zones of the Minamishiraoi and Inarizawa deposits, northern part of Japan (south Hokkaido) (Marumo, 1989). Marumo (1989) considered from the phase relation in Al203-Si02-H20 system that the hydrothermal alteration minerals in these deposits formed at relatively lower temperature and farther from the heat source than larger sulfide-sulfate deposits in the Hokuroku district. 

Mica and other layered minerals differ from talc because metal atoms lie between their layers producing some chemical bonding. Also, their layers are usually stronger because A1 replaces (partially or fully) the central Mg layer of Figure 11.3. 

A possible explanation for the preference of living systems for the L (levorotatory) over the D (dextrorotatory) optical isomer may be associated with the stereoselective properties of layered minerals. To test this hypothesis, the rates of L- and D-histidine intercalation into HT layered compound was investigated using the pressure-jump relaxation technique (21). The rate constants and interlayer spacing based on this investigation are summarized in Table V. As shown the slightly enhanced rate for L-histidine suggests that relative chemical reactivity may be associated with natural selection of the L-form of amino acids in nature. 

Allevardite is one specific mineral name and/or mineral group which should be more closely defined. Essentially this is an ordered, mixed layered mineral, that is one with regularly alternating non-expanding and expandable layers. The major character of these minerals is the... 

The approach used is to compare the composition of mixed layered mineral series—the illite-montmorillonite and the glauconite-montmorillonites. 

One should notice the possibility of producing single-phase illite materials by the same type of process. If, for reasons unknown at the moment, the path of chemical change leads to aluminous illite instead of iron glauconite, i.e., parallel to the K axis with low initial iron content, one could produce single phase illite or mixed layered mineral assemblage. These are apparently rare, but such an explanation could be used to explain the illite and mixed layered mono-mineral layers of "metabentonite" deposits which cannot be explained as recrystallization of an eruptive rock. Mono-mineral layers in carbonate rock the so called... 

Figure 18. Schematic representation of several possible types of solid solution. Shaded and blank layers represent expanding and mica-like units (2 1 structures). Solid and unfilled circles represent two species of interlayer ions, a totally random in all aspects b = interlayer ion ordering, single phase montmorillonite c = ordered interlayer ions which result in a two-phase mica structure, two phases present d = randomly interstratified mineral, one phase e = regular interstratification of the 2 1 layers giving an ordered mixed layered mineral, one phase present f = ordered mixed layered mineral in both the interlayer ion sites and the 2 1 interlayering. This would probably be called a single phase mineral.

Figure 26. Compositional fields of natural mixed layered minerals compared to theoretical end-members (shaded area). Mu = muscovite B = beidellite Mo = montmorillonite Ce = celadonite.

If we now consider the bulk compositions of the mixed-layered minerals which contain both expandable and non-expandable layers, two series are apparent, one between theoretical beidellite and illite and one between theoretical montmorillonite and illite (Figure 25). The intersection of the lines joining muscovite-montmorillonite and beidellite-celadonite (i.e., expandable mineral to mica), is a point which delimits, roughly, the apparent compositional fields of the two montmorillonite-illite compositional trends for the natural mixed layered minerals (Figure 26). That is, the natural minerals appear to show a compositional distribution due to solid solutions between each one of the two montmorillonite types and the two mica types—muscovite and celadonite. There is no apparent solid solution between the two highly expandable (80% montmorillonite) beidellitic and montmorillonitic end members. The point of intersection of the theoretical substitutional series beidellite = celadonite and muscovite-montmorillonite is located at about 30-40% expandable layers— 70-60% illite. This interlayering is similar to the "mineral" allevardite as defined previously. It appears that as the expandability of the mixed... 

R content evident for the mixed layered minerals as was seen for the fully... 

The apparent discrepancy could reside in the fact that if potassium ions are available at all, they will form a mica at temperatures near 100°C. Montmorillonite structures below these conditions (pressure and temperature) need not contain potassium at all. However, at the correct physical conditions the 2 1 portion of the montmorillonite must change greatly (increase of total charge on the 2 1 unit) in order to form a mica unit in a mixed layered mineral phase. Since neither Na nor Ca ions will form mica at this temperature, potassium will be selectively taken from solution. Obviously this does not occur below 100°C since cation exchange on montmorillonites shows the reverse effect, i.e., concentration of calcium ions in the interlayer sites. If potassium is not available either In coexisting solids or in solutions, the sodi-calcic montmorillonite will undoubtedly persist well above 100°C. 

IXlite, Montmorlllonlte and Mixed Layered Minerals in Sequences of Buried Rocks (P-T Space)... 

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