Sepiolite phase diagram

Given the chemical data for natural mineral compositions, it should be possible to construct a phase diagram including those phases that are likely to occur with sepiolite and palygorskite in a system where the mass of the components is an extensive variable of the system (a closed system). 

Figure 41. Phase diagram for the extensive variables R -R -Si combining the data for synthetic magnesian chlorites and the compositional series of natural sepiolites and palygorskites. Numbers represent the major three-phase assemblages related to sepiolite-palygorskite occurrence in sediments. Chi = chlorite M03 = trioctahedral montmorillonites M02 = dioctahedral montmorillonite Sep = sepiolite Pa = palygorskite Kaol = kaolinite T = talc.

Figure 43. Phase diagram of phyllosilicates found above the thermal stabilities of sepiolite and palygorskite in the system Si-R -R. ...

Fig. 2. Logarithmic activity diagram depicting equilibrium phase relations among aluminosilicates and sea water in an idealized nine-component model of tire ocean system at the noted temperatures, one atmosphere total pressure, and unit activity of H20. The shaded area represents (lie composition range of sea water at the specified temperature, and the dot-dash lines indicate the composition of sea water saturated with quartz, amotphous silica, and sepiolite, respectively. The scale to the left of the diagram refers to calcite saturation foi different fugacities of CO2. The dashed contours designate the composition (in % illite) of a mixed-layer illitcmontmorillonitc solid solution phase in equilibrium with sea water (from Helgesun, H, C. and Mackenzie, F T.. 1970. Silicate-sea water equilibria in the ocean system Deep Sea Res.).

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