Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T10:53:34.914Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of Sea-Water on Clay Minerals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Dorothy Carroll  and
Harry C. Starkey
Dorothy Carroll
Affiliation:
U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C., USA
Harry C. Starkey
Affiliation:
U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C., USA
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Samples of a montmorillonite, a mixed-layer mineral (mica and montmorillonite) “illite”, kaolinite, and halloysite were immersed in 50 ml sea-water for 10 days, and additional samples of the first three were immersed for 150 days. The exchangeable cations were determined both before and after treatment. It was found that Mg2+ ions from sea-water moved into the exchange positions in the minerals in preference to Ca2+ and Na+ ions. The H-form of these minerals showed a gradual adjustment to sea-water as measured by change in pH and filling of the exchange positions with cations other than H+. Kaolinite adjusted very rapidly, but montmorillonite and the mixed-layer mineral were slow. All the minerals reacted to yield appreciable amounts of SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3 to the sea-water. The quantities yielded are in the order:

montmorillonite > mixed-layer mineral > “illite” > kaolinite > halloysite The solubility is considered to be due to direct solution of SiO2 in the sea-water and to removal of Al2O3 from the octahedral layer of the minerals.

When H-clays were titrated with sea-water three distinct kinds of curves were obtained: (a) kaolinite; (b) mixed-layer mineral, “illite,” and halloysite; and (c) montmorillonite. The curves are similar to those obtained with clay minerals titrated with other alkaline solutions. Kaolinite reacts somewhat like a number of simple acids, but the curves for the other minerals are more complex and are related to the neutralization of H and its replacement in the exchange sites by metallic cations. The exchangeable cations were determined in the minerals after titration, and the results are similar to those obtained after immersing the minerals in sea-water. The volume of sea-water required to reach an end point at about pH 7.6 varies from 11 ml for kaolinite to 135 ml for montmorillonite and is related to the titratable alkalinity of the sea water and to the exchange capacity of the minerals.

Type
Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals (National Conference on Clays and Clay Minerals) , Volume 7 , February 1958 , pp. 80 - 101
Copyright
Copyright © Clay Minerals Society 1958

Footnotes

Publication authorized by the Director, U.S. Geological Survey.

References

Aldrich, D. G. and Buchanan, J. R. (1958) Anomalies in techniques for preparing H-bentonites: Soil Sci. Soc. Amer., Proc., v. 22, pp. 281–285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blackmon, P. D. (1958) Neutralization curves and the formulation of monovalent cation exchange properties of clay minerals: Amer. J. Sci., v. 256, pp. 733–743.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coleman, N. T. and Harward, M. E. (1953) The heats of neutralization of acid clays and cation exchange resins: J. Amer. Chem. Soc., v. 75, pp. 6045–6046.Google Scholar
Correns, C. W. (1949) Einführung in die Mineralogie: Springer, Berlin, 414 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garrels, R. M. and Christ, C. L. (1956) Application of cation-exchange reactions to the beidellite of the Putnam silt loam soil: Amer. J. Sci., v. 254, pp. 372–379.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldberg, E. D. and Arrhenius, G. O. S. (1958) Chemistry of Pacific pelagic sediments: Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, v. 13, pp. 153–212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grim, R. E., Dietz, R. S. and Bradley, W. F. (1949) Clay mineral composition of some sediments from the Pacific Ocean off the California coast and the Gulf of California: Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer., v. 60, pp. 1785–1808.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grim, R. E. and Johns, W. D. (1954) Clay mineral investigation of sediments in the northern Gulf of Mexico: in Clays and Clay Minerals, Natl. Acad. Sci.—Natl. Res. Council, pub. 327, pp. 81–103.Google Scholar
Harvey, H. W. (1957) The Chemistry and Fertility of Sea Waters (2nd Ed.): Cambridge University Press, 234 pp.Google Scholar
Hendricks, S. B. and Ross, C. S. (1941) Chemical composition and genesis of glauconite and celadonite: Amer. Min., v. 26, pp. 683–708.Google Scholar
Higdon, W. T. and Marshall, C. E. (1958) Electrochemical properties in relation to two methods of preparation of colloidal clays: J. Phys. Chem., v. 62, pp. 1204–1209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jarusov, S. S. (1937) On the mobility of exchangeable cations in the soil: Soil Sci., v. 43, pp. 285–303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kelley, W. P. and Liebig, G. F. Jr. (1934) Base exchange in relation to composition of clay with special reference to effect of sea water: Bull Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol., v. 18, pp. 358–367.Google Scholar
Krauskopf, K. B. (1956) Dissolution and precipitation of silica at low temperatures: Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, v. 10, pp. 1–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Low, P. F. (1955) The role of aluminum in the titration of bentonite: Soil Sci. Soc. Amer., Proc., v. 19, pp. 135–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marshall, C. E. (1954) Multifunctional ionization as illustrated by the clay minerals: in Clays and Clay Minerals, Natl. Acad. Sci.—Natl. Res. Council, pub. 327, pp. 364–385.Google Scholar
Marshall, C. E. and Bergman, W. E. (1942) The electrochemical properties of mineral membranes. II. Measurement of potassium-ion activities in colloidal clays: J. Phys. Chem., v. 46, pp. 52–61.Google Scholar
Mitra, R. P. and Rajogopalan, K. S. (1952) Origin of the base exchange capacity of clays and significance of its upper limiting value: Soil Sci., v. 73, pp. 349–360.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mukherjee, J. N., Chatterjee, B. and Ray, A. (1948) Liberation of H+, A1+3, and Fe+3 ions from pure clay minerals on repeated salt treatment and desaturations: J. Colloid Sd., v. 3, pp. 437–446.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nash, V. E. and Marshall, C. E. (1956) The surface reactions of silicate minerals, Part II, Reactions of feldspar surfaces with salt solutions: Univ. Missouri Coll. Agric. Research Bull. 614, 36 pp.Google Scholar
Paver, H. and Marshall, C. E. (1934) The role of aluminium in the reactions of the clays: J. Soc. Chemical Industry, v. 53, pp. 750–760.Google Scholar
Powers, M. C. (1954) Clay diagenesis in the Chesapeake Bay area: in Clays and Clay Minerals, Natl. Acad. Sci.—Natl. Res. Council, pub. 327, pp. 68–80.Google Scholar
Powers, M. C. (1957) Adjustment of land derived clays to the marine environment: J. Sed. Petrology, v. 27, pp. 355–372.Google Scholar
Schofield, R. K. and Taylor, A. W. (1955) Measurements of the activities of bases in soils: J. Soil Sci., v. 6, pp. 137–146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shapiro, Leonard and Brannoek, W. W. (1956) Rapid analysis of silicate rocks: U.S. Geol. Survey. Bull. 1036-C, 56 pp.Google Scholar
Sverdrup, H. U., Johnson, M. W. and Fleming, R. N. (1946) The Oceans: Their Physics, Chemistry and General Biology: Prentice-Hall, New York, 1087 pp.Google Scholar
Thompson, T. G. and Anderson, D. H. (1940) The determination of the alkalinity of sea water: J. Marine Res. v. 3, pp. 224–229.Google Scholar