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Kaolinite, Smectite, and K-Rectorite in Bentonites: Relation to Coal Rank at Tulameen, British Columbia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2024

D. R. Pevear ,
V. E. Williams  and
G. E. Mustoe
D. R. Pevear
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, 98225
V. E. Williams
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1W5, Canada
G. E. Mustoe
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, 98225
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Abstract

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The Tulameen coal field is part of an Eocene nonmarine basin which received extensive volcaniclastic sediments due to its location within an active magmatic arc. Bentonite partings in the coal originally consisted of glassy rhyolitic tephra with phenocrysts of sanidine, biotite, and quartz. During the initial alteration, which took place within the swamp or shortly after burial, glass was transformed to either smectite-cristobalite-clinoptilolite or to smectite-kaolinite. The formation of kaolinite depended on the degree of leaching of silica and alkalies in the swamp environment. Some beds are nearly 100% kaolinite and can be designated as tonsteins. The smectite shows no evidence of interlayering; the kaolinite is well ordered. During alteration, sodium, originally a component of the glass, was lost from the system.

A later thermal event, which affected only the southern part of the basin, metamorphosed the smectite to a regularly interstratified illite/smectite with 55% illite layers and rectorite-type superlattice (IS-type). The source of potassium was dissolution of sanidine. Vitrinite reflectance measurements of the coal suggest that the smectite was stable to 145–160°C, at which temperature it transformed to K-rectorite.

The absence of randomly interstratified intermediates, even in beds rich in potassium, suggests that the transformation of smectite to K-rectorite was controlled by a steep thermal gradient possibly resulting from local magmatism or circulating geothermal fluids.

Резюме

Резюме

Туламинский угольный бассейн является частью эоценового континентального бассейна, в который поступило большое количество вулканокластических отложений из-за его расположения в активном магматическом поясе. Бентонитовые прослои в угле первоначально состояли из стекловидной виолитовой тефры с фенокристаллами санидина, биотита, и кварца. Во время первоначального изменения, которое происходило в болотных условиях или вскоре после захоронения, стекло преобразовалось в смектит-кристобалит-клиноптилолит или в смектит-као-линит. Образование каолинита зависело от степени выщелачивания кремнезема и шелочей в болотной среде. Некоторые пласты состоят почти на 100% из каолинита и могут быть определены как тонштейн. Смектит является бейделлитовым и не проявляет признаков переслаивания; каолинит хорошо упорядочен. Во время изменения натрий, который первоначально входил в состав стекла, был удален из системы.

Позднее какое-то термическое событие, которое повлияло только на южную часть бассейна, превратило смектит в равномерно переслаивающийся иллит-смектит с 55% иллитовых слоев и сверхструктурой ректоритового типа (тип 18). Источником калия служило растворение санидина. Измерения витринитовых отражений угля показывают, что смектит был стойким до температур 145-160°С, при которых он превращался в К-ректорит. Отсутствие беспорядочно переслаивающихся промежуточных звеньев даже в богатых калием пластах указывает на то, что преобразование смектита в К-ректорит было обусловлено значительным термальным градиентом, возможно происшедшим из-за местного магматизма или циркуляции геотермальных растворов. [N.R.]

Resümee

Resümee

Das Kohlengebiet von Tulameen ist Teil eines eozänen, nichtmarinen Beckens, das aufgrund seiner Lage in einem aktiven Magmenbogen sehr viele vulkanoklastische Sedimente enthält. Die Bentonitanteile in der Kohle waren ursprünglich glasige, rhyolithische Tephra mit Einsprenglingen von Sanidin, Biotit, und Quarz. Zu Beginn der Umwandlung, die im Schlamm oder kurz nach der Überdeckung stattfand, wurde das Glas entweder in Smektit-Cristobalit-Klinoptilolit oder in Smektit-Kaolinit umgewandelt. Die Bildung von Kaolinit hängt vom Auslaugungsgrad des SiO2 und der Alkalien im Schlamm ab. Einige Lagen bestehen aus nahezu 100% Kaolinit und können als Tonstein bezeichnet werden. Der Smektit ist beidellitisch und zeigt keine Anzeichen von Zwischenlagen; der Kaolinit ist gut geordnet. Während der Umwandlung ging Natrium, das ursprünglich eine Komponente des Glases war, aus dem System verloren.

Ein späteres thermales Ereignis, das nur den südlichen Teil des Beckens betraf, wandelte den Smektit in eine reguläre Wechsellagerung Illit-Smektit um, mit 55% Illitlagen und einem Gitter vom Rektorittyp (IS-Typ). Das Kalium kam von der Auflösung des Sanidins. Messungen des Reflexionsvermögens am Vitrinit der Kohle deuten darauf hin, daß der Smektit bis zur Temperatur zu 145–160°C stabil war, bei der er in K-Rektorit umgewandelt wurde. Das Fehlen von Übergangsphasen mit unregelmäßigen Wechsellagerungsstrukturen, selbst in den Kalium-reichen Lagen, deutet darauf hin, daß die Umwandlung von Smektit in K-Rectorit durch einen steilen thermischen Gradienten bestimmt wurde, der möglicherweise mit einem lokalen Magnetismus oder mit zirkulierenden geothermalen Lösungen zusammenhängt. [U.W.]

Résumé

Résumé

Le champ charbonnier Tulameen fait partie d'un bassin non marin éocien qui recevait des sédiments volcaniclastiques extensifs dûs à son emplacement duns un arc magmatique actif. Des délitations de bentonite dans le charbon consistaient originalement de tephra vitreux rhyolitiques avec des phénocrystes de sanidine, de biotite, et de quartz. Pendant la période initiale d'altération, qui s'est deroulée dans le marais ou peu après enterrement, le verre a été transformé soit en de la smectite-cristobalite-clinoptilolite, soit en de la smectite-kaolinite. La formation de kaolinite dépendait du degré de lessivage de la silice et des alcalins dan l'environement marécageux. Certains lits sont presque 100% kaolinite et pourraient être designés tonstein. La smectite est beidellitique et ne montre aucune évidence d'interstratification, la kaolinite est bien ordonnée. Pendant l'altération, le système a perdu le sodium, originalement un composé du verre.

Un évenement thermique subséquent, qui n'a affecté que la partie sud du bassin, a metamorphosé la smectite en une illite/smectite régulièrement interstratifiée avec 55% de couches d'illite et un super-réseau du type rectorite (type IS). La source du potassium était la dissolution de sanidine. Des mesures de réflectance de vitrinite du charbon suggèrent que la smectite était stable jusqu’à 145°–160°C, température à laquelle elle a été transformée en rectorite-K. L'absence d'intermédiaires interstratifiés au hasard suggère que la transformation de smectite en rectorite-K était controllée par un gradient thermique résultant possiblement d'un magmatisme local ou de fluides géothermiques circulants. [D.J.]

Keywords

BentoniteCoal rankKaoliniteMixed layerRectoriteSmectiteTonsteinVitriniteZeolite
Type
Research Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , August 1980 , pp. 241 - 254
Copyright
Copyright © Clay Minerals Society 1980

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