|
Authors
|
Atanasova, M. T. ; Vyalikh, A. ; Scheler, U. ; Focke, W. W.
|
|
Title
|
Characterization of rectorite from the Beatrix Gold Mine in South Africa
|
|
Date
|
01.06.2016
|
|
Number
|
45491
|
|
Abstract
|
Three rectorite samples from the Beatrix Gold Mine, South Africa were characterized. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a layered morphology. High resolution transmission microscopy showed well distinguished light and dark layers of about 2.20 nm consistent with the 1:1 interstratified mica-smectite nature. X-ray diffraction measurements confirmed the basal spacing d001 of 2.20 nm consistent with a one-water-layer structure. Unit cell parameters, for a monoclinic unit cell with primitive lattice, refined to a = 5.177 Å; b = 8.980 Å; c = 22.489 Å and ß = 97.335° with mean crystallite size around 14 nm and calculated cell volume of 1045 Å3. The Greene-Kelly test suggested that the expandable smectite layers have montmorillonite-beidellite composition. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated a high degree of Al substitution and the presence of two different Al sites corresponding to six- and four-fold octahedral and tetrahedral aluminum respectively. The chemical composition and diffraction data suggest that the mica is Na-Ca-rich, i.e. of paragonite-margarite series. The fixed interlayer regions (mica interlayers) contains proportionally dominant Na+ and Ca2 + and minor amounts of K+. The exchangeable smectitic interlayers contain almost equal amounts of Na+ and Ca2 + ions. The distribution of the interlayer Na+ ions was quantified by 23Na solid-state NMR spectroscopy. It points to a three component mixed-layer structure with considerable variation in the composition of the mica layer of the different samples.
|
|
Publisher
|
Applied Clay Science
|
|
Wikidata
|
|
|
Citation
|
Applied Clay Science 126 (2016) 7-16
|
|
DOI
|
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2016.02.028
|
|
Tags
|
rectorite mixed-layer interstratification xrd sem solid-state nmr thermal analysis ftir
|
