The natural sorbents of the Far East

Summary

• 1. Electron-microscopic. investigation of natural sorbents has permitted qualitative observations to be made concerning the character of the subdivision of the basic material composing the mineral, has enabled certain quantitative ideas concerning the dimensions of the particles, i.e. the degree of dispersion, to be obtained, and, in conjunction with knowledge of the chemical composition and with the thermal analysis, has, in many cases, indicated the basis mineral formations composing the given natural sorbent. For monomineral material, the mineralogical composition can be very readily determined.

• 2. Further work must be directed to the development of a procedure for separating polymineral substances into their separate components, which must be compared with standard samples of monomineral substances (kaolinite, halloysite, montmorillonite, etc.) of definite composition and structure in order to give a quantitative idea of the mineralogical composition of the natural sorbent under investigation.