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Chemistry of Mg Smectites in Lacustrine Sediments from the Vicalvaro Sepiolite Deposit, Madrid Neogene Basin (Spain)

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Clays and Clay Minerals

Abstract

The chemical and structural properties of Mg smectites in the Vicálvaro sepiolite deposit have been studied in detail. The characterization was performed on different size-fractions of selected smectitic samples (5−2 µm; 2−1 µm; 1−0.5 µm; <0.5 µm and <0.1 µm). The chemical compositions of individual particles (5−1 µm) and of bulk undifferentiated fine fractions (1−<0.1 µm) were determined by energy dispersive spectroscopy-scanning electron microscopy and interpreted with the aid of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (IR) methods. The XRD and IR data demonstrate that all of the Mg smectite materials studied are mainly composed of a complex mixture of stevensite, saponite and mica-type minerals. Although the presence or absence of saponite cannot be confirmed absolutely, stevensite is a significant component of these Mg smectites. This is proven by the calculated layer charge reduction after the Hofmann-Klemen effect. The results are in close agreement with the suggested mechanism of topotactic overgrowth of stevensite on pre-existing phyllosilicate templates. This characterizes clay diagenesis in saline-lake systems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Química Agrícola, Geología y Geoquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónona de Madrid. Cantoblanco s/n, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Jaime Cuevas, Raquel Vigil de la Villa, Susana Ramirez & Santiago Leguey

  2. UMR 6532 CNRS, Universite de Poitiers, 40, Avenue du Recteur Pineau, 86022, Poitiers Cedex, France

    Susana Ramirez, Sabine Petit & Alain Meunier

Authors
  1. Jaime Cuevas
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  2. Raquel Vigil de la Villa
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  3. Susana Ramirez
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  4. Sabine Petit
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  5. Alain Meunier
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  6. Santiago Leguey
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Correspondence to Jaime Cuevas.

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Cuevas, J., de la Villa, R.V., Ramirez, S. et al. Chemistry of Mg Smectites in Lacustrine Sediments from the Vicalvaro Sepiolite Deposit, Madrid Neogene Basin (Spain). Clays Clay Miner. 51, 457–472 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.2003.0510413

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.2003.0510413

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