Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Clays
and
Clay Minerals

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Fields of interest
for clays

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Acients:

Various
definitions

Earths in the earth-air-fire-water system

Definition of clay depends on discipline:

Geologist grain size <2mm
Engineer: property of plasticity
Ceramicist: hardening on firing

No chemical definition, but:

Most clays are high in aluminum

General: Minerals which normally dominate the fine

(<2mm) fraction of rocks and soils.

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Basic structures
of clay minerals
Basic building block of
silica minerals is the
SiO4-4 silica tetrahedron
Linked together at
apical oxygen to form
sheets
Tetrahedral sheet
does not exist by itself

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Basic structures of
clay minerals
In clay minerals the
tetrahedral sheet is
always combined with a
octahedral sheet
A cation (Al+3, Mg+2, Fe+2
etc. but not Ca+2, Na+1,
K+11) is surrounded by 6
neighbors (oxygens or
hydroxyls)
Minerals composed of
octahedral sheets.
Brucit Mg3(OH)6
Gibbsite Al2(OH)6

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Basic structures
of clay minerals
Formula of the tetrahedral sheet: Si4O10-4
negative charge: only exists in combination with cations and
and additional oxygens

Formula of the octahedral sheet:

Brucite: Mg3(OH)6 all octahedrals occupied trioctahedral
Gibbsite: Al2(OH)6 2/3 of octahedrals occupied dioctahedral

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Basic structures
of clay minerals
1 tetrahedral sheet and
1 octahedral sheet
linked together
The unshared oxygen
becomes part of the
octahedral sheet
Simplest clay mineral:
Kaolinite

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Basic structures
of clay minerals
Kaolinite

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Basic structures
of clay minerals
Serpentine-Kaolin
Group = 1:1 group
no layer charge
hydrogen bonds

Serpentines
Mg trioctaedric
(generally not clay m.)
Kaolins
Al dioctaedric

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Basic structures
of clay minerals
2 tetrahedral sheets
and 1 octahedral sheet
linked together to form
a sandwich structure
Large interlayer cations
Mica, Illite

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Basic structures
of clay minerals
2:1 layer minerals

Variation of

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Basic structures
of clay minerals
Bentonite (ca. 90%
montmorillonite)
weathering product of
volcanic glass

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Basic structures
of clay minerals
Mixed-layer clay
minerals

Clays and Clay Minerals

Definition:
Two or more layer types (i.e. mica, smectite,
chlorite etc
chlorite,
etc.)) are intermixed in vertical stacking
sequence within a single crystal.
Bonding is strong within the layers but week
between the layers
Different types of layers have nearly identical
configuration of tetrahedral oxygens bounding
the outer surfaces
Mixed-layer clay are widespread in nature

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Basic structures
of clay minerals
2:1 layer minerals
Illite-Smectite

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Basic structures
of clay minerals
Mixed-layer clay
minerals

Clays and Clay Minerals

Criteria for characterization:

Types of layer involved (e.g. illite, smectite,
chlorite)
Amount of each layer type (%)
Stacking arrangement, or vertical sequence, of
the component layers (e.g. regular, random)

Example:
p
randomly mixed-layered smectite/illite with 10%
illite layers

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Identification of
clay minerals
Identification using
X-ray diffraction

Clays and Clay Minerals

Sample preparation:
Cation saturation: with single,
g known cation p
prior to
any treatment (K+, Mg2+), excess salt removed
1. Air dry specimen
2. Ethylene glycol or glycerol saturation
3.

Heating to 350 C or 550 C

4. Dimethylsulfoxide intercalation (not routinely

used)

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Identification by
X-ray diffraction
Kaolinite:
7- peak dissapears
upon heating / is shiftet
after DMSO treatment

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Identification by
X-ray diffraction
Illite:
10- peak not affected
by treatment

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Identification by
X-ray diffraction
Smectite:
Shifting of 001-peak
affected by:
type of interlayer
cation single/double
layer of H2O-molecules
ethylene glycol
solvation (swelling)
heating (no H2O-layer)

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Identification by
X-ray diffraction
Chlorite:
14- peak not affected
by treatment

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Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

How does clay

feel?

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

How does clay

feel?

11

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Sisi Nubi project

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Sisi Nubi project

Construction of new
platforms
Foundation and
anchoring

12

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Geotechnical
parameters
In situ tests

Clay = soil
from a engineering
point of view

Clays and Clay Minerals

Special testing methods for in situ testing of fine

grained soils
SPT: Standard penetration test hammering of
a sampler tube into the ground under defined
conditions and counting the strokes
CPT: elaborate testing method with a cone
shaped probe; measurement of cone resistance,
sleeve friction and pore water pressure
Dilatometer / Flat Plate Dilatometer for
measurement of the deformation and elastic
properties of the soil
Packer testing for in-situ determination of
hydraulic conductivity

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Geotechnical
parameters
CPT

Cone Penetration Test

Probe

13

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Geotechnical
parameters
CPT

Cone Penetration Test

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Geotechnical
parameters
CPT

Cone Penetration Test

Umbilical cable with
data lines and hydraulic
line

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Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Geotechnical
parameters
CPT

Results
Continuous CPT profile

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Geotechnical
parameters

Various tests to determine the geotechnical

parameters of soils

Laboratory tests

Direct shear test shear strength

Triaxial shear test shear strength of drained or
undrained sample

Clay = soil
from a engineering
point of view

Attenberg limits plasticity of clay, shrinkage

Oedometer test consolidation and swelling
Water content
Hydraulic conductivity

15

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Geotechnical
parameters
Laboratory tests

Sampling

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Geotechnical
parameters
Laboratory tests

Extrusion of sample

16

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Geotechnical
parameters
Laboratory tests

Sample preparation
Mark of penetrameter
test

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Geotechnical
parameters
Laboratory tests

Shear test

17

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Off-shore drilling
specialities
Moon pool

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

Off-shore drilling
specialities
Rooster box

18

Applied Mineralogy and Non-Metallic Resources II

Clays and Clay Minerals

The clay cycle

Formation of clay
and clay minerals
restricted to upper
crust

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