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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

Journal of Sedimentary Research (SEPM)

Abstract


Journal of Sedimentary Petrology
Vol. 44 (1974)No. 1. (March), Pages 254-258

Determination of Montmorillonite in Small Samples and Implications for Suspended-matter Studies

Brian E. Tucholke (3)

ABSTRACT

The < 2 ยต (clay-size) fraction of a deep-sea sediment sample from the western North Atlantic Ocean was analyzed at varied concentrations for montmorillonite, illite, kaolinite and chlorite by X-ray diffraction of samples on silver filters. The results indicate that samples with concentrations on the filters of less than about 1.6 mg/cm2 will show an artificial depletion of montmorillonite or mixed-layer montmorillonite-illite and enrichment of illite relative to samples of higher concentrations. Calculated compositions of kaolinite and chlorite tend to remain constant at any concentration where these minerals are readily detectable. The implications of this experiment are important for mineralogical studies of suspended particulate matter samples from the deep ocea , where samples with a total weight of only a few milligrams are normally recovered. X-ray diffraction analysis of such small samples may give the spurious results of montmorillonite-poor, illite-enriched particulate matter.


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