Quantitative analysis of clay minerals and their admixtures

Clay minerals are of non uniform composition and particle size. Also their identification and nomenclature have given much confusion. Examples are given. Quantitative analysis of clay minerals from deposits and soils, by X-ray, thermo- and infrared analysis is treated. Examples are given of the large variability in the results; even for X-ray and electron microscope pure- and 85 to 90% chemical pure samples of kaolinite a well defined clay mineral. They are caused mainly by varying conditions of crystal growth from which result differences in isomorphous replacements, structure, ordering and strain. An amorphous weathering substance coating the mineral particles (Beilby layer) upsets in particular quantitative analyses of the finer kinds of clay minerals. Clay minerals from soils have, as compared to those from pure deposits, in particular formed by hydrothermal action, only poor characteristics of small intensity. Examples are given. Quantitative analyses are further hindered by specific characteristics for a certain mineral being masked by those of other minerals which usually occur in the same sample. Examples are given.