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The Geology of Vermiculite Occurrences
The Geology of Vermiculite Occurrences
by
WILLIA~ A. ]3ASSETT
The University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
ABSTRACT
Vermiculite occurrences can be divided into two major categories, those having macro-
scopic and those having microscopic or clay vermiculite. This paper is concerned with
the former. The macroscopic type of vermiculite deposits can be subdivided into four
categories based on the host rock: (1) ultramafic and marie; (2) gneiss and schist; (3)
carbonate rocks; and (4) granitic rocks. Field and laboratory evidence strongly suggests
that most and possibly all macroscopic-type vermiculite deposits formed by the action
of supergeue solutions on biotite and phlogopite. Vermiculite in mixed-layer association
with biotite, phlogopite, and chlorite is likewise believed to be of supergene origin.
INTRODUCTION
Macroscopic a n d microscopic t y p e s of vermiculite d e p o s i t s differ in some
basic aspects. Macroscopic v e r m i c u l i t e s a r e t r i o e t a h e d r M a n d h a v e a r e l a t i v e l y
n a r r o w r a n g e of c a t i o n exchange capacity. Microscopic or c l a y v e r m i c u l i t e s
m a y be either t r i o e t a h e d r a l or d i o e t a h e d r M (Rich a n d Cook, t h i s volume)
a n d are m u c h m o r e v a r i a b l e in composition a n d c a t i o n e x c h a n g e c a p a c i t y ,
m a k i n g t h e m difficult in m a n y i n s t a n c e s to distinguish from m o n t m o r i l l o n i t e .
Macroscopic v e r m i c u l i t e occurs in four t y p e s of h o s t rocks : (1) u l t r a m a f i o
a n d marie; (2) gneiss a n d schist; (3) c a r b o n a t e rocks; a n d (4) granitic rocks.
I n t u r n each of these has c h a r a c t e r i s t i c features. A l l t h e m a j o r c o m m e r c i a l
deposits belong to t h e first category, a n d t h e m a t e r i a l t h a t is m i n e d is
m i x e d - l a y e r v e r m i c u l i t e - b i o t i t e or v e r m i c u l i t e - p h l o g o p i t e . T h e u l t r a m a f i c -
mafic t y p e also p r o v i d e s some of t h e m o s t i n t e r e s t i n g mineralogic a n d
p e t r o g r a p h i c relationships. I n t h e gneiss-schist t y p e , t h e v e r m i c u l i t e occurs
as layers in b a n d e d m e t a m o r p h i c sequences. I n t h e t h i r d category, v e r m i c u l i t e
flakes close t o t h e m a g n e s i a n e n d m e m b e r are s o m e t i m e s f o u n d d i s t r i b u t e d
t h r o u g h m a r b l e s r a n g i n g from calcite t o m a g n e s i t e composition. T h e f o u r t h
category refers to b i o t i t e in g r a n i t i c rocks t h a t has w e a t h e r e d to an e x p a n d e d
or p a r t i a l l y e x p a n d e d a l t e r a t i o n p r o d u c t of b i o t i t e t h a t puffs when h e a t e d
in a flame.
A p e r e n n i a l p r o b l e m in t h e s t u d y of v e r m i c u l i t e s is t h e question of
h y d r o t h e r m a l vs. supergene origin. A review of t h e l i t e r a t u r e reveals t h a t
i n v e s t i g a t o r s ' opinions a r e n e a r l y e v e n l y split on this m a t t e r . I n this p a p e r
their evidences are discussed a n d t h e a r g u m e n t s favoring a supergene origin
61
62 TENTH ~ATIOI~AL CONFERENOE ON CLAYS AND CLAY MINEEALS
CARBONATE OCCURRENCES
Two examples of this type of occurrence are to be found near Llano, Texas
(Clabaugh and Barnes, 1959). Magnesite at the Texas Mines, south of Llano,
contains vermiculite (which is almost the pure magnesian end member)
64 TENTa NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CLAYS AND CLAY ~NERALS
where the magnesite has been exposed to weathering. A few inches beneath
the surface the magnesite contains unaltered phlogopite. Magnesite t h a t was
mined during World War I I and left in stock piles near the pit now contains
vermiculite that apparently has resulted from the action of rain water on the
phlogopite. A marble t h a t contains flakes of vermiculite is in a road cut along
the road from Llano to Castell.
The present author has identified vermiculite from two localities north of
New York City. A very light-colored vermiculite occurs in layers in the
Wappinger marble at Torry Cave on U.S. Hwy. 7, just south of Gaylordsville,
Connecticut. Within the carbonate, which is mostly calcite, the vermiculite
is associated with phlogopite and tale. At Hawthorne Cfl-ele near Hawthorne,
New York, vermiculite occurs in the Inwood marble where it is exposed in a
road cut. At both of these occurrences the vermiculite as well as the other
silicates appear to have been derived from silty layers in the original lime-
stone at the time of regional metamorphism.
Another occurrence of vermiculite in marble is reported in Uganda by
Davies and Bisset (1947) and by Taylor (1955).
GRANITIC OCCURRENCES
Granite from Daggett Pass, southeast of Lake Tahoe, California, contains
flakes of black mieaceous material t h a t puff when heated in a flame. X - r a y
diffraetometer patterns of these flakes show a broad reflection at 8 ~ 20,
indicating that the material is probably a randomly stacked, mixed-layer
vermiculite-biotite with more biotite than vermiculite. This probably is a
widespread form of vermiculite t h a t undoubtedly has been identified as
biotite m a n y times over.
ORIGIN OF VERMICULITE
A census of the literature on the geology of vermiculite occurrences shows
that the investigators are rather evenly split three ways: those concluding
that vermiculite formed by the action of hydrothermal solutions ( " H " in
the References), those believing vermiculite formed by the action of supergene
solutions on biotite and phlogopite ( " S " in the References), and finally those
believing that vermiculite formed by hydrothermal or supergene solutions,
or both (" H S " or " S H " in the References, depending on emphasis).
Hydrothermal
Association with high-temperature rocks and minerals .--Vermiculite is found
in close association with pegmatites and with talc, hornblende, anthophyllite,
tremolite, chlorite, kyanite, sillimanite, garnet, and other high-temperature
minerals, thus suggesting t h a t the vermiculite itself is a high-temperature
mineral.
Pseudomorphs after high4emperature minerals.--Hagner (1944) reports the
occurrence of vermiculite pseudomorphs after hornblende, garnet, and other
THE GEOLOGYOF VER~IICULITEOCCURRENCES 65
supcrgene water t h a t carried the magnesium and calcium ions to the biotite
or phlogopite, altering it to mixed-layer vermiculite-biotite or vermiculite-
phlogopite. H a d more soluble magnesium and calcium been available, altera-
tion of mica to vermiculite might have been more complete, as in the
magnesite and dolomite deposits, but apparently the source of soluble
magnesium and calcium was limited and the alteration was only partial,
resulting in mixed-layer material. That the mixed-layer material alters
readily to pure vermiculite when it is placed in a magnesium or calcium
solution is easily demonstrated and lends strength to this argument.
Hydrothermal versus Supergene
Three major arguments favoring the hydrothermal origin of vermiculite
have been put forward: association of vermiculite with high-temperature
rocks and minerals, pseudomorphs of vermiculite after high-temperature
minerals, and vermiculite occurrences at depths in excess of 200 ft.
That vermiculite occurs in association with high-temperature rocks and
minerals is undeniable. However, it does not follow t h a t the vermiculite also
formed as a high-temperature mineral. Vermiculite can form just as easily as
a low-temperature alteration of mica that formed as a high-temperature
mineral. Essentially the same argument can be put forward for the occur-
rences of vermiculite pseudomorphous after high-temperature minerals.
Percolation of supergcne solutions to a depth of 200 ft at Libby, Montana,
is not unreasonable in view of the strong relief of the region. The mine at
Libby is approximately 2000 ft above the Kootenai t%iver, 3 miles away.
The pyroxene, biotite, asbestos, syenite complex at Libby is probably much
more permeable t h a n most ultramafic bodies.
CONCLUSIONS
Investigations of field and laboratory evidence and a search of the
literature have produced several convincing arguments favoring an origin of
vermiculite by supergene alteration of biotite and phlogopite. Very few
observations favoring a hydrothermal origin have been presented, and the
ones that have been presented are just as easily explained by supergene
alteration of biotite and phlogopite. The two sets of criteria are listed in
Table I.
There can be little doubt that supergene solutions are responsible for the
vermiculite at some localities, especially those in which the quantity of
vermiculite is clearly depth dependent or at which the formation of vermicu-
lite has been observed over a period of years. At other localities the evidence
is less certain, and while the evidence for the supergene origin of vermiculite
may be more convincing, a hydrothermal origin cannot be ruled out altogether.
I t is not yet possible to make a generalization about the origin of all macro-
scopic-type vermiculite deposits, but it is the considered opinion of this
author t h a t all macroscopic vermiculites owe their origin to supergene
alteration of biotite and phlogopite.
68 TENTH NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CLAYS AND CLAY M/NEI%ALS
Hydrothermal origin
Association with high-temperature rocks and minerals
Pseudomorphs after high-temperature minerals
E x t e n t of vermiculite to considerable depths (200 ft)
I~EFERENCES
H ~ }Iydrothermal
S ~ Supergene
I-IS ~ I-lydrothermal and/or Supergene
Arnln, M. S. and Aria, M. S. (1954) Anthophyllite-vermiculite deposit of I-Iafafit, Eastern
Desert, Egypt: Econ. Geol., v. 49, pp. 317-327. I-I
Bassett, W. A. (1958) Copper vermiculites from Northern Rhodesia: Amer. Min., v. 43,
pp. Ii12-1133. S
Bassett, W. A. (1959) Origin of the vermiculite deposit at Libby, Montana: Amer. Min.,
v. 44, pp. 282-299. S
Buie, B. F. and Stewart, O. F. (1954) Origin of vermiculite at Tigerville, South Carolina
(abs.): Geol. Soc. Amcr. Bull., v. 65, pp. 1356-1357. S
Clabaugh, S. E. and Barnes, V. E. (1957) Origin of central Texas vermiculite deposits
(abs.): Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., v. 68, p. 1709. SH
Clabaugh, S. E. and Barnes, V. E. (1959) Vermiculite in central Texas: Texas Univ.,
Bur. Econ. Geol., Rept. Inv. 40, 32 pp. SH
Davies; K. A. and Bisset, C. B. (1947) The geology and mineral resom'ces of Uganda:
Bull. Imp. Inst. London, v. 45, pp. 161-180; abs. in M i n . Abs., v. 10, 1947-49, p. 290.
S
Gevers, T. W. (1949) Vermiculite at Loolekop, Palabora, North East Transvaal: Trans.
Geol. Soc. South Africa, v. 51, pp. 133-173; abs. in M i n . Abs., v. 11, 1950-52, p. 64.
HS
Goldstein, A. (1946) Veruficulites and their utilization: Colorado School of Mines Quart.,
v. 41, 64 pp.
Gordon, S. G. (1921) Desilicated granitic pegmatites : Prec. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia,
v. 73, pp. 169-192. S
Gruner, J. W. (1934) The structures of vermiculites and their collapse by dehydration:
Amer. Min., v. 19, pp. 557-575.
l~adley, ft. B. (1949) Preliminary report on corundum deposits in the Buck Creek
peridotite, Clay Co., North Carolina: U.S. Geol. Survey, Bull. 948-E, pp. 103-128. H
I-Iagner, A. F. (1944) Wyoming vermiculite deposits: University of Wyoming Geol.
Surv., Bull. 34, 47 pp. t t
THE GEOLOGY OF VERMICULITE OCCURI~ENOES 69