Clay Mineral Identification Flow Diagram

X-rays of Oriented Aggregates

Randomly-oriented
Heated to 400oC Heated to 550oC Electron micrograph aggregate mount of clay
Treated with ethylene glycol at least ½ hour at least ½ hour if r e q u i r e d fraction (<2 m)
Air Dried Results

Expands to 31-32 with Regularly interstratified chlorite-

~29 May disappear or Increases in intensity
rational sequence of
give 24 spacing of 24 spacing montmorillonite or chlorite-
higher orders vermiculite (corrensite)

Expands May give irrational sequences Randomly interstratified chlorite-

May give irrational
but gives irrational sequence -- may show increase in intensity
sequence
of 12-14 peak
montmorillonite
Peaks may be broad

~14
No change No change Increases in intensity 060 near 1.54 Chlorite

060 near 1.50 Dioctahedral chlorite

No change or No change or slight

slight increase Collapses to ~10
additional collapse
060 near 1.54 Vermiculite

Additional collapses
Slight collapse to ~12 to ~11 060 near 1.50 Dioctahedral vermiculite

No change or slight
Expands to 17 Collapses to ~10
additional collapse
060 near 1.50 Montmorillonite

Collapses to ~10 No change or slight

with very weak 5 peak additional collapse
060 near 1.52 Nontronite

Trioctahedral montmorillonite
060 near 1.54
or vermiculite

>10-14 No change -
Rational sequence of Collapses to 10
Regularly interstratified
Collapses to ~10 060 near 1.54
higher orders. illite-vermiculite

No change
No change or slight Regularly interstratified
060 near 1.54
increase in intensity illite-chlorite

No change -
Collapses to ~10 Collapses to 10
Randomly interstratified
060 near 1.54
Irrational sequence illite-vermiculite

No change
No change or slight Randomly interstratified
060 near 1.54
increase in intensity illite-chlorite

Expands to
Collapses to ~10 Collapses to 10
Interstratified
higher spacing 060 near 1.50
illite-montmorillonite

060 near 1.54 Interstratified trioctahedral

illite-montmorillonite

No change Slight collapse Further collapse

Interstratified dioctahedral
060 near 1.50
illite-vermiculite

12-12.5 Destroyed or reduced Check hkl’s

No change
in intensity
Destroyed Fibrous morphology
against standard
Sepiolite

Destroyed - - may
10.5 Check hkl’s
No change survive slightly at Destroyed Fibrous morphology
against standard
Palygorskite
lower temperature

060 between Illite (and/or mica),

~10 Symmetrical
No change No change No change 1.51 - 1.52 muscovitic,
5 peak very various polymorphs

060 between Glauconite or

1.51 - 1.52 Celadonite
5 peak very
(Roscoelite if V bearing)

060 near 1.54 Biotite

various polymorphs

Interstratified
Unsymmetrical or No change or illite-montmorillonite or
060 variable
slight shift either way slight sharpening illite-vermiculite
(Illite)

Expands to ~11 Collapses to ~7 Destroyed Tubular morphology 060 near 1.49 Endellite

7 Check hkl’s
No change No change No change Fibrous morphology
against standard
Chrysotile

Check hkl’s
Platy morphology
against standard
Antigorite

060 near 1.49 Disordered kaolinite

Destroyed Platy morphology hk bands present (Fireclay)
moderately broad 001’s

060 near 1.54 Chlorite

060 near 1.50

Dioctahedral
Chlorite

Kaolinite
Hexagonal morphology hkl’s resolved
Dickite

Nacrite

Increase in spacing 060 near 1.49

Collapses to 7 Destroyed Tubular morphology Halloysite
or no change hk bands present