![]() ![]() The process by which some clay minerals swell when they take up water is reversible. ![]() Environmental industries use both these properties to produce homogeneous liners for containment of waste. This property is exploited by potters and the ceramics industry to produce plates, cups, bowls, pipes, and so on. A mixture of a lot of clay and a little water results in a mud that can be shaped and dried to form a relatively rigid solid. Without clay to act as a carrier, it would be difficult to evenly mix the paint base and color pigment. This property of clay is used by the paint industry to disperse pigment (color) evenly throughout a paint. When a little clay is added to water, a slurry forms because the clay distributes itself evenly throughout the water. Water molecules are strongly attracted to clay mineral surfaces. Most have the ability to soak up ions (electrically charged atoms and molecules) from a solution and release the ions later when conditions change. Some swell easily and may double in thickness when wet. Clay minerals all have a great affinity for water. The characterististics common to all clay minerals derive from their chemical composition, layered structure, and size. Physical and Chemical Properties of Clays Pine tree in the foreground is about 2 meters in height. Massive kaolinite deposits at the Hilltop pit, Lancaster County, South Carolina the clays formed by the hydrothermal alteration and weathering of crystal tuff. Clays and clay minerals are found mainly on or near the surface of the Earth.įigure 1. (An angstrom ( ) is a unit of measure at the scale of atoms.) Thus, clays may be composed of mixtures of finer grained clay minerals and clay-sized crystals of other minerals such as quartz, carbonate, and metal oxides. Clay minerals have a wide range of particle sizes from 10's of angstroms to millimeters. The term "clay" is applied both to materials having a particle size of less than 2 micrometers (25,400 micrometers = 1 inch) and to the family of minerals that has similar chemical compositions and common crystal structural characteristics (Velde, 1995) described in the next section. 1) can be developed safely with minimal effects on the environment. These studies can tell us how and where these minerals form and provide industry and land-planning agencies with the information necessary to decide how and where clay and clay mineral deposits (fig. Geological Survey (USGS) supports studies of the properties of clays, the mechanisms of clay formation, and the behavior of clays during weathering. Environmental Characteristics of Clays and Clay Mineral Deposits Environmental Characteristics of Clays and Clay Mineral DepositsĬlays and clay minerals have been mined since the Stone Age today they are among the most important minerals used by manufacturing and environmental industries. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |