Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-2pzkn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-14T10:55:39.174Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Octahedral occupancy and the chemical composition of diagenetic (low-temperature) chlorites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

S. Hillier
Affiliation:
Ecole Normale Supérieure, Département de Géologie, 24, rue Lhomond, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
B. Velde
Affiliation:
Ecole Normale Supérieure, Département de Géologie, 24, rue Lhomond, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France

Abstract

The chemical composition of about 500 diagenetic chlorites, determined by electron microprobe, has been studied in six different sedimentary sequences spanning conditions from early diagenesis to low-grade metamorphism, in the temperature range 40–330°C. The range of Fe/(Fe + Mg) is almost complete and is positively correlated with Al. Five sequences show the same compositional variation. In each, the most siliceous chlorites have the lowest R2+, substantially more octahedral than tetrahedral Al, and the lowest octahedral totals. Conversely, the least siliceous have the highest R2+, nearly equal octahedral and tetrahedral Al, and octahedral totals close to that for an ideal trioctahedral mineral. A dioctahedral substitution Si[]R2−2 (where [] represents a vacant octahedral site) which decreases with temperature, describes this variation. Low octahedral totals are, however, induced by the method of calculation and need not indicate vacancies; for published wet chemical analyses of metamorphic chlorites they may simply indicate oxidation of Fe. Intergrown dioctahedral phyllosilicates may partly account for apparent vacancies in diagenetic chlorites. Nevertheless, the correlation of composition with temperature and similarities to the temperature-related evolution of synthetic chlorites, suggest that diagenetic chlorites are compositionally distinct from, but metastable with respect to, fully trioctahedral metamorphic chlorites. Temperature-related trends are modified by bulk composition, complicating their potential use for low-temperature geothermometry.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ahn, H. J. & Peacor, D.R. (1985) Transmission electron microscopic study of chlorite in Gulf Coast argillaceous sediments. Clays Clay Miner., 33, 228–236.Google Scholar
Bailey, S.W. & Brown, B.E. (1962) Chlorite polytypism: I. Regular and semi-random one layer structures. Am. Miner., 47, 819–850.Google Scholar
Barker, C.E. & Pawlewicz, M.J. (1986) The correlation of vitrinite reflectance with maximum temperature in humic organic matter. Pp. 7993 in: Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences 5. Palaeogeothermics(Bunterbath, G. & Stenga, L., editors). Springer-Verlag, Berlin.Google Scholar
Beaufort, D. (1986) Defenition des equilibres chlorite-mica blanc dans la metamorphisme et la metasomatimse: etude des metasediments encaisant Vamas sulfure de Rouez. These, Univ. Poitiers, France.Google Scholar
Bettison, L. A. & Schiffmann, P. (1988) Compositional and structural variations of phyllosilicates from the Point Sal ophiolite, California. Am. Miner., 73, 62–76.Google Scholar
BoleS, J.R. & Franks, S.G. (1979) Clay diagenesis in Wilcox sandstones of southwest Texas: implications of smectite diagenesis on sandstone cementation. J. Sed. Pet., 49, 55–70.Google Scholar
Cathelineau, M. & Nieva, D. (1985) A chlorite solid solution geothermometer: The Los Azufres (Mexico) geothermal system. Contrib. Mineral. Pet., 91, 235–244.Google Scholar
Cathelineau, M. (1988) Cation site occupancy in chlorites and illites as a function of temperature. Clay Miner., 23, 471485.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Curtis, C.D., Ireland, B.J., Whiteman, J.A., Mulvaney, R. & Whittle, C.K. (1984) Authigenic chlorites: problems with chemical analysis and structural formula calculation Clay Miner., 19, 471–481.Google Scholar
Curtis, C.D., Hughes, C.R., Whiteman, J.A. & Whittle, C.K. (1985) Compositional variation within some sedimentary chlorites and some comments on their origin. Mineral. Mag., 49, 375–386.Google Scholar
Eslinger, E.V. & Savin, S.M. (1973) Oxygen isotope geothermometry of the burial metamorphic rocks of the Precambrian Belt Supergroup, Glacier National Park, Montana. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 84, 2549–2560.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fransolet, A.M. & Schreyer, W. (1984) Sudoite, di/trioctahedral chlorite: a stable low-temperature phase in the system MgO-Al2OrSiO2-H2O. Contrib. Mineral. Pet., 86, 409–417.Google Scholar
Foster, M.D. (1962) Interpretation of the composition and a classification of the chlorites. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap., 414A. Google Scholar
Frey, M. (1987). The reaction-isograd kaolinite + quartz = pyrophyllite + H20, Helvetic Alps Switzerland. Schweiz. Miner. Petrogr. Mitt., 67, 1–11.Google Scholar
Hayes, J.B. (1970) Polytypism of chlorite in sedimentary rocks. Clays Clay Miner., 18, 285–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hey, M.H. (1954). A new review of the chlorites. Mineral. Mag., 30, 277–292.Google Scholar
Hillier, S.J. (1989) Clay mineral diagenesis and organic maturity indicators in Devonian lacustrine mudrocksfrom the Orcadian Basin, northern Scotland. PhD thesis, Univ. Southampton, UK.Google Scholar
Inoue, A., Utada, M., Nagata, H. & Watanabe, T. (1984). Conversion of trioctahedral smectite to interstratified chlorite/smectite in Pliocene acidic pyroclastic sediments of the Ohyu district, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Clay Sci., 6, 103116.Google Scholar
Jahren, J.S. & Aagaard, P. (1989) Compositional variation in diagenetic chlorites and illites, and relationships with formation-water chemistry. Clay Miner., 24, 157–170.Google Scholar
Laird, J. (1988) Chlorites: metamorphic petrology. Pp. 405-447 in: Hydrous Phyllosilicates (Exclusive of Micas) (Bailey, S.W., editor). Reviews in Mineralogy, 19, Mineralogical Society of America, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Lee, J.H., Ahn, J.H. & Peacor, D.R. (1985) Textures in layered silicates progressive changes through diagenesis and low temperature metamorphism. J. Sed. Pet., 55, 532–540.Google Scholar
Maxwell, D.T. & Hower, J. (1967) High-grade diagenesis and low-grade metamorphism of illite in the Precambrian Belt series. Am. Miner., 52, 843–857.Google Scholar
Medhioub, M. (1987) Chlorites de neogenese et approche a Vequilibre chimique. Thèse de Doctoral, Univ. Paris 6, France.Google Scholar
Newman, A.C.D. & Brown, G. (1987) The chemical constitution of clays. Pp. 1128 in: Chemistry of Clays and Clay Minerals (Newman, A.C.D., editor). Mineralogical Society, London.Google Scholar
Paradis, S. (1981) Le metamorphisme Hercynien dans le domaine centre Armoricain occidental: Essai de characterisation par Vetude des phyllite des formations greso-pelitiques. Thèse de Doctorat, Univ. Bretagne Occidental, France.Google Scholar
Paradis, S., Velde, B. & Nicot, E. (1983) Chloritoid-Pyrophyllite-Rectorite facies rocks from Brittany, France. Contrib. Mineral. Pet., 83, 342–347.Google Scholar
Shau, Y-H. Peacor, D.R. & Essene, E.J. (1990) Corrensite and mixed-layer chlorite/corrensite in metabasalt from northern Taiwan: TEM/AEM, EMPA, XRD, and optical studies. Contrib. Mineral. Pet,, 105, 123–142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shirozu, H. (1960) Ionic substitutions in Fe-Mg chlorites. Mem. Faculty Sci. Kyushu Univ. D, Geol., 9, 183–186.Google Scholar
Velde, B. (1973) Phase equilibria in the system MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O: chlorites and associated minerals. Mineral. Mag., 39, 297–312.Google Scholar
Velde, B. & Rumble, D. (1977) Alumina content of chlorite in muscovite bearing assemblages. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Yearbook, 76, 621–623.Google Scholar
Velde, B. (1984) Electron microprobe analysis of clay minerals. Clay Miner., 19, 243–247.Google Scholar
Velde, B. (1985) Clay Minerals: a Physico Chemical Explanation of their Occurrence.Developments in Sedimentology No. 40, Elsevier, Amsterdam Google Scholar
Velde, B., Suzuki, T. & Nicot, E. (1986) Pressure, temperature composition of illite/smectite mixed-layer minerals: Niger Delta mudstones and other examples. Clays Clay Miner., 34, 431–435.Google Scholar
Velde, B. & Medhioub, M. (1988) Approach to chemical equilibrium in diagenetic chlorites. Contrib. Mineral. Pet. 98, 122127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wiewiora, A. & Weiss, Z. (1990) Crystallochemical classifications of phyllosilicates based on the unified system of projection of chemical composition: II. The chlorite group. Clay Miner., 25, 83–92.Google Scholar
Yau, Y., Peacor, D.R., Beane, R.E., Essene, E.J. & McDowell, S.D. (1988) Microstructures, formation mechanisms, and depth zoning of phyllosilicates in geothermally altered shales, Salton Sea, Californa. Clays Clay Miner., 36, 1–10.Google Scholar