Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4hhp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-05T00:08:36.750Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Crystallochemical characterization of the palygorskite and sepiolite from the Allou Kagne deposit, Senegal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

E. García-Romero ,
M. Suárez ,
J. Santarén  and
A. Alvarez
E. García-Romero*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Cristalografía y Mineralogía, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
M. Suárez
Affiliation:
Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Salamanca, E-37008 Salamanca, Spain
J. Santarén
Affiliation:
TOLSA Ctra Vallecas-Mejorada del Campo, km 1600, 28031 Madrid, Spain
A. Alvarez
Affiliation:
TOLSA Ctra Vallecas-Mejorada del Campo, km 1600, 28031 Madrid, Spain
*
*E-mail address of corresponding author: mromero@geo.ucm.es
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The Allou Kagne (Senegal) deposit consists of different proportions of palygorskite and sepiolite, and these are associated with small quantities of quartz and X-ray amorphous silica as impurities. No pure palygorskite or sepiolite has been recognized by X-ray diffraction. Textural and microtextural features indicate that fibrous clay minerals of the Allou Kagne deposit were formed by direct precipitation from solution. Crystal-chemistry data obtained by analytical/transmission electron microscopy (AEM/TEM) analyses of isolated fibers show that the chemical composition of the particles varies over a wide range, from a composition corresponding to palygorskite to a composition intermediate between that of sepiolite and palygorskite, but particles with a composition corresponding to sepiolite have not been found. Taking into account the results from selected area electron diffraction and AEM-TEM, fibers of pure palygorskite and sepiolite have been found but it cannot be confirmed that all of the particles analyzed correspond to pure palygorskite or pure sepiolite because both minerals can occur together at the crystallite scale. In addition, the presence of Mg-rich palygorskite and very Al-rich sepiolite can be deduced.

It is infrequent in nature that palygorskite and sepiolite appear together because the conditions for simultaneous formation of the two minerals are very restricted. The chemical composition of the solution controls the formation of the Allou Kagne sepiolite and palygorskite. The wide compositional variation appears as a consequence of temporary variations of the chemical composition of the solution.

Keywords

AEM-TEMAllou-Kagne DepositsCrystal ChemistryPalygorskiteSAEDSenegalSepiolite
Type
Research Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals , Volume 55 , Issue 6 , December 2007 , pp. 606 - 617
Copyright
Copyright © 2007, The Clay Minerals Society

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

Akbulut, A. and Kadir, S., (2003) The geology and origin of sepiolite, palygorskite and saponite in Neogene lacustrine sediments of the Serinhisar-Acipayam Basin, Denizly, SW Turkey Clays and Clay Minerals 51 279–292 10.1346/CCMN.2003.0510304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alvarez, A., Singer, A. and Galán, E., (1984) Sepiolite properties and uses Palygorskite-Sepiolite. Occurrences, Genesis and Uses Amsterdam Elsevier 253–287.Google Scholar
Bailey, S.W., Brindley, G.W. and Brown, G., (1980) Structure of layer silicates Crystal Structures of Clay Minerals and their X-ray Identification London Mineralogical Society 1–123.Google Scholar
Birsoy, R., (2002) Formation of sepiolite-palygorskite and related minerals from solution Clays and Clay Minerals 50 736–745 10.1346/000986002762090263.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bowles, A. Angino, E.A. Hosterman, J.W. and Galle, O.K., (1971) Precipitation of deep-sea palygorskite and sepiolite Earth and Planetary Science Letters 11 324–332 10.1016/0012-821X(71)90187-7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bradley, W.F., (1940) The structural scheme of attapulgite American Mineralogist 25 405–411.Google Scholar
Brauner, K. and Preisinger, A., (1956) Estruktur und Enstehung des sepiolits Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographisches Mitteilungen 6 120–140 10.1007/BF01128033.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castillo, A., Lunar, R. and Oyarzun, R., (1991) Geología de los yacimientos de minerales del grupo paligorskita-sepiolita Yacimientos minerales, Técnicas de estudio, Tipos, Evoloción metalognética, Exploración S.A., Spain Editorial Centro de Estudios ramón Areces 609–636.Google Scholar
Chahi, A. Fritz, B. Duplay, J. Weber, F. and Lucas, J., (1997) Textural transition and genetic relationship between precursor stevensite and sepiolite in lacustrine sediments (Jbel Rhassoul, Morocco) Clays and Clay Minerals 45 378–389 10.1346/CCMN.1997.0450308.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chahi, A. Petit, S. and Decarreau, A., (2002) Infrared evidence of dioctahedral-trioctahedral site occupancy in palygorskite Clays and Clay Minerals 50 306–313 10.1346/00098600260358067.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Estéoule-Choux, J., (1984) Palygorskite in the Tertiary deposits of the Armorican Massif Palygrorskite-Sepiolite. Occurrences, Genesis and Uses 37 75–85.Google Scholar
Galán, E. and Carretero, I., (1999) A new approach to compositional limits for sepiolite and palygorskite Clays and Clay Minerals 47 399–409 10.1346/CCMN.1999.0470402.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Galán, E. Castillo, A., Singer, A. and Galán, E., (1984) Sepiolite-palygorskite in Spanish Tertiary basins: Genetical patterns in continental environments Palygorskite-Sepiolite. Occurrences, Genesis and Uses Amsterdam Elsevier 87–124.Google Scholar
Galán, E. and Ferrero, A., (1982) Palygorskite-sepiolite clays of Lebrija, Southern Spain Clays and Clay Minerals 30 191–199 10.1346/CCMN.1982.0300305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garcia-Romero, E. Suárez Barrios, M. and Bustillo Revuelta, M.A., (2004) Characteristics of a Mg-palygorskite in Miocene rocks (Madrid Basin, Spain) Clays and Clay Minerals 52 486–494.Google Scholar
Garcia-Romero, E. Suárez, M. Oyarzun, R. López-García, J.A. and Regueiro, M., (2006) Fault-hosted palygorskite from the Serrata de Níjar deformation zone (SE Spain) Clays and Clay Minerals 54 324–332 10.1346/CCMN.2006.0540304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haji-Vassilou, A. and Puffer, J.H., (1975) A macrocrystalline attapulgite-palygorskite ocurrence in calcite veins American Mineralogist 60 328–330.Google Scholar
Hay, R.L. and Wiggins, B., (1980) Pellets, ooids, sepiolite and silica in three calcretes of the southwestern United States Sedimentology 27 559–576 10.1111/j.1365-3091.1980.tb01647.x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, B.F. Galán, E. and Bailey, S.W., (1988) Sepiolite and palygorskite Hydrous Phyllosilicates (exclusive of micas) Washington, D.C. Mineralogical Society of America 631–674 10.1515/9781501508998-021.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kamineni, D.C. Griffault, L.Y. and Kerrich, R., (1993) Palygorskite from fracture zones in the Eye—Dashwa Lakes granitic pluton, Atikokan, Ontario The Canadian Mineralogist 31 173–183.Google Scholar
Khoury, J.N. Eberl, D.D. and Jones, B.F., (1982) Origin of magnesium clays from the Amargosa Desert, Nevada Clays and Clay Minerals 30 327–336 10.1346/CCMN.1982.0300502.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
La Iglesia, A., (1977) Precipitación por disolución homogénea de silicatos de aluminio y magnesio a temperatura ambiente. Síntesis de la paligorskita Estudios Geológicos 33 535–544.Google Scholar
Leguey, S., Martín Rubí, J.A., Casas, J., Marta, J., Cuevas, J., Alvarez, J. and Medina, J.A. (1995) Diagenetic evolution and mineral fabric in sepiolitic materials from the Vicalvaro Deposit (Madrid Basin). Pp. 383–392 in: Proceedings of the 10th International Clay Conference, Adelaide.Google Scholar
Lopez-Galindo, A. Ben Aboud, A. Fenoll Hach-Ali, P. and Casas Ruiz, J., (1996) Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of palygorskite from Gabasa (NE Spain). Evidence of a detrital precursor Clay Minerals 31 33–44 10.1180/claymin.1996.031.1.03.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marín Pozas, J.M. Sánchez Camazano, M. and Martín Vivaldi Martínez, J.L., (1981) La Paligorskita de Tabladillo (Guadalajara) Boletín Geológico y Minero XCII-V 395–402.Google Scholar
Martín Vivaldi, J.L. and Cano, J., (1956) Contribution to the study of sepiolite: II Some considerations regarding the mineralogical formula Proceedings of the fourth National Conference on Clays and Clay Minerals USA National Academy of Sciences — National Research Council Publication 456, 1956 173–176.Google Scholar
Millot, G., (1970) Geology of Clays: Weathering, Sedimentology, Geochemisty New York Springer Verlag 10.1007/978-3-662-41609-9 430 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newman, A.C.D. Brown, G. and Newman, A.C.D., (1987) The chemical constitution of clays Chemistry of Clays and Clay Minerals Harlow, Essex, UK The Mineralogical Society, Longman Scientific and Technical 1–128.Google Scholar
Paquet, H. Duplay, J. Vallerçon-Blanc, M.M. Millot, G., Schultz, L.G. Van Olphen, H. and Mumpton, F.A., (1987) Octahedral compositions of individual particles in smectite-palygorskite and smectite-sepiolite assemblages Proceedings of the International Clay Conference, Denver, 1985 Bloomington, Indiana The Clay Minerals Society 73–77.Google Scholar
Serna, C. Van Scoyoc, G.E. and Ahlrichs, J.L., (1977) Hydroxyl groups and water in palygorskite American Mineralogist 62 784–792.Google Scholar
Siffert, B. and Wey, R., (1962) Synthèse d’une sépiolite à température ordinaire Comptes rendus de l’Academie des sciences, Paris 245 1460–1463.Google Scholar
Singer, A., Singer, A. and Galán, E., (1984) Pedogenic palygorskite in the arid environment Palygorskite-Sepiolite. Occurrences, Genesis and Uses Amsterdam Elsevier 169–175.Google Scholar
Singer, A. and Norrish, K., (1974) Pedogenetic palygorskite. Occurrences in Australia American Mineralogist 59 508–517.Google Scholar
Suárez, M. Robert, M. Elsass, F. and Martín Pozas, J.M., (1994) Evidence of a precursor in the neoformation of palygorskite — New data by analytical electron microscopy Clay Minerals 29 255–264 10.1180/claymin.1994.029.2.11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tien, P.L., (1973) Palygorskite from Warren Quarry, Enderby, Leicestershire, England Clay Minerals 10 27–34 10.1180/claymin.1973.010.1.03.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Torres-Ruiz, J. López-Galindo, A. González-López, J.M. and Delgado, A., (1994) Geochemistry of Spanish sepiolitepalygorskite deposits: Genetic considerations based on trace elements and isotopes Geochemical Geology 112 221–245 10.1016/0009-2541(94)90026-4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Verrecchia, E.P. and Le Coustumer, M.N., (1996) Occurrence and genesis of palygorskite and associated clay minerals i Pleistocene calcrete complex, Sde Boqer, Negev desert, Israel Clay Minerals 31 183–202 10.1180/claymin.1996.031.2.04.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watts, N.L., (1976) Paleopedogenic palygorskite from the basal Permo-Triassic of northwest Scotland American Mineralogist 61 299–302.Google Scholar
Watts, N.L., (1980) Quaternary pedogenic calcretes from the Kalahari (southern Africa): mineralogy, genesis and diagenesis Sedimentology 27 661–686 10.1111/j.1365-3091.1980.tb01654.x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weaver, C.E., (1984) Origin and geologic implications of the palygorkite of S.E. United States Palygorskite-Sepiolite. Occurrences, Genesis and Uses 37 39–58.Google Scholar
Wollast, R. Mackenzie, F.T. and Bricker, O., (1968) Experimental precipitation and genesis of sepiolite at earth-surface conditions American Mineralogist 53 1645–1662.Google Scholar
Yaalon, D.M. and Wieder, M., (1976) Pedogenetic palygorskite in some arid brown (calciothid) soils of Israel Clay Minerals 11 73–79 10.1180/claymin.1976.011.1.08.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zaaboub, N. Abdeljapouad, S. and López Galindo, A., (2005) Origin of fibrous clays in Tunisian Paleogene continental deposits Journal of African Earth Sciences 43 491–504 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2005.08.013.CrossRefGoogle Scholar