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Smectite(Ca0.17(Al,Fe,Mg)2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2.nH2O)
Synonyms:Montimorillonite,Beidellite,Saponite

Silicate,Phyllosilicate,Claymineral
CrystalSystem:Monoclinic

Smectitesareagroupofclayminerals.
MontimorrilloniteistheMgrich
endmemberofthesmectitegroup,
beidelliteistheFerichendmember.

PhysicalProperties
HandSpecimenColour:white,pink,
yellowbrown,yellow,red,green
Transparency:translucent,opaque
Lustre:earthy,dull
Streak:white
Hardness:12
Density:0
Habit:usuallyextremelyfinegrained
aggregates
Cleavage:One:perfect[001]

OpticalProperties
PPLColour:colourless
Pleochroism:none
Relief:Moderate

Birefringence:00.04
Howtousecrystaldiagram
2V:060
OpticType:Biaxial()

Occurrence
Thesmectitegroupmineralsdominateinargillaceoussedimentsgeneratedbyweatheringofigneousrocks.Beidelliteismostcommon
inbentoniteclaysderivedbyweatheringofvolcanicash.Montimorilloniteismostcommoninfullersearthderivedbyalterationofbasic
igneousrocks.

IdentificationTips
Usuallyclaymineralscannotbedistinguishedfromeachotherinthinsectionsincetheyformveryfinegrainedaggregatesofseveral
clayminerals.Claymineralscanalsohavecomplexstructureswhichcombinelayersfromdifferentendmemberclayminerals.

RelatedMineralsandMineralGroups:
 RelatedMineralsandMineralGroups:
illite,kaolinite,vermiculite

ExampleImages

APPLthinsectionimageshowi...viewviewrock AXPLthinsectionimageshowi...viewviewrock

APPLthinsectionimageshowi...viewviewrock APPLthinsectionimageshowi...viewviewrock

APPLthinsectionimageshowi...viewviewrock AXPLthinsectionimageshowi...viewviewrock

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