THE ORIGIN OF

CLAYS
But why clayIt is important to know where we are coming
from , since the course of study in MNA/IMACS
centers on clay and clay minerals basically

How are clays formed

Clays are formed from weathering of silica rich
rocks e.g Granite
Processes of Formation-Weathering of the silica rich rock
-bedrock weathering
-transporting of the weathered rocks
-Sedimentary processes
-Incorporation of Carbonates

Requirements
- ReactionTime
- Igneous Rocks (Intrusive Igneous Rocks)
-Geological Factor
-Agents of Transportation
Agents of Weathering
-Alteration of Chemical composition
-Pressure
-Temperature

Types of Clays Based on

Origin
1-Residual Clays-not far from parent rock
2-Sedimentary Clays -far from parent

material
Residual Clay

(primary clays)Non
plastic,white,e.g kaolin
Sedimentary Clay (secondary clays)Plastic,grey,darker,smaller paricles and
uniform e.g ball clay,fire clay

Residual clays are formed basically

by surface weathering
This gives clays in 3 ways
-chemical decomposition of rocks
-solution of rocks(limestone)containing clayey

impurities which are insoluble

-disintergration and solution of shales
But the most common process of clay

formation is the decompostion of feldspar

SOME INTRUSIVE ROCKS

Coarse Grains-slow cooling
Clays are not formed from Extrusive rocks

Diorite

Granite

Granite pegmatite

Gabbro

Mechanisms of clay minerals

formation
-Inheritance
-Neoformation
-Transformation
The 3 mechanisms operating in 3 geological

systems
-Weathering
-Sedimentary
- Diagenetic hydrothermal

Inheritance
Another area reaction
Stable
Natural deposit
Previous stage in rock cycle reaction
Dominace in sedimentary environments

Neoformation
Clays precipitation from solution
Reaction of amorphous material

Neoformation
Secondary precipitates of calcite , sulphates ,

Fe
Affirmation of permafrost
Structural and mineralogical changes are
irreversible and affect present soils
Understanding of quartenary environmentneeds assessment of possible frozen ground

Transformation
Possesion of inherited structure
Chemical reactions-ions exchanged and

modification of cations (layer transformation)

1)ion exchange between losely bound ion
and those of environments
2)layer transformation modification of
arrangement of octahedral, tetrahedral and
interlayer cations
Dominance in diagenetic-hydrothermal
environments

The best mechanism

Layer transformation
Result of this type of reaction are better

preserved in geological records

Environment of formation
1)Weathering zone
Upper zone of the earth crust T and P varies
Short reaction time
2)Sedimentary environment-long reaction

time(sedimentation,subsidence)
-near or below sea level
Sediment-water interface
-low temperature
Pressure (1 kb )

Diagenetic hydrothermal
-zones in contact with hot water
-wide range of environmental conditions

Incresing energy required

Mechnism/
environme
nts
sedimentary
weathering
Diagenesishydrotherm
al

inheritanc
e

neoformati transforma
on
tion

CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE OF
DETRITAL VS DIAGENESIS
ORIGIN OF CLAYS
DETRITAL OR DIAGENESIS

Detrital-reflection of character of source

material, inheritance of basic clay mineral

lattice
Diagenesis-adsorption of cation and its
modification

Application of XRD in Detrital vs

Diagenesis controversy
-Collection of thousands of samples

-to illustrate the variety of clay under similar

environmental conditions
-variety of environments in which same clay
minerals occur

XRD OF ORGANIC AND PYRITE RICH

SHALES
-No particular clay mineral is restricted to a

particular environments
-dominance of kaolinite in fluviate
environment
-illite ,monmorillionite
abundance,frequency,sole clay mineral in all
environments
-chlorite not a dominant mineral
-non marine shales are seldom,if ever
monomineralic

interpretation
-clay minerals do not originate from

depositional environments
-they are detrital in origin
-though they are altered(degraded) in fluviate
and subaerial environments
But little evidence of alteration in major basin
of deposition to show that it is a major factor
in defining the ultimate mineralogic character
of clay

TYPES OF CLAYS BASED ON

GROUPS
-KAOLINITE
-MONTMORILLIONITE
-SMECTITE
-ILLITE
-CHLORITE

BASED ON GENERAL COMPOSITION

AND PROPERTIES
-KAOLIN-consist mainly of kaolinite
-BENTONITE-majorly monmorillionite,hardens

when mixed with water

-BALL CLAY-kaolinite, mica
-FIRE CLAY-kaolinite,
feoxide,magnesia,alkalines,can resist high
temp
-COMMON CLAY-no resistance to heat, has
impurities than fire clay
-ARMENIAN BOLE-attapulgite

Bibliography
Clay mineral formation and transformation in

rocks and soils by D.D EBERL , US Geological

survey
A discussion on the origin of clay minerals in
sedimentary rocks by Charles .E Weaver, Shell
Oil Co,Houston,Texas
Identification of Clay minerals by Xray
Diffraction Analysis by George W Brindley
The origin of clay minerals in soilsand
weathered rocks, www.springer.com
Clay types, geologic origins by ARTS 186

NOW THAT WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE

COMING FROM , WE CAN IDENTIFY WHERE WE

ARE GOING TO

THANKS FOR LISTENING

MERCI POUR VOTRE ATTENTION