lecture_6 Mineral Weathering and Secondary Mineral Formation.pptVIP

Mineral Weathering and Secondary Mineral Formationweathering: chemical alteration of minerals (in soils, involves water, gases, acids, etc). Parent material soil Desilication via weathering Parent Material=primary silicates formed from igneous/metamorphic processes Soil= secondary silicates, oxides, carbonates, etc.formed from weathering processes Behavior of Elements During Chemical Weathering Soils are depleted in elements relative to parent material Element loss/depletion is determined by elements position on periodic table (which column or group of columns) AND the element’s ionic potential Z/R = ionic potential z=charge, r=radius Classes: Z/R= 0-3 ion surrounded by H2O shell, soluble in H2O (Na, Ca, etc) Z/R=3-~9.5 ion so strongly attracts H2O that insoluble oxides/hydroxides form (Al, Fe) Z/R=~9.5 soluble oxyanions form (S, C, etc.) Ionic potential of important elements Red arrow indicates decreasing attaction to H2O within a group of elements Decreasing attraction is reflected in weathering losses….. Element loss varies with ionic potential Mineral Particle Size and Mineralogy Gravel 2mm (primary) Sand = 0.05 to 2.0 (primary) Silt 0.05 to 0.002 (primary + secondary) Clay 0.002 (secondary) Most secondary mineral are silicates, and most secondary silicates are phyllosilicates. 1:1 phyllosilicates: kaolinite One layer of Si tetrahedra One layer of Al octahedra Individual minerals are held to another via H bonds 2:1 Phyllosilicates: di and trioctahedral Dioctahedral (smectites) Substitution of +2 for +3 in octahedral layer (called isomorphous substitution) Creates a net negative charge (and property of cation exchange capacity) Results in expandable layers Trioctahedral (vermiculite) Substitution of +3 for +4 in tetrahedral layer Also has CEC, but little or no expansion Other secondary mineral groups: oxides Al oxides (gibbsite) Results of vigorous chemical weathering (desilicat