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USGS Spectral Library Version 7 Sample Description

Kokaly, R.F., Clark, R.N., Swayze, G.A., Livo, K.E., Hoefen, T.M., Pearson, N.C., Wise, R.A., Benzel, W.M., Lowers, H.A., Driscoll, R.L., and Klein, A.J., 2017, USGS Spectral Library Version 7: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 1035, 61 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ds1035
For more information on the library, see: local link web link

TITLE: Ammonio-Smectite GDS86 DESCRIPT

DOCUMENTATION_FORMAT: MINERAL

SAMPLE_ID: GDS86

MINERAL_TYPE: Phyllosilicate

MINERAL: Ammonium_Smectite (Synthetic)

FORMULA: (NH4)0.33(Al,Mg)2Si4O10(OH)2*nH2O

FORMULA_HTML: (NH4)0.33(Al,Mg)2Si4O10(OH)2•nH2O

COLLECTION_LOCALITY: Synthetic

ORIGINAL_DONOR: Dennis Krohn, USGS Reston

CURRENT_SAMPLE_LOCATION: USGS Denver Spectroscopy Laboratory

ULTIMATE_SAMPLE_LOCATION: USGS Denver Spectroscopy Laboratory

SAMPLE_DESCRIPTION:

IMAGE_OF_SAMPLE:
Photo of sample

END_SAMPLE_DESCRIPTION.

XRD_ANALYSIS:

40 kV - 30 mA, 6.5-9.5 keV
File: amsmec86_mdi (smear on quartz plate)
References: PDF2 #13-0259 43-0688 33-1161; Brindley and Brown (1980)
Found: Possible dioctahedral ammonium smectite, quartz

Comment: All reflections are broad; the alpha1-alpha2 reflections of quartz are not resolved, even at high values of 2 theta. Clay reflections show only minor asymmetry toward smaller d-spacings. Search-match based upon strongest lines returned quartz and sepiolite, profile-based search-match returned quartz and rectorite. Neither pair satisfactorily explained the observed pattern. Manual search was initiated to identify the non-quartz peaks at 12.2, 4.46, ~3.23, ~2.57, and 1.499 Angstroms by visual comparison with patterns of clay-type minerals. No single phase gave a good match. The most adequate fits were given by 14 Angstroms montmorillonite (13-0259), which does not have a prominent reflection near 1.50 Angstroms, and another dioctahedral smectite, volkonskoite, which does not account for the observed 3.27 Angstrom reflection. The observed basal spacing, 12.2 Angstroms, is smaller than the basal reflections of any other smectites in the PDF2 database. A summary table in Brindley and Brown (1980, p.203-204) shows that substitution of NH4 for any other interlayer cation reduces the basal spacing's of a variety of smectites to 11.7-12.5 Angstroms at 32-79 percent relative humidity, and slightly greater in water.

END_XRD_ANALYSIS.

COMPOSITIONAL_ANALYSIS_TYPE: None # XRF, EPMA, ICP(Trace), WChem

COMPOSITION_TRACE: None

COMPOSITION_DISCUSSION:

END_COMPOSITION_DISCUSSION.

MICROSCOPIC_EXAMINATION:

END_MICROSCOPIC_EXAMINATION.

SPECTROSCOPIC_DISCUSSION:

END_SPECTROSCOPIC_DISCUSSION.

SPECTRAL_PURITY: 1b2_3_4_ # 1= 0.2-3, 2= 1.5-6, 3= 6-25, 4= 20-150 microns