Hostname: page-component-5c6d5d7d68-txr5j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-08-20T04:49:53.121Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Lateral Clay Mineral Variations in Certain Pennsylvanian Underclays

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Walter E. Parham
Walter E. Parham*
Affiliation:
State Geological Survey, Urbana, Illinois, USA
*
*Present address: Minnesota Geological Survey, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

X-ray diffraction techniques were used to identify the clay mineral assemblages of Pennsylvanian underclay samples taken mainly from beneath the Colchester (No. 2) and Herrin (No. 6) Coals of Illinois and the Middle Kittanning Coal of Ohio. The clay minerals present are kaolinite, illite, chlorite, vermiculite, montmorillonite, and mixed-layer clay minerals. The minerals are not restricted to any particular stratigraphic unit, and their areal distribution is related to paleogeographic position in the original basin of deposition. Kaolinite shows a decrease in abundance from near shore to more basinward areas; illite is not present in near shore regions, becomes common basinward, and then shows a decrease with increasing distance from shore; chlorite is not found in near shore or in extreme basinward areas but is most common slightly basinward of the illite maximum; montmorillonite is fairly rare but is prominent in the most basinward positions; vermiculite is uncommon but usually occurs where kaolinite is the dominant mineral; mixed-layer clay minerals are present in all samples, constituting a small fraction of the clay minerals in the near shore regions but increases to the major constituent in the most basinward areas.

Clay minerals entering the basin of deposition during underclay formation were mainly kaolinite and mixed-layer clay minerals. As the mixed-layer clays were carried basinward into waters of increasing salinity, some of the mixed-layer clays, formed from weathered illite and chlorite, preferentially adsorbed potassium and magnesium and were regraded. Mixed-layer clay minerals that had undergone severe structural damage during weathering were not regraded and were deposited further basinward.

Maps showing lateral variation of clay minerals in an underclay also show the paleogeography. These maps may be used in outlining positive areas and deltas, or specific types of clay deposits.

Type
General
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals (National Conference on Clays and Clay Minerals) , Volume 12 , February 1963 , pp. 581 - 602
Copyright
Copyright © The Clay Minerals Society 1963

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

Baker, Donald R. (1962) Organic geochemistry of Cherokee Group in southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma; Bull. Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol., v. 46, No. 9, pp. 1621–1642.Google Scholar
Bradley, W. F. (1953) Analysis of mixed-layer clay mineral structures: Anal. Chem., v. 25, pp. 727–730.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, Charles Q., and Ingram Roy, L. (1954) The clay minerals of the Neuse River sediments.: J. Sed. Pet., v. 24, No. 3, pp. 196–199.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carroll, Dorothy (1962) Rainwater as a chemical agent of geologic processes—A review: Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1535-G, p. 18.Google Scholar
Choux, J. (1961) Mineralogical study of some alteration of clays from the Armorican Massif: Bull. Soc. Franc. Mineralogie et Crystall, v. 84, No. 3, pp. 241–244.Google Scholar
Conway, E. J. (1942) Mean geochemical data in relation to oceanic evolution: Roy Irish Acad. Proc., v. 48, B, No. 8, pp. 119–159.Google Scholar
Deevey, Jr., Edward, S. (1958) Bogs: Scientific American, v. 199, No. 4, pp. 114–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duff, P. Mci, D., and Walton, E. K, (1962) Statistical basis for cyclothems: A quantitative study of the sedimentary succession in the east Pennine Coalfield: Sedimentology, v. 1, No. 4, pp. 235–255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunbar, Carl O., and Rodgers, John (1957) Principles of Stratigraphy: John Wiley and Sons, New York, p. 149.Google Scholar
Geol. Soc. Amer. Guidebook series, guide book for field trips, Pittsburgh Meeting (1959), 70 pp.Google Scholar
Glass, H. D. (1958) Clay mineralogy of Pennsylvania sediments in southern Illinois in Clays and Clay Minerals, Natl. Acad. Sci.—Natl. Res. Council, pub. 566, pp. 81119.Google Scholar
Gorham, Eville (1961) Factors influencing supply of major ions to inland waters, with special reference to the atmosphere: Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., v. 72, No. 6, pp. 795–840.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grim, R. E., and Allen, V. T. (1938) Petrology of the Pennsylvanian underclays of Illinois: Geol Soc. Amer. Bull, v. 49, pp. 1485–1514.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Groot, Johan J., and Glass, Herbert D. (1960) Some aspects of the mineralogy of the northern Atlantic coastal plain: Clays and Clay Minerals, 7th Conf., Pergamon Press, New York, pp. 271–284.Google Scholar
Hatch, F. H., Rastall, R. H., and Black, M. (1950) The Petrology of Sedimentary Rocks: Thomas Murby and Co., London , 383 pp.Google Scholar
Hayes, John B. (1963) Clay mineralogy of Mississippian strata of southeast Iowa: Clays and Clay Minerals, 10th Conf., Pergamon Press, New York, pp. 413–425.Google Scholar
Hirst, D. M. (1962) The geochemistry of modern sediments from the Gulf of Paria-I: Geochim. et Cosmochim. Acta, v. 26, pp. 309–334.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hosking, J. S. (1957) Clay mineralogy and parent material: 2nd Austral Conf. in Soil Sci., v. 1, Part 1, Paper No. 7.Google Scholar
Huddle, John W., and Patterson, Sam H. (1961) Origin of Pennsylvanian underclay and related seat rocks: Geol Soc. Amer. Bull., v. 72, pp. 1643–1660.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johns, W. D., and Grim, R. E. (1958) Clay mineral composition of recent sediments from the Mississippi River Delta: J. Sed. Pet., v. 28, pp. 186–199.Google Scholar
Karstrom, Adabell (1951) The clay minerals associated with bituminous coals: 111. State Geol. Survey unpublished manuscript.Google Scholar
Keller, W. D., Westcott, J. F., and Bledsoe, A. O. (1954) The origin of Missouri fire clays: in Clays and Clay Minerals, Natl. Acad. Sci.—Natl. Res. Council, pub. 327, pp. 7–46.Google Scholar
Kosanke, R. M., Simon, J. A., Wanless, H. R., and Willman, E. B. (1960) Classification of the Pennsylvanian strata of Illinois: Report of Investigations 214, 111. State Geol. Survey.Google Scholar
Kossovskaia, A. G., and Shutov, V. D. (1958) Factors determining the mineralogical composition of clay rocks in platform and geosyncline regions: Some Data on.Google Scholar
Geology, Mineralogy and Utilization of Clays in the USSR, Repts. on the Internat. Meeting on Clays, Bruxelles.Google Scholar
Logan, W. E. (1842) On the character of the beds of clay lying immediately below the coal seams of South Wales: Geol. Soc. London Proc., v. 3, pp. 275–277.Google Scholar
McCue, John B. et al. (1948) Clay of West Virginia: West Virginia Geol. Survey, v. XVIII.Google Scholar
McMillan, N. J. (1956) Petrology of the Nodaway underclay (Pennsylvanian), Kansas: State Geol. Survey of Kansas Bull., No. 119, pt. 6, pp. 191–247.Google Scholar
McVay, Thomas N., and Toulmin, Lyman D. (1945) Alabama shales and fire clays: Geol. Survey of Alabama Bull., No. 55, pp. 40–41.Google Scholar
Nelson, Bruce W. (1960) Clay mineralogy of the bottom sediments, Rappahannock River, Virginia: Clays and Clay Minerals, 7th Conf., Pergamon Press, New York, pp. 135–147.Google Scholar
Nicholls, G. D., and Loring, D. H. (1960) Some chemical data on British Carboniferous sediments and their relationship to the clay mineralogy of these rocks: Clay Minerals Bull., v. 4, No. 24, pp. 196–207.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nicholls, G. D., and Loring, D. H. (1962) The geochemistry of some British Carboniferous sediments: Geochim. et Cosmochim. Acta, v. 26, pp. 181–223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oberlin, A., and Tchoubar, C. (1959) Etude en microscopie et diffraction électroniques de l'altération de la kaolinite parľeau influence des sels dissous; Silicates Industriels, Tome 24, No. 4, pp. 197–202.Google Scholar
Parham, Walter E. (1958) The petrology of the underclay of the Illinois No. 2 Coal, Pennsylvanian, in the Eastern Interior Basin: University of Illinois M.S. Thesis. Unpublished.Google Scholar
Potonie, H. (1910) Die Entstehung der Steinkohle und der Kaustobiolithe Uberhaupt: Gebrüder Borntraeger, Berlin 5th Edition.Google Scholar
Potter, Paul E. (1962) Regional distribution patterns of Pennsylvanian sandstones in Illinois Basin: Bull Amer. Assoc. Petrol Geol, v. 46, No. 10, pp. 1890–1911.Google Scholar
Powers, Maurice C. (1954) Clay diagenesis in the Chesapeake Bay area; in Clays and Clay Minerals, Natl. Acad. Sci.—Natl. Res. Council, pub. 327, pp. 68–80.Google Scholar
Pritchard, D. W. (1950) Notes on the dynamics of estaurine waters: Proc. Coll. on Flushing of Estuaries, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, No. 50-37, pp. 49–60.Google Scholar
Pryor, W. A., and Glass, H. D. (1961) Cretaceous-Tertiary clay mineralogy of the upper Mississippi embayment: J. Sed. Pet., v. 31, No. 1, pp. 38–5l.Google Scholar
Rankama, K. and Sahama, T. G. (1950) Geochemistry: The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, p. 912.Google Scholar
Rateev, M. A. (1961) Regularities in spatial distribution of kaolinite in marine sediments: Doki Akad. Nauk. SSSR., ν.141, No. 5, pp. 1200–1203.Google Scholar
Schultz, L. G. (1954) The petrology of underclays: Geol Soc. Amer. Bull, v. 69, No. 4, pp. 363–402.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Searight, Walter V., Howe, Wallace V., Moore, Raymond C., Jewett, J. Mark, Condra, G. E., Oakes, Malcolm C., and Branson, Carl C. (1953) Classification of Desmoinesian (Pennsylvanian) of northern mid-continent: Bull Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol, No. 12, pp. 2747–2749.Google Scholar
Senstius, M. W. (1958) Climax forms of rock weathering: Amer. Scientist, v. 46, No. 4, pp. 355–367.Google Scholar
Spencer, C. W. (1955) A petrographic study of the underclay of the No. 6 Coal in Illinois: University of Illinois M.S. Thesis. Unpublished.Google Scholar
Stevenson, J. J. (1911, 1912 and 1913) The formation of coal beds: Proe. Amer. Phil Soc., v. 50 (1), (2), v. 51 (3), v. 52 (4).Google Scholar
Stout, W. (1923) Coal formation clays: Ohio Geol Surv. Bull, No. 26, ser.4, pp. 533–568.Google Scholar
Stout, W. (1931) Pennsylvanian cycles in Ohio: III Geol. Surv. Bull., No. 60, pp. 195–216.Google Scholar
Sturgeon, Myron T., and associates (1958) The geology and mineral resources of Athens County, Ohio: Ohio Div. of Geol Surv. Bull., No. 57, p. 48.Google Scholar
Waagé, Karl M. (1961) Stratigraphy and refractory clayrocks of the Dakota group along the northern front range, Colorado: U.S. Geol Surv. Bull, No. 1102, 154 pp.Google Scholar
Wahl, F. M. (1957) A petrographic study of the underclay of the No. 5 Coal in Illinois: University of Illinois M.S. Thesis. Unpublished.Google Scholar
Wanless, H. R., and Weiler, J. M. (1932) Correlation and extent of Pennsylvanian cyclothems: Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer., v. 43, pp. 1003–1016.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wanless, H. R. (1947) Regional variations in Pennsylvanian lithology: J. Geol., v. 55, pp. 237–253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wanless, H. R., Tubb, J. R. Jr., Gednetz, D. E., and Weiner, J. L. (1963) Mapping sedimentary environments of Pennsylvanian cycles: Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., v. 74, No. 4, pp. 437–486.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weaver, Charles E. (1958) Geologic interpretation of argillaceous sediments: Bull. Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol., v. 42, No. 2, pp. 254–309.Google Scholar
Webb, David K. (1961) Vertical variations in the clay mineralogy of sandstone, shale, and underclay members of Pennsylvanian cyclothems: University of Illinois Ph.D. Thesis. Unpublished.Google Scholar
Weiler, J. M. (1930) Cyclical sedimentation of the Pennsylvanian period and its significance: J. Geol., v. 38, pp. 97–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weiler, J. M. (1956) Diastrophic control of late Paleozoic cyclotherms: Bull. Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol., v. 40, No. 1, pp. 17–50, .Google Scholar
Whitehouse, U. Grant and McCarter, Ronald S. (1958) Diagenetic modification of clay mineral types in artificial sea water: in Clays and Clay Minerals, Natl. Acad. Sci.— Natl. Res. Council, pub. 566, pp. 81–119.Google Scholar
Whitehouse, U. Grant, Jeffrey, Lela M. and Debbrecht, James D. (1960) Differential settling tendencies of clay minerals in saline waters: Clays and Clay Minerals, 7th Conf., Pergamon Press, New York, pp. 1–79.Google Scholar
Willman, H. V., and Payne, J. Norman (1942) Geology and mineral resources of the Marseilles, Ottawa, and Streator quadrangles: Ill. Geol. Surv. Bull., No. 66, p. 86.Google Scholar
Worthen, A. H. (1866) Geology: Ill. Geol. Survey, v. 1, p. 59.Google Scholar
Zkhus, I. D. (1961) Clay mineral associations of the lower Carboniferous in the southwestern part of the Moscow Basin: Bull. Moscow Soc. Nat. Research, New Series, v. LXI, Geological Sect., v. XXXI, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Ed., Nat. Sci. Found., Washington D.C. and Dept. of Interior, Israel Prog. Sci. Translations, pp. 430–431.Google Scholar