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Mineralogical and physicochemical investigation of Mg-smectite from Jbel Ghassoul, Morocco

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Abdelaziz Benhammou ,
Boumediene Tanouti ,
Lahbib Nibou ,
Abdelrani Yaacoubi  and
Jean-Pierre Bonnet
Abdelaziz Benhammou*
Affiliation:
Ecole Nationale des Sciences Appliquées, Université Cadi Ayyad, Route Sidi Bouzid, BP 63, Safi, Morocco
Boumediene Tanouti
Affiliation:
Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, Université Cadi Ayyad, Avenue My. Abdellah, BP 2390, Marrakech, Morocco
Lahbib Nibou
Affiliation:
Ecole Nationale des Sciences Appliquées, Université Cadi Ayyad, Route Sidi Bouzid, BP 63, Safi, Morocco
Abdelrani Yaacoubi
Affiliation:
Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, Université Cadi Ayyad, Avenue My. Abdellah, BP 2390, Marrakech, Morocco
Jean-Pierre Bonnet
Affiliation:
Groupe d’Etude des Matériaux Hétérogènes, ENSCI, Avenue Albert Thomas, 87065, Limoges Cedex, France
*
* E-mail address of corresponding author: Benhammou_ab@yahoo.fr
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Abstract

‘Ghassoul’ clay is a Mg-rich clay from Morocco which is of great industrial use and interest, but its characterization is still incomplete. The purpose of this study was to provide further details regarding the structure and characteristics of this important commercial clay mineral. Mineralogical and physicochemical characterizations of the raw form of ‘Ghassoul’ clay from Jbel Ghassoul in Morocco, and of its <2 µm size fraction, purified and Na+-saturated, were carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), infrared spectroscopy (IR), and differential and thermogravimetric analysis (DTA/TG). The XRD data revealed that the raw Ghassoul clay consists mainly of a Mg-rich trioctahedral smectite, stevensite, together with quartz and dolomite. The IR spectra consisted of vibrations typical of trioctahedral smectites. The DTA/TG curves were also similar to those of trioctahedral smectites. Chemical analysis confirms that this Mg-rich trioctahedral smectite is a stevensite characterized by a limited isomorphic substitution of Si4+ by Al3+. The thermal transformations examined by in situ XRD as a function of the firing temperature from 100 to 1200°C indicated that stevensite was transformed to enstatite (MgSiO3) at temperatures >800°C and that quartz was transformed to cristobalite when the temperature exceeded 1100°C. These transformations were irreversible. The specific surface area and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the ‘Ghassoul’ clay are 133 m2/g and 75 meq/100 g, respectively. The main exchangeable cation is Mg2+ (53 meq/100 g).

Keywords

CharacterizationGhassoul ClaySmectiteStevensiteMorocco
Type
Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals , Volume 57 , Issue 2 , April 2009 , pp. 264 - 270
Copyright
Copyright © The Clay Minerals Society 2009

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