Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T01:24:31.745Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Bentonites from Cabo de Gata, Almería, Spain: a mineralogical and geochemical overview

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

E. Caballero ,
C. Jiménez de Cisneros ,
F. J. Huertas ,
F. Huertas ,
A. Pozzuoli  and
J. Linares
E. Caballero*
Affiliation:
Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Profesor Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
C. Jiménez de Cisneros
Affiliation:
Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Profesor Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
F. J. Huertas
Affiliation:
Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Profesor Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
F. Huertas
Affiliation:
Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Profesor Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
A. Pozzuoli
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Largo S. Marcellino 10, 80138 Napoli, Italy
J. Linares
Affiliation:
Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Profesor Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
*
E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The Neogene volcanic region of Cabo de Gata, Almería, SE Spain, is dotted with many outcrops of bentonite, some of them of significant economic interest. The bentonites have their origin in the hydrothermal alteration of pyroclastic rocks (15-7 Ma). The deposits are usually associated with fractures. The major mineral is a dioctahedral Fe- and Mg-smectite (89-75%) and this is accompanied by minor amounts of feldspars, quartz, amphiboles, pyroxenes, biotite, zeolites, disordered tridymite, calcite, etc. This paper describes the geological background, the general characteristics of the bentonites and major aspects of their formation, e.g. type of low-temperature hydrothermal solutions, mass balance, chemical evolutions of the smectites and geochemistry of trace elements. Finally, the characteristics of three of the most important deposits are described.

Keywords

bentonite genesissmectitemass balancetrace elementshydrothermal alterationhydrothermal solutionsgeochemistryCabo de GataAlmeríaSpain
Type
Research Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 40 , Issue 4 , December 2005 , pp. 463 - 480
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2005

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

Armstrong, A.K., Snavely, P.D. Jr. & Addicott, W.O. (1980) Porosity evolution of upper Miocene reefs, Almería Province, Southern Spain. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 64, 188–208.Google Scholar
Arribas, A. (1993) Mapa geológico del distrito minero de Rodalquilar, Almería. Instituto Tecnoló gico Geominero de Espanña, Madrid.Google Scholar
Arribas, A., Cunningham, C.G., Rytuba, J.J., Rye, R.O. & Podwysocki, M.H. (1995) Geology, geochronology, fluid inclusions, and isotope geochemistry of the Rodalquilar Gold Alunite deposit, Spain. Economic Geology, 90, 795–822.Google Scholar
Augustín, V. (1973) Estudio geoquímico de las alteraciones de rocas volcánicas en el sector del Pozo de los Frailes, Cabo de Gata (Almería). Tesis Lic., Universidad Granada, Spain.Google Scholar
Barth, T.W. (1948) Oxygen in rocks: a basis for petrographic calculations. Journal of Geology, 56, 60–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bellon, H., Bordet, P. & Montenat, C. (1983) Chronologie du magmatisme néogene des Cordilléres Bétiques (Espagne meridionale). Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, 25, 205–217.Google Scholar
Bordet, P. (1985) Le volcanisme mioceÁne des Sierras de Gata et de Carboneras (Espagne du Sud-Est). Documents et Travaux, IGAL Paris n. 8, 70 pp.Google Scholar
Caballero, E. (1982) Composición química y mineralógica de las bentonitas de la Serrata de Níjar (Almería). Tesis Lic., Universidad Granada, Spain.Google Scholar
Caballero, E. (1985) Quimismo del proceso de bentonitización en la región volcaónica de Cabo de Gata (Almería). PhD thesis, Universidad Granada, Spain.Google Scholar
Caballero, E., Fenández, Porto, M.J., Linares, J., Huertas, F. & Reyes, E. (1983) Las bentonitas de la Serrata de Níjar (Almería): Mineralogía, geoquímica y mineralogénesis. Estudios Geológicos, 39, 121–140.Google Scholar
Caballero, E., Reyes, E., Linares, J. & Huertas, F. (l985a) Hydrothermal solutions related to bentonite genesis, Cabo de Gata region, Almerí, SE Spain. Mineralogica et Petrografica Acta, 29-A, 187–196.Google Scholar
Caballero, E., Reyes, E., Yusta, A., Huertas, F. & Linares, J. (1985b) Las bentonitas de la zona Sur de Cabo de Gata, Almería. Geoquímica y mineralogía. Acta Geológica Hispánica, 20, 267–287.Google Scholar
Caballero, E., Reyes, E., Huertas, F., Yañez, J. & Linares, J. (1986) Elementos traza en las bentonitas de Almería. Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Mineralogía, 9, 63–70.Google Scholar
Caballero, E., Reyes, E., Huertas, F., Linares, J. & Pozzuoli, A. (1991) Early-stage smectites from pyroclastic rocks of Almería (Spain). Chemical Geology, 89, 353–358.Google Scholar
Caballero, E., Reyes, E., Delgado, A., Huertas, F. & Linares, J. (1992) The formation of bentonite: mass balance effects. Applied Clay Science, 6, 265–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cama, J., Ganor, J., Ayora, C. & Lasaga, A. (2000) Smectite dissolution kinetics at 80°C and pH 8.8. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 15, 2701–2717.Google Scholar
Cuadros, J., Delgado, A., Cardenete, A., Reyes, E. & Linares, J. (1994) Kaolinite/montmorillonite resembles beidellite. Clays and Clays Minerals, 42, 643–651.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cuevas, J., Villar, M.V., Fernández, A.M., Gómez, P. & Martín, P.L. (1997) Pore waters extracted from compacted bentonite subjected to simultaneous heating and hydration. Applied Geochemistry, 12, 473–481.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cunningham, C.G., Arribas, A. Jr., Rytuba, J.J. & Arribas, A. (1990) Mineralized and unmineralized calderas in Spain; Part 1, evolution of the Los Frailes Caldera. Mineralium Deposita, 25, S21–S22.Google Scholar
Christidis, G.E. (1998) Comparative study of the mobility of major and trace elements during alteration of an andesite and a rhyolite to bentonite, in the island of Milos and Kimolos, Aegean, Greece. Clays and Clay Minerals, 46, 379–399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Christidis, G.E. (2001) Geochemical correlation of bentonites from Milos Island, Aegean, Greece. Clay Minerals, 36, 295–306.Google Scholar
Dabrio, C.J. & Martin, J.M. (1978) Los arrecifes Messinienses de Almería (SE de Espanña). Cuadernos Geología, 8–9, 83–103.Google Scholar
Dabrio, C.J., Esteban, M. & Martín, J.M. (1981) The coral reef of Nijar, Messinian (Uppermost Miocene) Almeria Province, SE Spain. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 51, 521–539.Google Scholar
Delgado, A. (1993) Estudio isotópico de los procesos diagenéticos e hidrotermales relacionados con la génesis de bentonitas (Cabo de Gata, Almería). PhD thesis, Universidad Granada, Spain.Google Scholar
Di Battistini, G., Toscani, L., Lacarino, S. & Villa, I.M. (1987) K/Ar ages and the geological setting of calalkaline volcanic rocks from Sierra de Gata, SE Spain. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte, H8, 337–383.Google Scholar
Esteban, M. (1979) Significance of the upper Miocene coral reefs of the western Mediterranean. Paleography, Paleoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 29, 169–188.Google Scholar
Esteban, M. & Ginner, J. (1980) Messinian coral reefs and erosion surfaces in Cabo de Gata (Almería). Acta Geologica Hispánica, 15, 97–104.Google Scholar
Fernández-Soler, J.M. (1987) Análisis e interpretación de los materiales volcónicos del Cerro de Los Frailes (Cabo de Gata, Almería). Estudios Geológicos, 43, 359–366.Google Scholar
Fernández-Soler, J.M. (1992) El volcanismo calcoalcalino de Cabo de Gata (Almería). PhD thesis, Universidad Granada, Spain, 243 pp.Google Scholar
Fernández-Soler, J.M. & Munñoz, M. (1988) Algunos modelos de facies en el volcanismo de Cabo de Gata: importancia de las emisiones “multivent” en una zona calcoalcalina. II Congreso Geológico España, Simposio sobre volcanismo. Granada, pp. 397–404.Google Scholar
Fiore, S., Huertas, F.J., Tazaki, K., Huertas, F. & Linares, J. (1999) A low-temperature experimental alteration of a rhyolitic obsidian. European Journal of Mineralogy. 11, 455–469.Google Scholar
Fournier, R.O. & Truesdel, A.H. (1973) An empirical Na- K-Ca geothermometer for natural waters. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 37, 1233–1275.Google Scholar
Franseen, E.K. & Mankiewicz, C. (1991) Depositional sequences and correlation of Middle(?) to Upper Miocene carbonate complexes, Las Negras and Nijar areas, southeastern Spain. Sedimentology, 38, 871–898.Google Scholar
Friedrich, G. (1960) Petrographische und erzmikrosko- pische Beobachtungen an der GoldlagerstaÈtte Rodalquilar. Prov. Almería/Spanien. Neues Jahrbuch fuÈr Mineralogie, 94, 208–227.Google Scholar
Fuster, J.M., Aguilar, M.J. & García, A. (1965) Las sucesiones volcánicas en la zona del Pozo de los Frailes, dentro del volcanismo cenozoico del Cabo de Gata (Almería). Estudios Geológicos, 21, 199–222.Google Scholar
González García, S. & Beutelspacher, P. (1956) Estudio al microscopio electrónico de la bentonita de Almería. Anales de la Real Sociedad Española de Física Química, 52, 339–346.Google Scholar
González García, F. & Martín Vivaldi, J.L. (1949) Caracterización y propiedades de una bentonita de Almería. Anales de Edafología Fisiología Vegetal, 8, 567–582.Google Scholar
Grim, R.E. & Güven, N. (1978) Bentonites, Geology, Mineralogy, Properties and Uses. Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Hemley, J.J., Montoya, J.W., Nigrini, A. & Vincent, H.A. (1971) Some alteration reactions in the system CaO- Al2O3-SiO2-H2O. Society of Mineralogy and Geology of Japan Special Issue, 2, 58–63.Google Scholar
Jeans, C.V., Wray, R.J., Merriman, R.J. & Fisher, M.J. (2000) Volcanogenic clay in Jurassic and Cretaceous strata of England and the North Sea basin. Clay Minerals, 35, 25–56.Google Scholar
Leal, G., Moreno de Castro, E. & Perconig, E. (1971) Sobre la presencia de afloramientos Jurasicos en la Sierra de Níjar (Almería). Cuadernos Geología Ibérica, 2, 281–306.Google Scholar
Leone, G., Reyes, E., Cortecci, G., Pochini, A. & Linares, J. (1983) Genesis of bentonites from Cabo de Gata, Almería, Spain: A stable isotope study. Clay Minerals, 18, 227–238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Linares, J. (1963) Las bentonitas de Cabo de Gata. Estudio mineralógico y técnico. PhD thesis, Universidad Granada, Spain.Google Scholar
Linares, J. (1985) The process of bentonite formation in Cabo de Gata, Almería, Spain. Mineralogica et Petrografica Acta, 29-A, 17–33.Google Scholar
Linares, J. (1987) Chemical evolutions related to the genesis of hydrothermal smectites, Almería, SE Spain. Pp. 567–584 in: Geochemistry and Mineral Formation in the Earth Surface (Rodríguez, R. & Tardy, Y., editors). CSIC-CNRS, Madrid.Google Scholar
Linares, J. & Martín-Vivaldi, J.L. (1962) A random intergrowth of sepiolite and attapulgite. Clays and Clay Minerals, 9, 513–523.Google Scholar
Linares, J., Huertas, F., Lachica, M. & Reyes, E. (1973) Geochemistry of trace elements during the genesis of coloured bentonites. Pp. 351–360 in: Proceedings of the International Clay Conference 1972 (Serratosa, J.M., editor), Madrid, CSIC.Google Scholar
Linares, J., Caballero, E., Reyes, E. & Huertas, F. (1987) Trace elements mobility in bentonite formation. Pp. 230–250 in: The Practical Applications of Trace Elements and Isotopes to Enviromental Biogeochemistry and Mineral Resources Evaluation (Hurst, R.W., Davis, T.E. & Augustithis, S.S., editors). Theophrastus Publications, Athens.Google Scholar
Linares, J., Huertas, F., Reyes, E., Caballero, E., Barahona, E., Guardiola, J.L., Yañez, J., Romero, E. & Delgado, A. (1993) Caracterización de bentonitas como material de sellado para almacenamiento de residuos radiactivos. ENRESA Technical publication 01/93, Madrid.Google Scholar
Lodder, W. (1966) Gold-alunite deposits and zonal wall- rock alteration near Rodalquilar, SE Spain. PhD thesis, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
López Ruíz, J. & Rodríguez, Badiola, E. (1980) La región volcánica neógena del sureste de España. Estudios Geológicos, 36, 5–63.Google Scholar
Mackenzie, R.C. (1957) The montmorillonite, D.T.A. curve (I). Bulletin du Groupe Français des Argiles, 9, 7–15.Google Scholar
Martín-Vivaldi, J.L., Cano, J. & Fontbote, J.M. (1956a) The bentonites from the volcanic region of Cabo de Gata, Almería. Clays and Clay Minerals, NRC Publishers, 456, 181–184.Google Scholar
Martín-Vivaldi, J.L. & Del Pino Vázquez, C. (1956b) Conditions of formation of montmorillonite in nature. Trabajos de la Reunion Internacional Reactividad Sólidos, Madrid, 2, 481–503.Google Scholar
Martín-Vivaldi, J.L. & Linares, J. (1968) Las bentonitas de Cabo de Gata. I. Yacimientos de Los Trancos y Majada de las Vacas. Boletin Geológico Minero, 79, 513–23.Google Scholar
Martín-Vivaldi, J.L., Sierra, J. & Leal, J. (1971) Some aspects of the mineralization and wall-rock alteration in the Rodalquilar goldfield, SE Spain. Society of Mining Geology of Japan Special Issue, 2, 145–152.Google Scholar
Montenat, C., Ott D'Estevou, P. & Masse, P. (1987) Tectonic-sedimentary characters of the Betic Neogene basins evolving in a crustal transcurrent shear zone (SE Spain). Bulletin Centre de Recherches Exploration Production Elf-Aquitaine, 11, 1–22.Google Scholar
Puy, J.L., Huertas, F. & Linares, J. (1974) Estudio geoquímico de las alteraciones de rocas volcánicas en el sector de Rodalquilar. Cabo de Gata, Almería. Estudios Geológicos, 30, 337–345.Google Scholar
Ramírez, S., Cuevas, J., Vigil, R. & Leguey, S. (2002) Hydrothermal alteration of “La Serrata’ bentonite (Almería, Spain) by alkaline solutions. Applied Clay Science, 21, 257–269.Google Scholar
Rehault, J.P., Boillot, G. & Mauffret, A. (1985) The Western Mediterranean basin. Pp. 101–130 in: Geological Evolution of the Mediterranean Basin (Stanley, D.J. & Wezel, F.C., editors). Springer Verlag, New York.Google Scholar
Reyes, E. (1973) Geoquímica de la alteración de rocas volcánicas. Tesis Lic., Universidad Granada, Spain.Google Scholar
Reyes, E. (1977) Mineralogía y geoquímica de las bentonitas de la zona norte de Cabo de Gata (Almería). PhD thesis, Universidad Granada, Spain.Google Scholar
Reyes, E., Huertas, F. & Linares, J. (1974) Alteraciones de tobas volcánicas a montmorillonita en el sector de Las Negras, Almería. Estudios Geológicos, 30, 327–336.Google Scholar
Reyes, E., Huertas, F. & Linares, J. (1978a) Bentonitas de Andalucía (España): yacimientos hidrotermales del norte de Rodalquilar (Almería). Pp. 125–147 in: Proceeding of the 1st International Congress on Bentonites 1978, Vol. I, Sassari-Caglari (Italy), Gallizzi, Sassari.Google Scholar
Reyes, E., Huertas, F. & Linares, J. (1978b) Génesis y geoquímica de esmectitas de Andalucía, España. Pp. 149–173 in: Proceedings of the 1st International Congress on Bentonites 1978, Vol. 1, Sassari-Caglari (Italy), Gallizzi, Sassari.Google Scholar
Reyes, E., Huertas, F. & Linares, J. (1979a) Mineralogía y geoquímica de las bentonitas de la zona norte de Cabo de Gata (Almería). IV. Area de Pozo Usero. Estudios Geológicos, 35, 355–362.Google Scholar
Reyes, E., Huertas, F. & Linares, J. (1979b) Mineralogía y geoquímica de las bentonitas de la zona norte de Cabo de Gata (Almería). V. Area de los Trancos. Estudios Geológicos, 35, 363–370.Google Scholar
Reyes, E., Caballero, E., Huertas, F. & Linares, J. (1987) Bentonite deposits from Cabo de Gata region, Almería, Spain. Field Book Guide, Euroclay-87, Excursion A, pp. 9–32.Google Scholar
Riding, R., Martín, J.M. & Braga, J.C. (1991) Coral stromatolite reef framework, Upper Miocene, Almeria, Spain. Sedimentology, 38, 799–818.Google Scholar
Rytuba, J.J., Arribas, A. Jr., Cunningham, C.G., McKee, E.H., Podwysocki, M.H., Smith, J.G., Kelly, W.C. & Arribas, A. (1990) Mineralized and unmineralized calderas in Spain: Part II: Evolution of the Rodalquilar caldera complex and associated gold- alunite deposits. Mineralium Deposita, 25 (suppl), S29–S35.Google Scholar
Säanger-von Oepen, P., Friedrich, G. & Vogt, J.H. (1989) Fluid evolution, wall-rock alteration, and ore mineralization associated with the Rodalquilar epithermal gold-deposit in southeast Spain. Mineralium Deposita, 24, 235–243.Google Scholar
Säanger-von Oepen, P., Friedrich, G. & Kisters, A. (1990) Comparison between fluid characteristic of the Rodalquilar and two neigbouring epithermal gold deposits in Spain. Mineralium Deposita, 25, S36–S41.Google Scholar
Saavedra, J.L. (1966) Microfacies de los sedimentos intercalados en las formaciones volcánicas del Cabo de Gata (Amería). Notas del Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, 86, 41–74.Google Scholar
Sánchez Cela, V. (1968) Estudio petrológico de las sucesiones volcánicas del sector central de la formación del Cabo de Gata (Almería). Estudios Geológicos, 24, 1–38.Google Scholar
Terrer, A. (1974) Estudio geoquímico de las alteraciones de rocas volcánicas en el sector de la Mesa de Roldán, Cabo de Gata, Almería. Tesis Lic., Universidad Granada, Spain.Google Scholar
Zeck, H.P., Maluski, H. & Kristensen, A.B. (1999) Revised geochronology of Neogene calc-alkaline volcanic suite in Sierra de Gata, Alborán volcanic province, SE Spain. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 157, 75–81.Google Scholar