Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T02:12:34.649Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evolution of Boron and Nitrogen Content During Illitization of Bentonites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Jan Środoń
Jan Środoń*
Affiliation:
Institute of Geological Sciences PAN, Senacka 1, 31002 Kraków, Poland
*
* E-mail address of corresponding author: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The incorporation of boron (B) and nitrogen (N) into illite is the key demand-side process responsible for the diagenetic budget of these elements in sedimentary basins, with important implications for pore-water chemistry, natural-gas composition, and borehole geophysics. The purpose of the present study was to take advantage of recent advances in quantitative mineral analysis of sedimentary rocks which have opened new possibilities for investigating this particular process. In order to avoid complications with recycled (detrital) N and B, clays from pyroclastic horizons of sedimentary rocks (bentonites) were used. The B and N contents in illite-smectite were measured in samples from different sedimentary basins, representing a complete range of diagenetic alteration. The bulk-rock chemical measurements, performed on raw rock samples in order to avoid any loss of exchangeable B and N, were referred to the contents of illite-smectite clays and to the content of illite alone, both measured by a combination of XRD and chemistry-based techniques.

Both B and N (as NH4) are present in illite, so their contents in illite-smectite clay increase in a more or less linear manner with progressing illitization. Thus, during diagenesis, the illite-smectite clay is a net consumer of B and N from the pore water. The amount of N in individual illite layers decreases during diagenesis and the amount of B either decreases or remains stable. Bentonitic illite must acquire both B and N from outside of the bentonite bed. In one diagenetic cycle, bentonitic illite fixes up to 800–1000 ppm B and up to >1% N expressed as (NH4)2O, corresponding to >20% of the fixed cation sites.

Keywords

AmmoniumBentoniteBoronDiagenesisIlliteSmectite
Type
Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals , Volume 58 , Issue 6 , December 2010 , pp. 743 - 756
Copyright
Copyright © Clay Minerals Society 2010

References

Altaner, S.P., Hower, J., Whitney, G., and Aronson, J.L., 1984 Model for K-bentonite formation: Evidence from zoned K-bentonites in the Disturbed Belt, Montana Geology 12 412–425 10.1130/0091-7613(1984)12<412:MFKFEF>2.0.CO;2.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bardon, C., Bieber, M.T., Cuiec, L. J. C., Courbot, A., Deneuville, G., Simon, J.M., Voirin, J.M., Espy, M., Nectoux, A., and Pellerin, A., 1983 Recommandations pour la determination experimentale de la capacite d’échange de cations des milieux argileux Revue de l’ Institut Français du Pétrole 38 621–626 10.2516/ogst:1983037.Google Scholar
Basset, R.L., 1976 The geochemistry of boron in thermal waters California, USA PhD thesis, Stanford University.Google Scholar
Berner, R.A., 2006 Geological nitrogen cycle and atmospheric N2 over Phanerozoic time Geology 34 413–415 10.1130/G22470.1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bobos, I., and Ghergari, L., 1999 Conversion of smectite to ammonium illite in the hydrothermal system of Harghita Bai, Romania: SEM and TEM investigations Geologia Carpathica 50 379–387.Google Scholar
Clauer, N., Srodon, J., Francü, J., and Sucha, V., 1997 K-Ar dating of illite fundamental particles separated from illitesmectite Clay Minerals 32 181–196 10.1180/claymin.1997.032.2.02.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collins, A.G., 1975 Geochemistry of Oilfield Waters New York Elsevier.Google Scholar
Cooper, J.E., and Abedin, K.Z., 1981 The relationship between fixed ammonium-nitrogen and potassium in clays from a deep well on the Texas Gulf Coast Texas Journal of Science 33 103–111.Google Scholar
Cooper, J.E., and Raabe, B.A., 1982 The effect of thermal gradient on the distribution of nitrogen in a shale Texas Journal of Science 34 175–182.Google Scholar
Daniels, E.J., and Altaner, S.P., 1990 Clay mineral authigenesis in coal and shale from the Anthracite region, Pennsylvania American Mineralogist 75 825–839.Google Scholar
Ellis, D.V., and Singer, J.M., 2007 Well Logging for Earth Scientists Berlin Springer 10.1007/978-1-4020-4602-5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frederickson, A.F., and Reynolds, R.C. Jr., 1960 Geochemical method for determining paleosalinity Clays and Clay Minerals, Proceedings of the Eighth National Conference 202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldschmidt, V.M., and Peters, C., 1932 Geochemie des Bors: I, II Nachr. Ges. Wiss., Gottingen, Math-physik K1 528–545.Google Scholar
Harder, H., 1970 Boron content of sediments as a tool in facies analysis Sedimentary Geology 4 153–175 10.1016/0037-0738(70)90009-6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holloway, J.M., and Dahlgren, R., 1999 Geologic nitrogen in terrestrial biogeochemical cycling Geology 27 567–570 10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027<0567:GNITBC>2.3.CO;2.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, M.L., 1975 Soil Chemical Analysis-Advanced Course .Google Scholar
Keren, R., and Mezuman, V. (1981) Boron adsorption by clay minerals using a phenomenological equation. Clays and Clay Minerals, 29, 198-204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kotarba, M., 2003 Diagenetic history of illite-smectite in shales of the Western Carpathians (cross-section KrakowZakopane) Kraków PhD thesis, Institute of Geological Sciences PAN (in Polish).Google Scholar
Kozáč, J., Očenáš, D., and Derco, J., 1977 Amonna hydrosluda vo Vihorlate Mineralia Slovaca 9 479–494 (in Slovak).Google Scholar
Leeman, W.P., Sisson, V.B., Grew, E.S., and Anovitz, L.M., 1996 Geochemistry of boron and its implications for crustal and mantle processes Boron Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry Washington, D.C. Reviews in Mineralogy, 33, Mineralogical Society of America 645–707 10.1515/9781501509223-014.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lindgreen, H., 1994 Ammonium fixation during illitesmectite diagenesis in Upper Jurassic shale, North Sea Clay Minerals 29 527–538 10.1180/claymin.1994.029.4.10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lindgreen, H., Drits, V.A., Sakharov, B.A., Salyn, A.L., Wrang, P., and Dainyak, L.G., 2000 Illite-smectite structural changes during metamorphism in black Cambrian Alum shales from the Baltic area American Mineralogist 85 1223–1238 10.2138/am-2000-8-916.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marynowski, L., Gaweda, A., Poprawa, P., Zywiecki, M.M., Kepiüska, B., and Merta, H., 2006 Origin of organic matter from tectonic zones in the Western Tatra Mountains Crystalline Basement, Poland: An example of bitumen-source rock correlation Marine and Petroleum Geology 23 261–279 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2005.08.001.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mingram, B., Hoth, P., Luders, V., and Harlov, D., 2005 The significance of fixed ammonium in Palaeozoic sediments for the generation of nitrogen-rich natural gases in the North German Basin International Journal of Earth Science 94 1010–1022 10.1007/s00531-005-0015-0.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mystkowski, K., Srodon, J., and McCarty, D.K., 2002 Application of evolutionary programming to automatic XRD quantitative analysis of clay-bearing rocks The Clay Minerals Society 39th Annual Meeting, Boulder, Colorado, Abstracts with Programs .Google Scholar
Newman, A.C.D., 1983 The specific surface of soils determined by water sorption Journal of Soil Science 34 23–32 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1983.tb00809.x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Omotoso, O., McCarty, D.K., Hillier, S., and Kleeberg, R., 2006 Some successful approaches to quantitative mineral analysis as revealed by the 3rd Reynolds Cup contest Clays and Clay Minerals 54 748–760 10.1346/CCMN.2006.0540609.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Orsini, L., and Remy, J.-C., 1976 Utilisation du chlorure de cobaltihexammine pour la determination simultanee de la capacite d’echange et des bases echangeables des sols Science du Sol 4 269–275.Google Scholar
Palmer, M.R., Spivack, A.J., and Edmond, J.M., 1987 Temperature and pH controls over isotopic fractionation during adsorption of boron on marine clay Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 51 2319–2323 10.1016/0016-7037(87)90285-7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perry, E.A., 1972 Diagenesis and the validity of the boron paleosalinity technique American Journal of Science 272 150–160 10.2475/ajs.272.2.150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reynolds, R.C. Jr., 1965 Geochemical behavior of boron during the metamorphism of carbonate rocks Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 29 1101–1114 10.1016/0016-7037(65)90106-7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schroeder, P.A., and McLain, A.A., 1998 Illite-smectites and the influence of burial diagenesis on the geochemical cycling of nitrogen Clay Minerals 33 539–546 10.1180/000985598545877.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spivack, A.J., Palmer, M.R., and Edmond, J.M., 1987 The sedimentary cycle of the boron isotopes Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 51 1939–1949 10.1016/0016-7037(87)90183-9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šucha, V., Kraus, I., Gerthofferova, H., Petes, J., and Serekova, M., 1993 Smectite to illite conversion in bentonites and shales of the East Slovak Basin Clay Minerals 28 243–253 10.1180/claymin.1993.028.2.06.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šucha, V., Kraus, I., and Madejova, J., 1994 Amonum illite from anchimetamorphic shales associated with anthracite in the Zemplinicum of the Western Carpathians Clay Minerals 29 369–377 10.1180/claymin.1994.029.3.08.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., 1974 An interpretation of climbing-ripple crosslamination Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae 44 449–473.Google Scholar
Šrodoń, J., 1976 Mixed-layer smectite/illites in the bentonites and tonsteins of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin Prace Mineralogiczne 49 7–84.Google Scholar
Šrodoń, J., 1980 Precise identification of illite/smectite interstratifications by X-ray powder diffraction Clays and Clay Minerals 28 401–411 10.1346/CCMN.1980.0280601.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., 1984 X-ray powder diffraction identification of illitic materials Clays and Clay Minerals 32 337–349 10.1346/CCMN.1984.0320501.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., 2009 Quantification of illite and smectite and their layer charges in sandstones and shales from shallow burial Clay Minerals 44 417–430.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., and McCarty, D.K., 2008 Surface area and layer charge of smectite from CEC and EGME/H2O retention measurements Clays and Clay Minerals 56 142–161 10.1346/CCMN.2008.0560203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., Morgan, D., Eslinger, E.V., Eberl, D.D., and Karlinger, M.R., 1986 Chemistry of illite/smectite and endmember illite Clays and Clay Minerals 34 368–378 10.1346/CCMN.1986.0340403.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., Eberl, D.D., and Drits, V.A., 2000 Evolution of fundamental particle size during illitization of smectite and implications for reaction mechanism Clays and Clay Minerals 48 446–458 10.1346/CCMN.2000.0480405.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., Drits, V.A., McCarty, D.K., Hsieh, J.C.C., and Eberl, D.D., 2001 Quantitative XRD analysis of clay-rich rocks from random preparations Clays and Clay Minerals 49 514–528 10.1346/CCMN.2001.0490604.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., Clauer, N., and Eberl, D.D., 2002 Interpretation of K-Ar dates of illitic clays from sedimentary rocks aided by modelling American Mineralogist 87 1528–1535 10.2138/am-2002-11-1202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., Kotarba, M., Biro, A., Such, P., Clauer, N., and Wójtowicz, A., 2006 Diagenetic history of the Podhale-Orava basin and the underlying Tatra sedimentary structural units (Western Carpathians): evidence from XRD and K-Ar of illite-smectite Clay Minerals 41 747–770.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., Clauer, N. B. M., and Wojtowicz, A., 2006 K-Ar evidence for a Mesozoic thermal event superimposed on burial diagenesis of the Upper Silesia Coal Basin Clay Minerals 41 671–692.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., Clauer, N., Huff, W., Dudek, T., and Banaœ, M., 2009 K-Ar dating of Ordovician bentonites from the Baltic Basin and the Baltic Shield: implications for the role of temperature and time in the illitization of smectite Clay Minerals 44 361–387 10.1180/claymin.2009.044.3.361.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Šrodoń, J., Zeelmaekers, E., and Derkowski, A., 2009 The charge of component layers of illite-smectite in bentonites and the nature of end-member illite Clays and Clay Minerals 57 650–672 10.1346/CCMN.2009.0570511.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tiller, K.G., and Smith, L.H., 1990 Limitations of EGME retention to estimate the surface area of soils Australian Journal of Soil Research 28 1–26 10.1071/SR9900001.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, L.B., and Ferrell, R.E. Jr., 1991 Ammonium substitution in illite during maturation of organic matter Clays and Clay Minerals 39 400–408 10.1346/CCMN.1991.0390409.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, L.B., Wilcoxon, B.R., Ferrell, R.E. Jr., and Sassen, R., 1992 Diagenesis of ammonium during hydrocarbon maturation and migration, Wilcox Group, Louisiana, USA Applied Geochemistry 7 123–134 10.1016/0883-2927(92)90031-W.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, L.B., Ferrell, R.E. Jr. Hutcheon, I., Bakel, A.J., Walsh, M.M., and Krouse, H.R., 1995 Nitrogen isotope geochemistry of organic matter and minerals during diagenesis and hydrocarbon migration Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 59 765–779 10.1016/0016-7037(95)00005-K.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, L.B., Hervig, R.L., Wieser, M.E., and Hutcheon, I., 2001 The influence of organic matter on the boron isotope geochemistry of the Gulf Coast Sedimentary Basin, USA Chemical Geology 174 445–461 10.1016/S0009-2541(00)00289-8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, L.B., and Hervig, R.L., 2002 Exploring intracrystalline B-isotope variations in mixed-layer illite-smectite American Mineralogist 87 1564–1570 10.2138/am-2002-11-1206.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
You, C.F., Spivack, A.J., Gieskes, J.M., Rosenbauer, R., and Bischoff, J.L., 1995 Experimental study of boron geochemistry: Implications for fluid processes in subduction zones Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 59 2435–2442 10.1016/0016-7037(95)00137-9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zorski, T., Ossowski, A., Srodon, J., and Kawiak, T., 2011 Evaluation of mineral composition and petrophysical parameters from well logging data: the Carpathian Foredeep case study Clay Minerals (in press).Google Scholar
Zuber, A., and Chowaniec, J., 2009 Diagenetic and other highly mineralized waters in the Polish Carpathians Applied Geochemistry 24 1889–1900 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2009.07.002.CrossRefGoogle Scholar