Mineral pairs to be considered

Halloysite

Kaolinite

Muscovite

Microcline

Albite

Gibbsite

X

X

x

x

x

Halloysite

X

x

x

x

Kaolinite

x

x

x

Muscovite

x

x

Microcline

x

Recall, DG = -RT lnKeq

Simplifying assumptions: 1. solution always present; 2. Al always in solid phase; 3. Silica is fixed by quartz saturation; 4) P and T are constant at 1 bar and 25°C; and 5) Activities of solids and water are unity.

Kaolinite - Gibbsite

Al2Si2O5(OH)4 + 5H2O <-----> 2Al(OH)3 + 2H4SiO4o

Keq = a2H4SiO4o

log(Keq) = 2 loga H4SiO4o = -10.4


loga H4SiO4o = -5.20


(note: because the activity of dissolved silica at quartz saturation is greater than the activity of silica with kaolinite and gibbsite in equilbrium (i.e. -3.95 > -5.20) , the above reaction proceeds from right to left).

Quartz - Silica

SiO2 + 2H2O <-----> H4SiO4o

Keq = aH4SiO4o

log(Keq) = loga H4SiO4o


loga H4SiO4o = -3.95


Halloysite - Gibbsite

Al2Si2O5(OH)4 + 5H2O <-----> 2Al(OH)3 + 2H4SiO4o

Keq = a2H4SiO4o

log(Keq) = 2 loga H4SiO4o = -7.11


loga H4SiO4o = -3.56


(Note: because the activity of dissolved silica at quartz saturation is less than the activity of silica with halloysite and gibbsite in equilbrium (i.e. -3.95 < -3.56) , the above reaction proceeds from left to right. But furthur note, that all gibbsite goes to kaolinite from the kaolinite-gibbsite reaction above).

Microcline - Kaolinite

2KAlSi3O8+ 9H2O + 2H+ <-----> 2K+ + 4H4SiO4o + Al2Si2O5(OH)4

Keq = (a2K+ a4H4SiO4o) / (a2H+)

log(Keq) = 2 log (aK+ / aH+) + 4 loga H4SiO4o = -3.96

log(aK+ / aH+)+ 2 loga H4SiO4o = -1.98

Recall, that at quartz saturation, loga H4SiO4o = -3.95

therefore by substitution,


log(aK+ / aH+) = 5.92


Microcline - Halloysite

2KAlSi3O8+ 9H2O + 2H+ <-----> 2K+ + 4H4SiO4o + Al2Si2O5(OH)4

Keq = (a2K+ a4H4SiO4o) / (a2H+)

log(Keq) = 2 (aK+ / aH+) + 4 loga H4SiO4o = -7.22

log(aK+ / aH+) + 2 loga H4SiO4o = -3.61

Recall, that at quartz saturation, loga H4SiO4o = -3.95

therefore by substitution,


log(aK+ / aH+) = 4.29


Albite - Kaolinite

2NaAlSi3O8+ 9H2O + 2H+ <-----> 2Na+ + 4H4SiO4o + Al2Si2O5(OH)4

Keq = (a2Na+ a4H4SiO4o) / (a2H+)

log(Keq) = 2 (aNa+ / aH+) + 4 loga H4SiO4o = -0.44

log(aNa+ / aH+)+ 2 loga H4SiO4o = -0.22

Recall, that at quartz saturation, loga H4SiO4o = -3.95

therefore by substitution,


log(aNa+ / aH+) = 7.68


Albite - Halloysite

2NaAlSi3O8+ 9H2O + 2H+ <-----> 2Na+ + 4H4SiO4o + Al2Si2O5(OH)4

Keq = (a2Na+ a4H4SiO4o) / (a2H+)

log(Keq) = 2 log(aNa+ / aH+) + 4aH4SiO4o = -3.71

log(aNa+ / aH+) + 2aH4SiO4o = -1.85

Recall, that at quartz saturation, logaH4SiO4o = -3.95

therefore by substitution,


log(aNa+ / aH+) = 6.05


Muscovite - Gibbsite

KAl3Si3O10(OH)2+ 9H2O + H+ <-----> K+ + 3H4SiO4o + 3Al(OH)3

Keq = (a2K+ a3H4SiO4o) / (aH+)

log(Keq) = log(aK+ / aH+)+ 3 logaH4SiO4o = -11.16

log(aK+ / aH+) + 3 logaH4SiO4o = -11.16

Recall, that at quartz saturation, logaH4SiO4o = -3.95

therefore by substitution,


log(aK+ / aH+) = 0.69


Muscovite - Kaolinite

2KAl3Si3O10(OH)2 + 3H2O + 2H+ <-----> 2K+ + 3Al2Si2O5(OH)4

Keq = (a2K+ / a2H+)

log(Keq) = 2 log(aK+ / aH+) = 8.81


log(aK+ / aH+) = 4.40


Muscovite - Halloysite

2KAl3Si3O10(OH)2+ 3H2O + 2H+ <-----> 2K+ + 3Al2Si2O5(OH)4

Keq = (a2K+ / a2H+)

log(Keq) = 2 log(aK+ / aH+) = -0.99


log(aK+ / aH+) = -0.49


Microline - Gibbsite

KAlSi3O8+ 7H2O + H+ <-----> K+ + 3H4SiO4o + Al(OH)3

Keq = (aK+ a3H4SiO4o) / (aH+)

log(Keq) = log(aK+ / aH+) + 3 logaH4SiO4o = -7.17

log (aK+ / aH+) + 3 logaH4SiO4o = -7.17

Recall, that at quartz saturation, logaH4SiO4o = -3.95

therefore by substitution,


log= 4.68


Microcline - Muscovite

3KAlSi3O8+ 12H2O + 2H+ <-----> 2K+ + 6H4SiO4o + KAl3Si3O10(OH)2

Keq = (a2K+ a6H4SiO4o) / (a2H+)

log(Keq) = 2 log(aK+ / aH+) + 6 logaH4SiO4o = -10.34

log(aK+ / aH+) + 3 logaH4SiO4o = -5.17

Recall, that at quartz saturation, logaH4SiO4o = -3.95

therefore by substitution,


log(aK+ / aH+) = 6.68


Albite - Gibbsite

NaAlSi3O8+ 7H2O + H+ <-----> Na+ + 3H4SiO4o + Al(OH)3

Keq = (aNa+ a3H4SiO4o) / (aH+)

log(Keq) = log(aNa+ / aH+) + 3 logaH4SiO4o = -5.41

log(aNa+ / aH+) + 3 logaH4SiO4o = -5.41

Recall, that at quartz saturation, logaH4SiO4o = -3.95

therefore by substitution,


log(aNa+ / aH+) = 6.44


Albite - Muscovite

3NaAlSi3O8+ 12H2O + K+ + 2H+ <-----> 3Na+ + 6H4SiO4o + KAl3Si3O10(OH)2

Keq = (a3Na+ a6H4SiO4o) / (aK+ a2H+)

Keq =(a3Na+ a6H4SiO4o aH+ ) / (aK+ a3H+)

log(Keq) = 3 log(aNa+ / aH+) + log(aH+ / aK+) + 6 logaH4SiO4o = -5.07

3 log (aNa+ / aH+) - log(aK+ / aH+) + 6 logaH4SiO4o = -5.07

Recall, that at quartz saturation, logaH4SiO4o = -3.95

therefore by substitution,

3 log(aNa+ / aH+) - log(aK+ / aH+) = 18.63


log(aNa+ / aH+) = 1/3 log(aK+ / aH+) + 6.21


Albite - Microcline

NaAlSi3O8+ K+ + H+ <-----> Na+ + H+ + KAlSi3O8

Keq = (aNa+ aH+ ) / (aK+ aH+ )

log(Keq) = log(aNa+ / aH+ ) + log (aH+ / aK+ ) = 1.76

log(aNa+ / aH+ ) - log(aK+ / aH+ ) = 1.76


log(aNa+ /aH+ ) = log(aK+ /aH+ ) + 1.76


Kaolinite - Halloysite

Al2Si2O5(OH)4 <-----> Al2Si2O5(OH)4

log(Keq) = -3.27