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Hectorite

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Phyllosilicate clay mineral
Hectorite
Hectorite from California
General
CategoryPhyllosilicates
Smectite
Formula
(repeating unit)		Na0.3(Mg,Li)3Si4O10(OH)2
(empirical: Na3(Mg,Li)30Si40O100(OH)20)
IMA symbolHtr
Strunz classification9.EC.45
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Crystal classPrismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)
Space groupC2/m
Unit cella = 5.25 Å, b = 9.18 Å
c = 16 Å; β = 99°; Z = 2
Identification
ColorWhite, cream, pale brown, mottled
Crystal habitThin laths and aggregates
Cleavage Perfect
FractureUneven
Mohs scale hardness1–2
LusterEarthy to waxy
StreakWhite
DiaphaneityTranslucent to opaque
Specific gravity2–3
Optical propertiesBiaxial (−) – 2V small
Refractive indexnα = 1.490 nβ = 1.500 nγ = 1.520
Birefringenceδ = 0.030
References

Hectorite is a rare soft, greasy, white clay mineral with a chemical formula of Na0.3(Mg,Li)3Si4O10(OH)2.

Hectorite was first described in 1941 and named for an occurrence in the United States near Hector (in San Bernardino County, California, 30 miles east of Barstow.) Hectorite occurs with bentonite as an alteration product of clinoptilolite from volcanic ash and tuff with a high glass content. Hectorite is also found in the beige/brown clay ghassoul, mined in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. A large deposit of hectorite is also found at the Thacker Pass lithium deposit, located within the McDermitt Caldera in Nevada. The Thacker Pass lithium deposit could be a significant source of lithium.

Despite its rarity, it is economically viable as the Hector mine sits over a large deposit of the mineral. Hectorite is mostly used in making cosmetics, but has uses in chemical and other industrial applications, and is a mineral source for refined lithium metal.

See also

References

  1. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ Anthony JW, Bideaux RA, Bladh KW, et al. (1995). "Hectorite" (PDF). Handbook of mineralogy. Tucson, Ariz.: Mineral Data Publishing. ISBN 9780962209734. OCLC 20759166.
  3. "Hectorite Mineral Data". webmineral.com. Retrieved 3 Apr 2019.
  4. ^ Jololyn R (2007). "Hectorite: Mineral information, data and localities". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 3 Apr 2019.
  5. Benhammou A, Tanouti B, Nibou L, et al. (2009). "Mineralogical and Physicochemical Investigation of Mg-Smectite from Jbel Ghassoul, Morocco". Clays and Clay Minerals. 57 (2): 264–270. Bibcode:2009CCM....57..264B. doi:10.1346/CCMN.2009.0570212. S2CID 95505225.
  6. Bradley, Dwight C.; Stillings, Lisa L.; Jaskula, Brian W.; Munk, LeeAnn; McCauley, Andrew D. (2017). Lithium, Chapter K of Critical Mineral Resources of the United States—Economic and Environmental Geology and Prospects for Future Supply (PDF) (Report). United States Geological Survey.
  7. Moores S (2007). "Between a rock and a salt lake". Industrial Minerals. 477: 58–69.
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