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Silicates: Reactivity with Sea Water.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|October 1, 1965
Summary
Silicate minerals quickly release silica into seawater. This study shows that even common minerals react rapidly, challenging previous assumptions about slow geological rates in marine chemical systems.
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Marine Chemistry
- Mineralogy
Background:
- Silicate minerals are abundant in marine environments.
- Previous understanding suggested slow reaction rates between silicate minerals and seawater.
- Ion exchange was considered the primary interaction mechanism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the rate of silica release from various silicate minerals into seawater.
- To challenge the assumption of geologically slow mineral-seawater reactions.
- To assess the marine chemical system's responsiveness to detrital silicates.
Main Methods:
- Fine-grained silicate mineral samples (1 gram) were incubated in artificial seawater (200 ml).
- Silica concentrations in the water were measured over a 6-month period.
- Specific minerals tested included kaolinite, chlorite, illite, muscovite, and two types of montmorillonite.
Main Results:
- Significant silica release was observed from all tested minerals within 10 days and 6 months.
- Montmorillonite samples showed the highest silica concentrations (e.g., Montmorillonite B: 10 ppm at 10 days, 21 ppm at 6 months).
- Kaolinite showed the lowest release (0.6 ppm at 10 days, 2.2 ppm at 6 months).
Conclusions:
- Silicate minerals react rapidly with seawater, releasing substantial amounts of silica.
- The ocean should be viewed as a chemical system with a rapid response to added detrital silicates.
- Observed rates contradict the assumption of geologically slow mineral dissolution in marine environments.
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