ILLITE: The name illite was proposed by Grim, Bray and Bradley

in 1937 for the mica-type mineral occurring in argillaceous

sediments. It was specifically stated that
"the term is not proposed as a specific
mineral name, but as a general term for the
clay mineral constituent of argillaceous
sediments belonging to the mica group".
Illite is basically a non-expanding clay
crystalline mineral or a secondary mineral
precipitate phyllosilicate or layered alumino-
silicate.
Its structure is a 2:1 clay of silica
tetrahedron alumina octahedron silica
tetrahedron layers. The space between individual clay crystals is
occupied by poorly hydrated potassium cations which is
responsible for the absence of swelling. Structurally, illite is quite
similar to muscovite with slightly more silicon, magnesium, iron,
and water and slightly less tetrahedral aluminium and interlayer
potassium. There is considerable ion (isomorphic) substitution. It
occurs as aggregates of small monoclinic grey to white crystals.
Due to the small size, positive identification usually requires x-ray
diffraction or SEM-EDS (automated mineralogy) analysis. Illite
occurs as an altered product of muscovite and feldspar in
weathering and hydrothermal environments; it may be a
component of sericite. It is common in sediments, soils, and
argillaceous sedimentary rocks as well as in some low grade
metamorphic rocks. The iron rich member of the illite group,
glauconite, in sediments can be differentiated by x-ray analysis.
Imp Characterisctic: The cation exchange capacity (CEC) of illite
is smaller than that of smectite but higher than that of kaolinite,
typically around 20 30 meq/100 g.
Major Source in the US: Illinois