Eytons' Earth: Natural & Alternative Medicine

[bitkiboy]

A clay-size, micaceous mineral; a common component of soil, sediments, sedimentary rocks, and hydrothermal deposits. Illite is considered to possess a smaller layer charge and potassium (K) content than muscovite. It is characterized by the ideal formula Al2(Si3.2Al0.8)O10(OH)2K0.8.

Illite frequently is interlayered with smectite, and can be considered the nonswelling end member in an illite-smectite mixed-layer clay series. Pure end-member illite, with no interlayer smectite, is rare.

Illitic clays are used for manufacturing structural clay products such as brick and tile. Some degraded illites (vermiculites) are used for molding sands. Illite may also be useful for storing certain types of radioactive wastes, because it is less subject to transformation by heat than are other common clays and because it is highly specific for the sorption of cesium. See also Clay, commercial; Clay minerals.