Occurrence and Physico-chemical Properties of the Smectite-rich Clays from the Samcheok Area in Kangwon-do, Korea

강원도 삼척지역의 스멕타이트질 점토의 산상 및 특성

The smectite-rich clays were found locally in Paleozoic calcareous sedimentary rocks in the Samcheok area. Their occurrences were investigated in detail, and the physico-chemical properties of the clays were also determined by X-ray diffraction, chemical analysis, thermal analysis and cation exchanging experiment. The smectite clays occur as the fissure filling dyke developed in calcareous sedimentary rock and as alteration products of intrusive rhyolite. Most of clays occur at the contact between the sedimentary rock and the rhyolite, and the alteration zone was observed only in rhyolite body close to the contact. Judging from their occurrences, it is believed that the smectite-rich clays in this area were formed by the hydrothemal alteration. The smectite clays from the area are mainly composed of Ca-montmorillonite, and associated with small quantities of quartz, opal-CT and feldspar. The montmorillonites from this area are lower in Fe content, and higher in exchangeable Ca ion, compared to those of bentonite from the Yangnam-Yeongil area.