HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Pollack, S. S. Articles by Van Varowe, D. E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Pollack, S. S. Articles by Van Varowe, D. E. GeoRef GeoRef Citation Agricola Articles by Pollack, S. S. Articles by Van Varowe, D. E.

X-Ray Diffraction of Common Silica Minerals and Possible Applications to Studies of Soil Genesis¹

ABSTRACT

A qualitative X-ray diffraction study indicated that quartz was present in all of 16 silica minerals. Jasper was the only sample found to contain a crystalline impurity and this was identified as hematite.

A standardized sample preparation and mounting technique is described herein. Quantitative estimates of the quartz contents of three phenocrystalline varieties and two cryptocrystalline varieties of quartz were made. The cryptocrystalline varieties showed much less intense diffraction by the 3.35 A° spacing characteristic of quartz than did the phenocrystalline varieties. The available evidence indicates that these differences are probably due to fundamental differences in the nature of the quartz in these two groups. However, the possibilities of the presence of some amorphous diluents and variable particle sizes have not yet been completely eliminated.

The implications of these findings for the use of X-ray diffraction procedures for the determination of quartz in soils and the study of soil genesis are discussed.

¹ Michigan Journal Article No. 1581 of the Michigan Agr. Exp. Sta., East Lansing, Mich. Presented before a joint meeting of Division II and Division V of the Soil Science Society of America, Dallas, Texas, Nov. 19, 1953.

² Former graduate student in Soil Science, Michigan State College; Professor of Soil Science, M. S. C.; and Chief Chemist, Div. of Occupational Health, Michigan Department of Health, respectively.

Received for publication December 21, 1953.