Illite
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Description
A class of Clay minerals composed of hydrated potassium aluminosilicates. Illites were first described in 1937 in shale samples from Calhoun county, Illinois. This grayish-green clay does not shrink on drying.
Synonyms and Related Terms
hydromica; hydromuscovite; gumbelite; illita (Esp.); illite (Fr., Port.); Illit (Deut.); illiet (Ned.)
Physical and Chemical Properties
Color = gray, green white Cleavage=perfect Streak = white
| Mohs Hardness | 1.0-2.0 |
|---|---|
| Density | 2.6-2.9 g/ml |
Additional Images
Illite
Resources and Citations
- Robert Fournier, Illustrated Dictionary of Practical Pottery, Chilton Book Company, Radnor, PA, 1992
- Web Minerals: Illite (Accessed Sept. 7, 2005)
- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illite (Accessed Sept. 7, 2005)