Natural Ammonium Illites from Black Shales Hosting a Stratiform Base Metal Deposit, Delong Mountains, Northern Alaska

Abstract

Naturally occurring ammonium illites have been discovered in black shales surrounding a stratiform base metal deposit in the DeLong Mountains, northern Alaska. Infrared spectra of the samples exhibit pronounced absorption at 1430 cm⁻¹, the resonant-banding frequency for NH₄⁺ coordinated in the illite interlayer. X-ray powder diffraction characteristics of the ammonium illites include an expanded d(001) spacing, with values as large as 10.16 Å, and ratios for I₀₀₁/I₀₀₃ and I₀₀₂/I₀₀₅ of about 2. Infrared analyses of physical mixtures of NH₄Cl with a standard illite, and comparisons with synthetic ammonium micas indicate significant substitution (>50%) of NH₄⁺ for K⁺ in the illite interlayer position. Nitrogen determinations on two ammonium illites after removal of carbonaceous matter gave values of 1.48 wt. % NH₄⁺ and 1.44 wt. % NH₄⁺. A survey of more than 150 different shale horizons indicates that the NH₄⁺ content of the illites increases in proximity to the stratiform base metal mineralization.