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Konyaite in Salt Efflorescence from a Tertiary Marine Deposit near Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Author(s) -
Shayan A.,
Lancucki C. J.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1984.03615995004800040047x
Subject(s) - efflorescence , halite , gypsum , geology , cinder , recrystallization (geology) , mineralogy , geochemistry , basalt , fucales , salt (chemistry) , chemistry , archaeology , geography , petrology , algae , botany , coal , paleontology , biology
Konyaite [Na 2 Mg(SO 4 ) 2 ·5H 2 O] was identified for the first time in Australia in salt efflorescences from a Tertiary marine deposit below exposed basalt flows at a quarry near Geelong, Victoria. Other soluble salts in the efflorescence were epsomite (MgSO 4 ·7H 2 O), gypsum (CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O), and halite (NaCl). Heating at 110°C converted the konyaite to a mixture of bloedite [Na 2 Mg(SO 4 ) 2 ·4H 2 O], loeweite [Na 4 Mg 2 (SO 4 ) 4 ·5H 2 O], and thenardite (Na 2 SO 4 ). Recrystallization at 23°C of the efflorescence dissolved in varying amounts of water indicated that epsomite and thenardite form from dilute solutions, whereas increasing amounts of konyaite recrystallize from the more concentrated solutions under faster evaporative conditions. The salts are transported to the basalt quarry site in river seepage or ground water from the neighboring marine deposits and are left on the exposed surfaces by evaporation.