Bulachite, [Al6(AsO4)3(OH)9(H2O)4]⋅2H2O from Cap Garonne, France: Crystal structure and formation from a higher hydrate

Bulachite specimens from Cap Garonne, France, comprise two intimately mixed hydrated aluminium arsenate minerals with the same Al:As ratio of 2:1 and with different water contents. The crystal structures of both minerals have been solved using data from low-dose electron diffraction tomography combined with synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction. One of the minerals has the same powder X-ray diffraction pattern (PXRD) as for published bulachite. It has orthorhombic symmetry, space group Pnma with unit-cell parameters a = 15.3994(3), b = 17.6598(3), c = 7.8083(1) Å and Z = 4, with the formula [Al6(AsO4)3(OH)9(H2O)4]⋅2H2O. The second mineral is a higher hydrate with composition [Al6(AsO4)3(OH)9(H2O)4]⋅8H2O. It has the same Pnma space group and unit-cell parameters a = 19.855(4), b = 17.6933(11) and c = 7.7799(5) Å i.e. almost the same b and c parameters but a much larger a parameter. The structures are based on polyhedral layers, parallel to (100), of composition [Al6(AsO4)3(OH)9(H2O)4] and with H-bonded H2O between the layers. The layers contain [001] spiral chains of edge-shared octahedra, decorated with corner connected AsO4 tetrahedra that are the same as in the mineral liskeardite. The spiral chains are joined together by octahedral edge-sharing to form layers parallel to (100). Synchrotron PXRD patterns collected at different temperatures during heating of the specimen show that the higher-hydrate mineral starts transforming to bulachite when heated to 50°C, and the transformation is complete between 75 and 100°C.

Characterisitics Examination of Bentonite Mortar with Replacement of Cement

The experimental investigation on alternate concrete from aged volcanic ash or hydrated aluminium silicate was done by partially replacing bentonite with OPC. Bentonites consist of the fundamental elements of cement like silica, magnesium and calcium. The total assets of bentonite in the country are about 531 million tons bulk of the resource in Tamil Nadu.The partial replacement of bentonite with cement leads to reduction of cement content in concrete mix and furthermore decreases the transfer and contamination issues. Cylinders and cubes were casted and tested for the 7th, 14th and 28th days respectively.10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% replacement of bentonite with cement are done. Slump test are also done to study the workability characteristics of replacement concrete according to Indian standards. Finally the estimation was computed for all the partial replacement of concrete samples of bentonite according to percentage of mix.

Fire Resistance Properties of Concrete upon using Bentonite

The experimental investigation on alternate concrete from aged volcanic ash or hydrated aluminium silicate was done by partially replacing bentonite with OPC. For industrial purpose bentonite is available in two forms sodium bentonite and calcium bentonite. The total resources of bentonite in the country as per UNFC system are about 531 million tonnes. The partial replacement of bentonite with cement leads to reduction of cement content in concrete mix. Concrete specimens were casted and examined for the 7th, 14th and 28th days respectively. A mix ratio of 1:2:4 was adopted for 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% replacement of bentonite with cement. Test were conducted on fresh concrete and hardened concrete. Estimated results was computed for all concrete samples replaced with bentonite based on the test result done.

Penberthycroftite, [Al6(AsO4)3(OH)9(H2O)5]·8H2O, a second new hydrated aluminium arsenate mineral from the Penberthy Croft mine, St. Hilary, Cornwall, UK

Penberthycroftite, ideally [Al6(AsO4)3(OH)9(H2O)5]·8H2O, is a new secondary aluminium arsenate mineral from the Penberthy Croft mine, St. Hilary, Cornwall, England, UK. It occurs as tufts of white, ultrathin (sub-micrometre) rectangular laths, with lateral dimensions generally < 20 μm. The laths are flattened on {010} and elongated on [100]. The mineral is associated with arsenopyrite, bettertonite, bulachite, cassiterite, chalcopyrite, chamosite, goethite, liskeardite, pharmacoalumite–pharmacosiderite and quartz. Penberthycroftite is translucent with a white streak and a vitreous to pearly lustre. The calculated density is 2.18 g/cm3. Optically, only the lower and upper refractive indices could be measured, 1.520(1) and 1.532(1) respectively. No pleochroism was observed. Electron microprobe analyses (average of 14) with H2O obtained from thermogravimetric analysis and analyses normalized to 100% gave Al2O3 = 31.3, Fe2O3 = 0.35, As2O5 = 34.1, SO3 = 2.15 and H2O = 32.1. The empirical formula, based on nine metal atoms and 26 framework anions is [Al5.96Fe0.04(As0.97Al0.03O4)3(SO4)0.26(OH)8.30(H2O)5.44](H2O)7.8, corresponding to the ideal formula [Al6(AsO4)3(OH)9(H2O)5]·8H2O. Penberthycroftite is monoclinic, space group P21/c with unit-cell dimensions (100 K): a = 7.753(2) Å, b = 24.679(5) Å, c = 15.679(3) Å and β = 94.19(3)°. The strongest lines in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [dobs in Å(I) (hkl)] 13.264(46) (011); 12.402(16)(020); 9.732(100)(021); 7.420(28)(110); 5.670(8)(130); 5.423(6)(1̄31). The structure of penberthycroftite was solved using synchrotron single-crystal diffraction data and refined to wRobs = 0.059 for 1639 observed (I> 3σ(I)) reflections. Penberthycroftite has a heteropolyhedral layer structure, with the layers parallel to {010}. The layers are strongly undulating and their stacking produces large channels along [100] that are filled with water molecules. The layers are identical to those in bettertonite, but they are displaced relative to one another along [001] and [010] such that the interlayer volume is decreased markedly (by ∼10%)relative to that in bettertonite, with a corresponding reduction in the interlayer water content from 11 H2O per formula unit (pfu) in bettertonite to 8 H2O pfu in penberthycroftite.