Information AboutKaolinite |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT KAOLINITE | |
| phyllosilicates | |
| aluminium minerals | |
| hydroxide minerals | |
| SHOPPER'S DELIGHT | |
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Kaolinite is a Clay Mineral with the chemical composition Al 2 Si 2 O 5( OH )4. It is a layered Silicate mineral, with one Tetrahedral sheet linked through Oxygen Atom s to one Octahedral sheet of Alumina octahedra. Rocks that are rich in kaolinite are known as '''china clay''' or '''kaolin''' (), named after Gaoling ("High Hill") in Jingde Town , Jiangxi , China . It was first described as a mineral species in 1867 for an occurrence in the Jari River basin of Brazil {Link without Title} . It is a soft, earthy, usually white mineral (dioctahedral phyllosilicate Clay ), produced by the chemical weathering of Aluminium Silicates , like Feldspar . In many parts of the world, it is colored pink-orange-red by Iron Oxide , giving it a distinct Rust hue. Lighter concentrations yield white, yellow or light orange colours. Alternating layers are sometimes found, as at Providence Canyon State Park in Georgia , USA . Kaolinite is one of the most common minerals; it is mined in Brazil , France , Britain , Germany , India , Australia , Japan , China , and the southeastern U.S. states of Georgia, Florida , and, to a lesser extent, South Carolina . Due to its extremely fine nature (finer than Silt ), it is mixed with water and transported in tanks as a liquid Slurry . It is used in Ceramic s, Medicine , Brick s, Paper , as a Food Additive , in Toothpaste , and in Cosmetic s. A recent use is as a specially formulated spray applied to fruits, Vegetable s, and other vegetation to repel or deter Insect damage. A traditional use is to soothe an upset Stomach , similar to the way Parrot s (and later, humans) in South America originally use it. The largest use is in the production of paper, as it is a key ingredient in creating 'glossy' paper (but Calcium Carbonate , a cheaper substitute, is slowly taking over this function). Natural kaolinite usually contains small amounts of Uranium and Thorium , and is therefore useful in Radiological Dating . While a single magazine made using kaolinite does not contain enough Radioactive material to be detected by a security-oriented monitor, this does result in truckloads of high end glossy paper occasionally tripping an overly-sensitive Radiation Monitor . The Crystallography of kaolinite played a role in Linus Pauling 's work on the nature of the Chemical Bond . SEE ALSO REFERENCES
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