Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 July 2018
Evidence obtained from ESR and IR studies is presented for the presence of structural Cr in two natural kaolinites (MILO and GEY) formed in an hydrothermal environment in Sonoma County, California. The XRD patterns show a greater structural disorder for GEY than for MILO, but both have the usual hexagonal shapes as shown by TEM observations. On the basis of EDX analysis of different particles, GEY, on average, appears to be richer in Cr (2.1% Cr203) than MILO (0.6% Cr203). The presence of Fe oxide particles containing some Cr, Ni and V is also indicated by EDX analysis. By FT-IR observation, the octahedral Cr 3+ position was easily detected by a well resolved spectral feature at 3586 cm -1. The adsorbed Cr 3+ kaolinite (KMRXCR) presents no band at 3586 cm -1, but two other bands situated at 3527 and 3477 cm -1. The main features of the ESR spectra of these two kaolinites are a set of resonances near geff4; a broad resonance centred near geff2 with some modulations; and a set of resonances near gcffl. The broad resonance centred near geff2 is interpreted as the free iron oxide signal with modulations due to VO 2+. The set of resonances near geff4 is similar to that observed for octahedral Fe 3+, but the position is shifted compared to that of octahedral Fe 3+. This set of resonances near geff4 is, therefore, interpreted as belonging to Cr 3+ in octahedral position. The resonances at geff1 are also interpreted as belonging to Cr 3-. Comparison with the Cr 3+ surface-adsorbed ESR signal of a Cr-saturated kaolinite (which is a broad resonance centred near geff2) strengthens the interpretation of the geff4 resonances belonging to Cr 3+ in the octahedral position. The results obtained by the combination of FT-IR and ESR spectroscopics indicate that Cr 3+ is present in the octahedral position of the MILO and GEY kaolinites.