An improved regression method for the evaluation of standard free energies of formation (ΔG°f) of clay minerals is here proposed in an attempt to remove some of the limitations of the earlier method (Chen, 1975). Particularly, this method suggests a procedure for the assignment of rankings for Σ ΔG°f, i values. Moreover, an iterative least-squares fitting technique is applied to solve the exponential equation to obtain the estimated ΔG°f. The estimated ΔG°f data for the various standard clay minerals are derived and compared with data available in the literature; in general, there is good agreement between the values. It is also shown how the regression method can be extended to clay minerals of variable composition. The ΔG°f's for several such minerals have been evaluated; a large number of combination equations required for such computations have been listed, so that for other similar minerals the process of evaluation of ΔG°f is greatly simplified.
