A Natural analogue of illitization of bentonite: A Contact metamorphism by the nishikubiki hypabyssal rock in niigata prefecture, Japan

Futakuchi, Katsuhito*; Hashimoto, Shuji*; Sakuramoto, Yuji*; not registered  ; not registered 

As a natural analogue, the authors investigted a Tertiary argillaceous bed and a Quarternary hypabyssal rock (porphyrite) which intruded into the argillaceous rock, distributed in the Nishikubiki district of Niigata prefecture in Japan. We examined the variation of clay mineral species in the argillaceous rock surrounding the intrusive rock and carried out thermal analyses for the argillaceous rock based on the coolig history of the intrusive rock. The predominant clay mineral varied from montmorillonite to illite through illite/montmorillonite interlayers with approaching to the intrusive rock. The thermal analyses indicated that the temperature descended from 270 to 15 C during the 7.5 10 years at alocalty of argillaceous rock containing 75% illite in the interlayers. On the assumption that the alteration from montmorillonite to illite was regarded as a first-order reaction, we evaluated the apparent activation energy based on the thermal condition mentioned above; about 103 kJ/mol was obtained for this illitization. This was within the range of values reported previously by laboratory experiments and/or examinations of natural illitizations.