Mineralogical Transformation and Microstructure of the Killik Region Clays

Abstract

Killik region (Mihalı¸c¸cık, Eski¸sehir, Turkey) is one of the most important loughlinite clay mineral deposits in Turkey and in the world. Along with loughlinite, analcime and dolomite minerals are also found in this deposit, which is not operable. Anorthoclase (94.61%) and quartz (4.94%) minerals (K2 sample) were obtained as the final product by applying Na ion exchange and thermal exchange processes to the minerals (K1 sample) taken from this deposit. In this study, XRD, Raman and infrared spectroscopies, and SEM techniques were used to characterize the phase structure of the K1 and K2 samples. As a result of this research, obtaining high purity anorthoclase mineral will encourage new research on new usage areas of anorthoclase mineral.