Illite

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We present a comprehensive collection of insights from mineral scientists accumulated over decades. Illite, a relatively recent discovery, plays a crucial role in geological processes such as weathering, sedimentation, and burial. It is the primary potassium mineral among silicates in surface environments. Potassium is the only alkaline metal bound in silicate structures during the significant chemical changes of weathering. This environment features strong chemical segregation, where silicon and aluminum become resistant components of silicate rocks, while iron forms oxides and potassium remains as stable clay illite. Silicon and aluminum subsequently form smectites and kaolinite, while sodium, calcium, and magnesium are leached from solids as dissolved ionic species. Calcium and magnesium can re-enter solid minerals through carbonate precipitation, whereas sodium contributes to the salinity of seawater. Studying illite has been challenging due to its fine grain size (2 µm in diameter), typical of all clays. Its exploration awaited the advent of effective X-ray detection methods, allowing for the investigation of clays that were initially defined by the resolving power of optical microscopes (2 µm). The study of illite has evolved alongside advancements in X-ray diffraction techniques.