Term: Corrensite

Corrensite

A regular interstratification of trioctahedral chlorite-like layers with either trioctahedral smectite-like or trioctahedral vermiculite-like layers, the former being “low-charge corrensite” and the latter “high-charge corrensite”. The ratio of chlorite-like layers to smectite-like or vermiculite-like layers is 1:1 (Guggenheim et al., 2006). Corrensite occurrences are from low temperature environments, such as evaporites, saline deposits, sedimentary rocks, weathering zones, hydrothermal systems, burial diagenesis, low grade metamorphic regimes, and some contact metamorphic zones. Beaufort et al. (1997) discussed corrensite possibly as a regular mixed-layer structure involving a continuous series from smectite (or vermiculite) to chlorite or alternatively, as a single phase with a regular alteration of chlorite and smectite (or vermiculite) layers, with a stability field. If the latter, mixtures that deviate from 1:1 ratios of interstratified layers would require physical mixtures of appropriate layers of corrensite and chlorite.