Dissolution Kinetics of Clay Minerals

The clay minerals dissolution kinetics is revised from the studies published in the last twenty years (1995–2014). Over this period one main goal has been the elucidation of the clay minerals dissolution mechanisms. The layered structure of the clay minerals (phyllosilicates) in contrast to the structure of the framework silicates has offered distinct mechanistic interpretations of their dissolution reactions. The improved microscopic techniques have rendered detailed topographic inspections at the nanoscale of the clay mineral reacted surfaces to delve deeper into the processes controlling the clay minerals dissolution reactions. The second main goal has been the obtainment of the clay minerals dissolution rates under different experimental conditions with the imminent derivation of clay minerals dissolution rate laws. Investigation of the effect of the primary environmental variables (pH, temperature, organic acids, solution composition, and solution saturation state, as well as the solution ionic strength) on the dissolution rates has been carried out by means of laboratory experiments, primarily using powder samples, from which the concept of reactive surface area of clay minerals has been debated.