BACTERIAL BREAKDOWN OF SMECTITE MINERALS

Abstract

Initial studies of the ability of silicate bacteria to break down smectite minerals used four smectite specimens from the Askani clay deposit, Georgia. They were subjected to quantitative chemical, as well as by X-ray and electron-diffraction analyses. Tests on bacterial leaching of smectite samples were run for three weeks at 25°C. The starting concentration of quartz-adapted silicate bacteria was 108 cells per milliliter. The data indicate that silicate bacteria break down much more strongly those smectite minerals which exhibit phase homogeneity and have the most highly ordered structure, with the maximum content of tetrahedral aluminum, i.e., are aluminosilicates. Additional aspects of the subject are discussed.