Date of Award

Spring 5-7-2011

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geosciences

First Advisor

W. Crawford Elliott

Second Advisor

Daniel M. Deocampo

Third Advisor

Eirik J. Krogstad

Abstract

Cretaceous bauxite deposits from Hall and Veneer mines, Wilkinson County, Georgia are composed of kaolinite, gibbsite, goethite, anatase, nordstrandite and bohemite. Quartz and micas are absent in the samples. The presence of boehmite and goethite are evidence of intense weathering forming the bauxite deposits. The extremely high values of the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) which is over 99, and the low values of the alkali metals and alkali earth metals, support an intense weathering origin for the bauxite deposit. There is evidence of deposition in the mines based on the presence of pisoids in the bauxite samples and the composition of the parent materials, which vary markedly by the non-uniform TiO2/Al2O3 values which represent the accumulation of transported materials from contrasting source areas. Kaolin minerals were first produced by the hydrolytic weathering of aluminous sediments and then gibbsite was formed as early kaolin was desilicated.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/1953874

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