Stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of bentonites from Cabo de Gata (Almería, Spain)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the nature of the solutions and the temperature during the bentonite formation by using δ 18O and δ 2H values and the relationship between chemical and isotopic composition of smectites from Cabo de Gata region. Therefore, 36 bentonite samples had been selected. For analyses the <2 μm fraction were separated. Most of the samples contain smectite above 90 wt%. The stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of the analysed smectites is close to the “montmorillonite line”. However, from isotopic composition two types of bentonite can be distinguished. The Sierra de Gata (SG) and Serrata de Nijar (SN) types show δ 18O and δ 2H values above and below this line, respectively. Temperatures obtained from geothermometer equation are similar to the temperatures values obtained from the equation of Savin and Lee (1988). Estimated formation temperatures of SG type are 25 and 49 °C higher compared to those of the SN type (6 and 25 °C). Correlations between structural cations versus isotopic composition show no statistical significance concerning all samples. However, separating the samples of SG (Sierra de Gata) from SN (Serrata of Nijar) a statistical significance for the individual areas is obtained. In both cases the effect is similar for 18O and for 2H. This could be due to the different composition of the solutions forming these bentonites.