In the regions of Asia and Africa geophagic clays are traditionally used by population based on historical and traditional motivations including ethno-medical ones. The aim of the present research was to reveal the general common properties of some geophagic clay occurrences based on their mineral composition and landscapes specificity, in which they were sampled. In addition to assess the potential source of the minerals in geoghagic clays, the mineral association of the hard rocks, located in geophagic loose material, was studied too. Mineralogy of the samples was investigated using X-ray diffractometry, FTIR spectroscopy, and optical microscopy. The studied samples were collected in two provinces of South Africa: Free State and Limpopo. It was shown that location of geophagic materials is spread widely in the studied provinces. Using material as geophagic is more historically and traditionally determined than by the type or specificity of a landscape, which cannot be characterized by common features. Whereas it was revealed that despite the differences in location and rock geneses, the most common mineral in the fine size fraction of the studied geophagic samples is smectite—a fine-sized clay mineral with high specific surface area being able to play a role as adsorbent.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProcesses and Phenomena on the Boundary Between Biogenic and Abiogenic Nature
EditorsOlga V. Frank-Kamenetskaya, Dmitry Yu. Vlasov, Elena G. Panova, Sofia N. Lessovaia
Place of PublicationCham
PublisherSpringer Nature
Pages785-801
Number of pages17
ISBN (Electronic)9783030216146
ISBN (Print)9783030216139
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2020
EventVI International Symposium "Biogenic-abiogenic interactions in natural and anthropogenic systems", devoted to the 150th anniversary of the Saint-Petersburg Naturalists Society - СПбГУ, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation
Duration: 24 Sep 201827 Sep 2018
Conference number: VI

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Earth System Sciences
PublisherSPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING AG
ISSN (Print)2193-8571

Conference

ConferenceVI International Symposium "Biogenic-abiogenic interactions in natural and anthropogenic systems", devoted to the 150th anniversary of the Saint-Petersburg Naturalists Society
Country/TerritoryRussian Federation
CitySaint-Petersburg
Period24/09/1827/09/18

    Scopus subject areas

  • Computers in Earth Sciences
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)

    Research areas

  • Cementing agents, Clay mineralogy, Geophagic clays, Smectite

ID: 51081965