sauconite

mineral

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July 23, 2026

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Sauconite is a mineral composed of a basic hydrous zinc aluminum silicate, isomorphous with saponite. It has the chemical formula Zn₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂·n H₂O. The name "sauconite" originates from Upper Saucon in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, which is its type locality.1

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clay mineral
Smectite
Zinc dominant species are called sauconite. There are other types of trioctahedral smectites in which the net charge deficiency arises largely from the imbalanced charge due to ionic substitution or a small number of cation vacancies in the octahedral sheets or both conditions. Ideally x is zero, but most often…
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Zinc dominant species are called sauconite. There are other types of trioctahedral smectites in which the net charge deficiency arises largely from the imbalanced charge due to ionic substitution or a small number of cation vacancies in the octahedral sheets or both conditions. Ideally x is zero, but most often…
Read More