Clays: Controlling the Environment

Book excerpt: Proceedings of the 10th International Clays Conference, Adelaide, Australia, July 18 to 23, 1993. Clays have provided us with the most active ingredients in soils, with building materials, with pottery and ceramics for both utility and decoration, and with coatings and fillers for paper, among other uses. The unique properties of these apparently everyday materials are being studied and used in an increasing range of industrial and environmental applications. Clays: Controlling the Environment provides a valuable compendium of the latest results from the complete range of clay-related scientific research. It includes coverage of the economic and environmental issues as well as directions for further research and development in many vital and expanding industries. All papers in these proceedings were subject to peer review. The topics discussed are: Clays in industry and the environment Surface and interlayer reactions Clay mineral structures and chemistry Methods of investigation Clays in geology Soil mineralogy The emphasis of this book reflects the vital role that clays play in controlling natural, polluted and technological environments.