This project involves detailed studies of the processes of dehydroxylation of the major rock-forming micas using thermal analysis and high temperature single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The studies will investigate the effects of interlayer composition and octahedral site chemistry on the mechanism of dehydroxylation. Unlike most earlier work, this research will follow a process-oriented approach that takes into account both the dynamic and kinetic aspects of dehydroxylation. The results of these studies will enhance our understanding of the thermal stability of these important rock-forming minerals and of the processes involved in the progressive metamorphism of mica-bearing rocks.
