Volcanic Zeolites from the Yagodninskoe Deposit (Kamchatka Krai)

This work is devoted to typification, study of the compositional features and properties of hydrothermal zeolites of the Yagodninskoe deposit (Kamchatka Krai), formed over volcanic rocks. To carry out the research, X-ray phase and X-ray fluorescence analyses, optical and scanning electron microscopy were used; the specific surface area, pore size distribution, and cation exchange capacity of zeolites were determined. As a result of the research, 4 main types of rocks found at the deposit were identified: original unaltered perlites, zeolites themselves, zeolitized tuffs, and weakly zeolitized tuff breccias. The content of zeolite group minerals reaches 70%, and are mainly represented by clinoptilolite and to a lesser extent mordenite, stilbite and heulandite. Zeolites are of the alkaline type, the cation exchange capacity of which is 205.9 mEq/100 g. It was established that the formation of zeolites occurred mainly in perlites and tuff breccias. It is noted that the zeolites of the Yagodninskoye deposit have high quality raw materials and are the promising object for further development.