Composition, Structure and Properties of Vermiculite from the Tebinbulok Deposit in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan

In this research, the chemical composition and physicochemical properties of vermiculite from the Tebinbulak deposit, located in the Karauzyak district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, were comprehensively investigated. The analyses conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) revealed that the studied vermiculite belongs to the class of layered magnesium–aluminum and magnesium–iron aluminosilicates. The crystal structure of the mineral contains interlayer water molecules, which contribute to its distinctive physicochemical behavior. Owing to its broad range of applications—including in construction, the food and chemical industries, oil and gas extraction, nuclear energy, environmental protection, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, railway car manufacturing, shipbuilding, mining, and agriculture—the industrial relevance and economic value of vermiculite are steadily increasing.