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Near-infrared remote sensing data of Mars have revealed thousands of ancient deposits of Fe/Mg-rich smectitic clay minerals within the crust with relevance to past habitability. Diagnostic metal–OH infrared spectroscopic absorptions used to interpret the mineralogy of these phyllosilicates occur at wavelengths of 2.27–2.32 μm, indicating variable Fe/Mg ratios in the clay structures. The objective of this work is to use these near infrared absorptions to constrain the mineralogy of smectites on Mars. Using Fe/Mg-rich seafloor clay minerals as mineralogical and spectroscopic analogs for Martian clay minerals, we show how crystal–chemical substitution and mixed layering affect the position of the diagnostic metal–OH spectral feature in smectitic clay minerals. Crystal-chemistry of smectites detected on Mars were quantitatively constrained with infrared data and categorized into four mineralogical groups. Possible alteration processes are constrained by comparisons of clay chemistry detected by remote sensing techniques to the chemistry of candidate protoliths. Of the four groups identified, three of them indicate significant segregation of Fe from Mg, suggestive of alteration under water-rich and/or oxidizing conditions on Mars. The fourth group (with low Fe/Mg ratios) may result from alteration in reducing or water-limited conditions, potentially in subsurface environments. Some samples are interstratified di–trioctahedral clay minerals that have characteristics of dioctahedral clay minerals but clear chemical evidence for trioctahedral sheets. Approximately 70% of smectite deposits previously detected on Mars are classified as Fe-rich (FeO/MgO > 10). Only 22% of detections are trioctahedral and relatively Mg-rich. An additional ∼8% are difficult to characterize, but might be very Fe-rich. The segregation of Fe from Mg in Martian clay minerals suggests that Mg should be enriched in other contemporaneous deposits such as chlorides and carbonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Six-year experiments of volcanic glass reacting with waters of different chemistry (two freshwaters, seawater and brine) at ∼22°C have produced the thorough transformation of mm-size glass chips into quartz, with minor alunite and calcite. These results contradict the current thinking about glass weathering and quartz formation. The reaction from glass to quartz took place at an estimated velocity ranging from 300–2000 times to 106 times faster than the accepted values for quartz precipitation, depending on how rates were assessed. The most likely process taking place is the rapid transformation of cation-depleted glass into quartz. In addition, alunite formed very efficiently from low-S glass (40±15ppm). Such effective reaction in the absence of the accepted conditions for alunite formation is attributed to the high Al and K content combined with the generation of low pH conditions at the microscale. Local, low-pH conditions may arise due to proton-for-Na substitution at the earliest stage followed by liberation of the protons as glass later corroded. The surprising results show a new pathway of glass weathering and point towards reactions controlled by microscale conditions producing high activities locally. Such conditions may be common in the mineral–fluid interface with saline waters, immobile waters or systems with low water:rock ratios. The rapid precipitation of quartz at low temperature is relevant to the origin of quartz and the silica budget in a variety of sedimentary environments and prompts their reconsideration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]