The Clay Minerals Society

Materials available for distribution or purchase

Fulk-Bringman, S. (undated) Science Demonstrations in Soil, Crop and Environmental Science. Contents include demonstrations and laboratories involving: variability in natural systems, measuring pH, acid rain, soil tests for Al toxicity, nitrates vs. nitrites, soil and charge, soil color, plant growth experiments, starch and sugars, and others. High school. (Teachers may obtain this material by contacting the author at Purdue University, Dept. of Agronomy, 1150 Lilly Hall, West Lafayette, IN 47907).

Film on "Quick Clays." An excellent and dramatic film showing how quick clay can cause devastating "mud" slides with an example filmed in the process of failure. Also explains quick clays. High school level. Produced by the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, at NGI, PO Box 3930 Ullevaal Stadion, NO-0806 OSLO, NORWAY, tel: (+47) 22 02 30 00, fax: (+47) 22 23 04 48, e-mail: ngi@ngi.no. Running time: 1/2 hour.

Mineral Information Institute (MII), 475 17th Street, Suite 510, Denver, CO 80202, tel: 303-297-3226. A mineral education group that supports teachers. A "Teachers Helper Packet" contains posters, lessons, activities about the importance of mining and minerals. New packets are produced yearly. MII is a non-profit organization whose mission is to focus on the education of pre-college youth and to improve mineral resource awareness.

Inside the Earth, from Teacher Created Materials, 6421 Industry Way, Westminster, CA 92683, 800-662-4321, order #TCA544, at $7.95 each pamphlet of 48 pages. Resource book to supplement the "Magic School Bus" rides. Includes facts, diagrams, glossaries, and activities. Described as suitable for intermediate (primary school) children.

Rocks and Minerals, from Teacher Created Materials, 6421 Industry Way, Westminster, CA 92683, 800-662-4321, order #TCA636, at $11.95 each book of 96 pages. Resource book on hands-on activities, with teacher information on unit organization, science-process skills, scientific method, and curricula. Grades 2-4.

Source materials available from a community library or college (perhaps through interlibrary loan)

Alvaro, M., Espla, M., Llinares, J., Martinez-Manez, R. and Soto, J. (1993) A small-scale, easy-to-run wastewater-treatment plant. J. Chem. Ed., 70, A129-A132. Discusses the making of a small scale model for waste water disposal covering colloidal solutions, coagulation, flocculation, adsorption, precipitation, and colorimetric analysis. Junior/Senior level high school level.

Greenberg, B. (1988) Art in chemistry. J. Chem. Ed., 65, 148-150. Describes a one year high school course in applied chemistry and introductory art covering color, painting surfaces, clays and glazes, texture and line, jewelry making, photography, art history, and chemical hazards. Reprints of each lesson/experiment are available from the teacher authoring the course materials.

Guggenheim, S. (1997) Introduction to the properties of clay minerals. Published in "Teaching Mineralogy," ed. by J. Brady, D. Mogk, and D. Perkins, by the Mineralogical Society of America. Copies may be purchased through the Mineralogical Society or the Clay Minerals Society. A "discovery-type" laboratory that shows how different cation exchanges of montmorillonite clay can change the properties of clay, including dispersion/flocculation properties, the effect of salts on swelling and permeability through a sand column, filtering and adsorption, etc. Requires balances, beakers, glass tubes, and clay. The lab may take 2-3 hours but can be done in part or over several class periods. Suitable for juniors in high school or older. Introduction includes clay definition, crystal structure descriptions, and chemistry discussion that may be reduced or eliminated.

Guggenheim, S. (1997) Low level radioactive waste disposal: Discussion. Published in "Teaching Mineralogy", ed. by J. Brady, D. Mogk, and D. Perkins, by the Mineralogical Society of America. Copies may be purchased through the Mineralogical Society or the Clay Minerals Society. A discussion following "Introduction to the properties of clay minerals" that serves to emphasize some of the principles observed in the laboratory exercise.

Helsen, J. (1982) Clay minerals as solid acids and their catalytic properties. A demonstration test with montmorillonite. J. Chem. Ed., 59, 1063-1065. Uses the formation of triphenylcarbonium ions on montmorillonite clay as an example. High school chemistry level.

Moore, D. M. and Reynolds. R. C., Jr. (1997) X-ray diffraction and the identification and analysis of clay minerals, New York, Oxford University Press. Technical book with select pages that might be useful as background material, including p. 3-25 (history of clay science and X-ray diffraction), p. 104-121 (structure of clays and properties), p 130-145 (classification of clays). Available through The Clay Minerals Society.

Sarquis, J. (1980) Colloidal systems. J. Chem. Ed., 57, 602-605. Describes the types of colloids and their use in paints, drilling technology, and peptization with explanations of thixotropy and clay aggregates.