Subject: process of flocculation between clay and oil

I'm a student in a high school of chemistry, and for the moment I'm working on 
oil spills and their effects on the production of marine salt (in 
saltmarshes). the purpose of my studies is to make an exhibition about 
ecological and toxicogical consequences of the oil spill caused by the tanker 
Erika, in december 1999. I'd like to create a video (with a drawing software) 
to explain kids how oil can pollute salt: I've already found that hydrocarbons 
are absorbed by clay in saltmarshes, and then clay into salt during the 
crystallization, but I'd like to learn more about the process of floculation 
clay-oil. I've found references about this, but I can't access to the whole 
articles... I don't need to understand all the details of the process, just 
the mecanism, the principle and the main things about it, in order then to 
make them understandable for non-scientists. Thanks a lot for helping me!

Re: process of flocculation between clay and oil