Density calculations for silicate liquids. I. Revised method for aluminosilicate compositions

Equations are developed for calculating the density of aluminosilicate liquids as a function of composition and temperature. The mean molar volume at reference temperature T_r, is given by $\text{V}{}_{\mathrm{r}}\text{= ∑X}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{V}\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{o}}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{+ X}{}_{\mathrm{A}}\text{V}\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{o}}{}_{\mathrm{A}}$, where the summation is taken over all oxide components except A1₂O₃, X stands for mole fraction, terms are constants derived independently from an analysis of volume-composition relations in alumina-free silicate liquids, and $\text{V}\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{o}}{}_{\mathrm{A}}$ is the composition-dependent apparent partial molar volume of Al₂O₃. The thermal expansion coefficient of aluminosilicate liquids is given by $\text{α = ∑X}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{?}\text{ga}{}_{\mathrm{i}}{}^{\mathrm{o}}\text{+ X}{}_{\mathrm{A}}\text{?}\text{ga}{}_{\mathrm{A}}{}^{\mathrm{o}}$, where $\text{?}\text{ga}{}_{\mathrm{i}}{}^{\mathrm{o}}$ terms are constants independent of temperature and composition, and $\text{?}\text{ga}{}^{\mathrm{o}}{}_{\mathrm{A}}$ is a composition-dependent term representing the effect of Al₂O₃ on the thermal expansion. Parameters necessary to calculate the volume of silicate liquids at any temperature T according to V(T) = V_rexp[α(T-T_r)], where T_r = 1400°C have been evaluated by least-square analysis of selected density measurements in aluminosilicate melts. Mean molar volumes of aluminosilicate liquids calculated according to the model equation conform to experimentally measured volumes with a root mean square difference of 0.28 $\text{cc}\text{mole}$ and an average absolute difference of 0.90% for 248 experimental observations. The compositional dependence of $\text{V}\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{o}}{}_{\mathrm{A}}$ is discussed in terms of several possible interpretations of the structural role of Al³⁺ in aluminosilicate melts.