Ion microprobe study of intragrain micropermeability in alkali feldspars

Alkali feldspar cleavage fragments from the Klokken layered syenite, South Greenland, were heated to 700°C at 0.1 GPa in 99% H₂ ¹⁸O for 75 h. These samples were then polished and imaged by ion microprobe for ¹⁸O. The feldspars were known to contain areas of pristine, braid micro-perthite which were not turbid and areas of deuteric patch perthite which were turbid. Turbidity is related to the presence of micropores in the feldspars. On imaging the grain, it was found that the ¹⁸O had penetrated into the parts of the grain which were microporous and not into the pristine areas. Micropores are therefore responsible for rendering the feldspars permeable as well as porous. The implications of micropermeable feldspars in several areas of geology are discussed.     

日喀则蛇绿岩中辉长-辉绿岩成因及慢速扩张脊环境

日喀则蛇绿岩位于雅鲁藏布构造带中段,其成因和构造环境仍存在较大争议。日喀则蛇绿岩下部为蛇纹石化地幔橄榄岩,壳幔过渡带缺失超镁铁质堆晶岩。少量辉长岩脉呈块状或韵律结构并侵入到地幔橄榄岩和辉绿岩中。辉绿岩呈席状岩床侵入到地幔橄榄岩之上,且少量辉绿岩脉侵入到下覆的地幔橄榄岩中。通过野外关系和地球化学研究,日喀则辉长岩可能并不是洋壳中岩浆房原位结晶堆积而成,而是深部位置岩浆囊经过不同程度分异演化形成富晶粥岩浆并向上侵入的结果。而席状辉绿岩床则是基性岩浆沿着构造薄弱面顺层侵入的结果。拆离断层可能导致了岩石圈地幔抬升和剥露,进而引起下覆软流圈地幔减压熔融和岩浆上侵。日喀则辉长-辉绿岩形成于慢速扩张脊较小规模的岩浆供应和不连续的岩浆侵入。     

Intracrystalline microstructures in alkali feldspars from fluid-deficient felsic granulites: a mineral chemical and TEM study

Samples of essentially “dry” high-pressure felsic granulites from the Bohemian Massif (Variscan belt of Central Europe) contain up to 2-mm-large perthitic alkali feldspars with several generations of plagioclase precipitates in an orthoclase-rich host. The first generation takes the form of lenses homogeneous in size, whereas the size of a second generation of very thin albite-rich precipitates is more variable with comparatively high aspect ratios. In the vicinity of large kyanite, garnet or quartz inclusions, the first generation of plagioclase precipitates is significantly less abundant, the microstructure is coarser than in the remainder of the perthitic grain and the host is a tweed orthoclase. The first generation of precipitates formed at around 850 °C during the high-pressure stage (16–18 kbar) of metamorphism. Primary exsolution was followed by primary coarsening of the plagioclase precipitates, which still took place at high temperatures (850–700 °C). The coarsening was pronounced due to the access of fluids in the outer portions of the perthitic alkali feldspar and in more internal regions around large inclusions. The second generation of albite-rich precipitates was formed at around 570 °C. TEM investigations revealed that the interfaces between the second-generation plagioclase lamellae and the orthoclase-rich host are coherent or semi-coherent. During late evolutionary stages of the perthite, albite linings were formed at phase boundaries, and the perthitic microstructure was partially replaced by irregularly shaped precipitates of pure albite with incoherent interfaces. The albitization occurred below 400 °C and was linked to fluid infiltration in the course of deuteric alteration. Based on size-distribution analysis, it is inferred that the precipitates of the first generation were most probably formed by spinodal decomposition, whereas the precipitates of the second generation rather were formed by nucleation and growth.     

Coarsening kinetics of the exsolution microstructure in alkali feldspar

Actinolite, hornblende and biotite coexisting in greenschist mafic metagreywackes have been analysed with the electron microprobe to obtain information on their chemical relationship during metamorphism. As in some other parts of the world, the two calcic amphiboles coexist in the greenschist facies because of a miscibility gap between them which is observed under conditions of low-pressure regional metamorphism; it is thought that the two amphiboles are in equilibrium, or at least that the actinolite participated in hornblendeforming reactions. Contact metamorphism by granitic intrusives of these metagreywackes has converted them to hornblende hornfelses with the assemblage hornblende, andesine, quartz, biotite±cummingtonite; the hornblendes of the hornfelses are found to have compositions between actinolite and hornblende of the greenschists, and frequently show fine exsolution lamellae of cummingtonite as a result of oversaturation in this component. The distribution of Fe-Mg between hornblende and biotite changes from the greenschist to the hornblende hornfels facies, and the K _D is probably dependent on Al^VI in the hornblende.     

Kalgan volcanic complex: optical properties of its alkali feldspar phenocrysts

The Mesozoic Kalgan volcanic complex is distributed around the city of Kalgan in an area of about 1000–1200 km² and contains a great variety of rocks, among which are basalts, augite clacites, quartz-trachytes, quartz porphyry, rhyolite and various kinds of glassy rocks, tuffs and other volcanic ejecta. These diverse forms of volcanic rock impart the splendid geomorphological features. Six extinct craters were found, all of the central type; positions of eruptive centers were shifted from the southeast of the area in the early period to the northwest later. Two vertical sections of volcanic bodies of quartz porphyry and rhyolite were chosen to study precisely the optical angles of feldspars from each specimen. Results showed that there are different variation features of 2V between the basal, intermediate and top portions of volcanic bodies. Values of 2V are smaller, and of 2Vd, greater in the basal and top portions than those in the intermediate portions. Two main varieties of alkali feldspar occur in the Kalgan volcanic rocks. One is high temperature variety-low sanidine (–)2V=26°?40°, distributed mainly in the rhyolite and glassy rocks; another is the intermediate temperature variety-high orthoclase (–)2V=40°–62° , found mostly in the quartz porphyry. But their compositions are all in the intermediate range of K-Na feldspar series. Variations of the optical angles of alkali feldspar in the Kalgan complex proved that 2V is a sensitive optical constant of petrogenesis. Its variation is not only shown in one and the same extrusive or intrusive body, but also in one and the same specimen of rocks or crystal, with some definite regulations. – Author.     

A model of water allocation in alkali feldspar,derived from infrared-spectroscopic investigations

Polarizedinfrared (IR) spectra of sanidine crystals from Volkesfeld, Eifel show the existence of two broad pleochroic absorption bands at 3,400 and 3,050 cm^?1. Because overtones near 5,150 cm^?1 were observed, the former bands are assigned to OH stretching frequencies of H₂O molecules. On the basis of the pleochroic scheme of the bands it is proposed that H₂O molecules occur as structural constituents entering theM site of the sanidine structure; the plane of the H₂O molecules lies parallel to the symmetry plane.     

Albite dissolution kinetics as a function of distance from equilibrium: Implications for natural feldspar weathering

Determining the kinetics of many geologic and engineering processes involving solid/fluid interactions requires a fundamental understanding of the Gibbs free energy dependency of the system. Currently, significant discrepancies seem to exist between kinetic datasets measured to determine the relationship between dissolution rate and Gibbs free energy. To identify the causes of these discrepancies, we have combined vertical scanning interferometry, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy techniques to identify dissolution mechanisms and quantify dissolution rates of albite single crystals over a range of Gibbs free energy (−61.1 < ΔG < −10.2 kJ/mol). During our experiments, both a previously dissolved albite surface exhibiting etch pits and a pristine surface lacking dissolution features were dissolved simultaneously within a hydrothermal, flow-through reactor. Experimental results document an up to 2 orders of magnitude difference in dissolution rate between the differently pretreated surfaces, which are dominated by different dissolution mechanisms. The rate difference, which persists over a range of solution saturation state, indicates that the dissolution mechanisms obey different Gibbs free energy dependencies. We propose that this difference in rates is the direct consequence of a kinetic change in dissolution mechanism with deviation from equilibrium conditions. The existence of this kinetic “switch” indicates that a single, continuous function describing the relationship between dissolution rate and Gibbs free energy may be insufficient. Finally, we discuss some of the potential consequences of our findings on albite’s weathering rates with a particular focus on the sample’s history.     

Low-grade metamorphic alteration of feldspar minerals: a CL study

ABSTRACT Two styles of feldspar alteration – carbonatization and albitization – were investigated using a cathodoluminescence (CL) technique. The nature of the alteration depends on the composition of the fluids. The infiltration of CO₂-rich fluids causes decomposition of An-rich zones in plagioclase followed by the formation of secondary calcite, albite and white mica. K-feldspar is more resistant to CO₂-induced alteration. The circulation of aqueous fluids results in decomposition of primary oligoclase into albite and clinozoisite. Secondary K-feldspar exsolved as small independent grains on the rim of the primary oligoclase, if the primary plagioclase was enriched in the orthoclase component. The fluids easily penetrate the crystals using, crystallographic plains, e.g., twinning or cleavage or simply along cracks. These migration pathways enable the fluids to enter the inner parts of the grain, which would otherwise not be affected by grain-surface alteration.     

内蒙古东七一山碱长花岗岩的地球化学特征和成因

东七一山碱长花岗岩是内蒙古北山地区规模最大的稀有金属矿化花岗岩,本文在前期岩石学及成矿特征研究基础上,首次对其岩石地球化学、同位素地球化学及年代学进行了分析探讨。岩石富硅、富碱,贫Ti、Fe、Mg、Mn等基性组分,属高钾钙碱性系列岩石。稀土元素配分模式显示Eu强亏损特征,δEu<0.1,Ba、Sr、P、Ti相对地幔显著亏损,而Rb、Nb+Ta、W、Mo、Li等元素明显富集。两类碱长花岗岩的Rb-Sr等时线年龄为128.2±1.1 Ma,相关系数为0.999 9,ISr=0.709 79,说明岩体的物质来源具有明显的壳源特征。147Sm/144Nd值相对亏损地幔值偏高,而143Nd/144Nd值偏低,Pb同位素以富含放射性成因铅为特征。结合岩石学和产出环境研究成果,认为该碱长花岗岩是在燕山晚期,由区域钾长花岗岩浆在壳层挤压-拉伸环境中进一步分异演化形成的,先形成的是碱长花岗斑岩,构成了似斑状碱长花岗岩的外部相,而似斑状碱长花岗岩是在相对封闭且挥发组分和稀有元素进一步富集、结晶分异较缓慢的过程中形成的,由残余流体产生的自交代作用也相对更发育,导致形成与锂云母化、次生钠长石化和硅化关系更密切的铌-钽、钨、锡、铷等稀有金属矿化。以上认识对在北山地区寻找与中生代花岗岩浆活动有关的金属矿产,特别是铌-钽、钨、锡、铷、钼矿产,具有重要的指导意义。     

Intergrowths of nepheline-potassium feldspar and kalsilite-potassium feldspar: A re-examination of the ‘pseudo-leucite problem’

The alkalic ultramafic Batbjerg intrusion of East Greenland contains rocks in which nepheline and leucite are important constituents. In addition, there are vermicular, finger print intergrowths of nepheline with potassium feldspar, and patchy to micrographic intergrowths of kalsilite with potassium feldspar. The history of the pseudoleucite problem is reviewed, and it is suggested that the term pseudoleucite be restricted to intergrowths of nepheline with alkali feldspar that appear to be pseudomorphs with the crystal morphology of leucite. It is further suggested that flame-like or feather-like finger print intergrowths of nepheline with alkali feldspar, that are either interstitial to the other minerals of the rock or have grown perpendicularly on relative large and often euhedral nepheline grains are an entirely different problem and are best explained by late-stage magmatic crystallization within the system NaAlSiO₄-KAlSiO₄-SiO₂-H₂O.In the Batbjerg intrusion the early crystallization of nepheline was followed by the co-crystallization of nepheline with leucite, or in some cases by nepheline and a silica-rich leucite. Although the magma was essentially dry, as indicated by the dominantly pyroxenitic character of the rocks, water pressure rose toward the late stages of crystallization as indicated by the presence of phlogopite and occasionally both amphibole and zeolite. Shrinkage of the leucite stability field attendant upon this rise in left the liquid that was crystallizing nepheline and leucite stranded on the nepheline-alkali feldspar cotectic. Shrinkage occurred too rapidly for the liquid to remain at the reaction point of the system, and leucite, therefore, was not resorbed. The remaining liquid crystallized rapidly as flames of vermicular intergrowth of nepheline with potassium feldspar (composition Ne 24.0, Ks 45.9, Qz 30.1), a texture that might be attributable to supercooling. Silica-rich leucite compositions (Ks 68.8, Qz 31.2) decomposed to intergrowths of kalsilite with potassium feldspar but reaction kinetics, or possibly variations in throughout the intrusion, prevented the breakdown of leucite.     

Ionic conductivity in gem-quality single-crystal alkali feldspar from the Eifel: temperature,orientation and composition dependence

We measured the ion conductivity of single-crystal alkali feldspar originating from two different locations in the Eifel/Germany, named Volkesfeld and Rockeskyller sanidine and having potassium site fractions \(C_\mathrm{K}\) of 0.83 and 0.71, respectively. The dc conductivities resulting from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy over the temperature range of 300–900 \(^{\circ }\hbox {C}\) show a weak composition dependence but pronounced differences between the b-direction [\(\perp (010)\)] and \(c^{*}\)-direction [\(\perp (001)\)] of the monoclinic feldspar structure. Conductivity activation energies obtained from the observed linear Arrhenius plots are close to 1.2 eV in all cases, which is closely similar to the activation energies of the \(^{22}\mathrm{Na}\) tracer diffusivity in the same crystals. Taking into account literature data on K tracer diffusion and diffusion correlation effects, the present results point to a predominance of the interstitialcy mechanism over the vacancy mechanism in mass and charge transport on the alkali sublattice in potassium-rich alkali feldspar.     

Petrogenesis of the Apollo 14 high-alumina basalts: Implications from ion microprobe analyses

In this study, ion microprobe analyses of individual minerals are used to investigate the petrogenesis of the Apollo 14 high-Al basalts. We use trace element concentrations from individual minerals in the Apollo 14 high-Al basalts to evaluate both endogenic and exogenic models. The data show that if the Apollo 14 high-Al basalts were produced by melting within the lunar mantle, these basalts cannot be related to one another by closed-system fractional crystallization of a single basaltic melt. Rather, the trace element data show that variable amounts of a KREEP component were added to the basalts by either assimilation, mixing into mantle sources, or impact melting. Single-stage assimilation-fractional crystallization models can only explain the data from this study if an excessively large mass of urKREEP is assimilated into the parent magma before olivine crystallization. Alternatively, the trace element data can be explained if the Apollo 14 high-Al basalts were produced by melting multiple Al-rich mantle sources that contain different amounts of urKREEP. Finally, for impact melting to be a relevant process, the data require that multiple large impact melts be formed from mixed KREEP-rich target lithologies. The resulting impact melts must then crystallize to produce basalts with igneous textures, high Al₂O₃ concentrations, uniform major element compositions, and a wide range of incompatible trace element concentrations.     

Electrical conductivity of alkali feldspar solid solutions at high temperatures and high pressures

The electrical conductivities of alkali feldspar solid solutions ranging in chemical composition from albite (NaAlSi₃O₈) to K-feldspar (KAlSi₃O₈) were measured at 1.0 GPa and temperatures of 873–1,173 K in a multi-anvil apparatus. The complex impedance was determined by the AC impedance spectroscopy technique in the frequency range of 0.1–10⁶ Hz. Our experimental results revealed that the electrical conductivities of alkali feldspar solid solutions increase with increasing temperature, and the linear relationship between electrical conductivity and temperature fits the Arrhenius formula. The electrical conductivities of solid solutions increase with the increasing Na content at constant temperature. At 1.0 GPa, the activation enthalpy of solid solution series shows strong dependency on the composition, and there is an abrupt increase from the composition of Or₄₀Ab₆₀ to Or₆₀Ab₄₀, where it reaches a value of 0.96 eV. According to these results in this study, it is proposed that the dominant conduction mechanism in alkali feldspar solid solutions under high temperature and high pressure is ionic conduction. Furthermore, since the activation enthalpy is less than 1.0 eV for the alkali feldspar solid solutions, it is suggested to be a model where Na⁺ and K⁺ transport involves an interstitial mechanism for electrical conduction. The change of main charge carriers can be responsible for the abrupt increase in the activation energy for Or₆₀Ab₄₀. All electrical conductivity data were fitted by a general formula in order to show the dependence of activation enthalpy and pre-exponential factor on chemical composition. Combining our experimental results with the effective medium theory, we theoretically calculated the electrical conductivity of alkali feldspar granite, alkali feldspar quartz syenite, and alkali feldspar syenite with different mineral content and variable chemical composition of alkali feldspar at high temperatures at 1.0 GPa, and the calculated results are almost in agreement with previous experimental studies on silicate rocks.     

Experimental determination of partition coefficients for Rb,Sr and Ba between alkali feldspar and silicate liquid

Partitioning of Rb, Sr and Ba between alkali feldspar and a synthetic granitic melt has been determined at 8 kb and 720 to 780°C for a single quaternary granite composition. The results suggest that Henry's law is obeyed by Rb up to ~0.8 wt.% Rb₂O in both the liquid and in the alkali feldspar. The measured D values for Rb range from 0.77 to 1.1. For Ba, Henry's Law is obeyed up to ~0.6 wt.% BaO in the liquid and ~5 wt.% BaO in the alkali feldspar. D values for Ba range from 6.4 to 14. For Sr there is only a crude relationship between concentration in the liquid and concentration in the alkali feldspar at concentrations greater than ~0.6 wt.% SrO in the liquid and ~0.4 wt.% SrO in the alkali feldspar. D values for Sr range from 1.2 to 5.0. Partitioning of Sr is apparently sensitive to the concentration of Ba in the system and this partly explains the failure of Sr to obey Henry's Law.Linear least-squares fits to the partitioning data as a function of temperature suggest inverse correlation between temperature and D values. Rb shows only a slight temperature effect whereas Ba and Sr appear to be rather strongly affected by temperature, but the temperature range examined here is small compared to the scatter in the data making these trends relatively uncertain. Other factors that appear to affect partitioning, especially of Sr, are growth rate, development of sector zoning and Or content of the alkali feldspar. These factors severely limit the use of partitioning of these elements in alkali feldspar as geothermometers.The technique for measuring growth rates utilized here combined with measurement of trace element depletion in diffusion boundary layers adjacent to the alkali feldspar crystals makes it possible to estimate diffusivities for Ba and Sr. These estimates suggest a difference of 2 orders of magnitude between diffusivities for Ba and Sr in a vapor-saturated melt and those measured by HOFMANN and MAGARITZ (1976) for a dry obsidian glass.     

Mylonitic deformation of gabbro in the lower crust: A case study from the Pankenushi gabbro in the Hidaka metamorphic belt of central Hokkaido, Japan

The mylonitization of the Pankenushi gabbro in the Hidaka metamorphic belt of central Hokkaido, Japan, occurred along its western margin at ≈600 MPa and 660–700 °C through dynamic recrystallization of plagioclase and a retrograde reaction from granulite facies to amphibolite facies (orthopyroxene + clinopyroxene + plagioclase + H₂O = hornblende + quartz). The reaction produced a fine-grained (≤100 μm) polymineralic aggregate composed of orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, quartz, hornblende, biotite and ilmenite, into which strain is localized. The dynamic recrystallization of plagioclase occurred by grain boundary migration, and produced a monomineralic aggregate of grains whose crystallographic orientations are mostly unrelated to those of porphyroclasts. The monomineralic plagioclase aggregates and the fine-grained polymineralic aggregates are interlayered and define the mylonitic foliation, while the latter is also mixed into the former by grain boundary sliding to form a rather homogeneous polymineralic matrix in ultramylonites. However in both mylonite and ultramylonite, plagioclase aggregates form a stress-supporting framework, and therefore controlled the rock rheology. Crystal plastic deformation of pyroxenes and plagioclase with dominant (100)[001] and (001)1/2 slip systems, respectively, produced distinct shape- and crystallographic-preferred orientations of pyroxene porphyroclasts and dynamically recrystallized plagioclase grains in both mylonite and ultramylonite. Euhedral to subhedral growth of hornblende in pyroxene porphyroclast tails during the reaction and its subsequent rigid rotation in the fine-grained polymineralic aggregate or matrix produced clear shape- and crystallographic-preferred orientations of hornblende grains in both mylonite and ultramylonite. In contrast, the dominant grain boundary sliding of pyroxene and quartz grains in the fine-grained polymineralic aggregate of the mylonite resulted in their very weak shape- and crystallographic-preferred orientations. In the fine-grained polymineralic matrix of the ultramylonite, however, pyroxene and quartz grains became scattered and isolated in the plagioclase aggregate so that they were crystal-plastically deformed leading to stronger shape- and crystallographic-preferred orientations than those seen in the mylonite.     

Geostatistical study of the feldspar content and quality of a granite deposit

In order to characterise the saleable feldspar in a granite deposit, a methodology was developed in accordance with the exploitation process. This consisted of mechanically extracting the surface layer of the batholith and separating the feldspar from the quartz using the granulometric separation method, given that the size of the grains of the feldspar is greater than that of quartz.

Following washing, grinding and magnetic separation of the feldspar in order to eliminate the ferromagnesium minerals, the saleable feldspar was characterised in terms of the factors that determine its market value, namely, its content in Al₂O₃, SiO₂, Na₂O and K₂O.

Following the opening of prospecting pits in the granite massif, samples were analysed in the laboratory using three different granulometric cuts and by reproducing the treatment process. The values for the quality variables of saleable feldspar were obtained, and the results were interpolated to the entire deposit using the kriging method.

In order to summarise the information from the above-mentioned variables, a quality index was constructed using multivariate statistics and by employing market criteria, and subsequently, the values of the index were interpolated to the entire deposit using bidimensional kriging.

The map of saleable quality feldspar from the deposit permits both affirmation of the treatment process yield for each granulometric cut and the planning of extraction from the deposit to obtain a homogeneous quality in the saleable feldspar.     

Mineralogy of silicate inclusions of the Colomera IIE iron and crystallization of Cr-diopside and alkali feldspar from a partial melt

We studied the mineralogy, mineral chemistry, and compositions of 48 interior silicate inclusions and a large K-rich surface inclusion from the Colomera IIE iron meteorite. Common minerals in the interior silicate inclusions are Cr diopside and Na plagioclase (albite). They are often enclosed by or coexist with albitic glasses with excess silica and minor Fe-Mg components. This mineral assemblage is similar to the “andesitic” material found in the Caddo County IAB iron meteorite for which a partial melt origin has been proposed. The fairly uniform compositions of Cr diopside (Ca₄₄Mg₄₆Fe₁₀) and Na plagioclase (Or_2.5Ab_90.0An_7.5 to Or_3.5Ab_96.1An_0.4) in Colomera interior inclusions and the angular boundaries between minerals and metal suggest that diopside and plagioclase partially crystallized under near-equilibrium conditions from a common melt before emplacement into molten metal. The melt-crystal assemblage has been called “crystal mush.” The bulk compositions of the individual composite inclusions form an array between the most diopside-rich inclusion and plagioclase. This is consistent only with a simple mechanical mixing relationship, not a magmatic evolution series. We propose a model in which partly molten metal and crystal mush were mixed together by impact on the IIE parent body. Other models involving impact melting of the chondritic source material followed by growth of diopside and plagioclase do not easily explain near equilibrium growth of diopside and Na plagioclase, followed by rapid cooling. In the K-rich surface inclusion, K feldspar, orthopyroxene, and olivine were found together with diopside for the first time. K feldspar (sanidine, Or_92.7Ab_7.2An_0.1 to Or_87.3Ab_11.0An_1.7) occurs in an irregular veinlike region in contact with large orthopyroxene crystals of nearly uniform composition (Ca_1.3Mg_80.5Fe_17.8 to Ca_3.1Mg_78.1Fe_18.9) and intruding into a relict olivine with deformed-oval shape. Silica and subrounded Cr diopside are present within such K-feldspar regions. Some enrichments of the albite component have been detected at the end of curved elongated nodules of K feldspar intruded into the mafic silicates. The textural relationships suggest that a K-rich melt was present. A K-rich melt is neither the first melt of a chondritic system nor a differentiation product of a Na-rich partial melt of chondritic material. The K-rich material may have originated as a fluid phase that leached K from surrounding materials and segregated by a mechanism similar to that proposed for the Na-rich inclusions.