The influence of fluid unmixing on cation exchange between plagioclases and aqueous chloride solutions at 700° C, 1 kbar

Experimental exchanges between plagioclases (synthesized from gels) and aqueous solutions (0.5N–8N) were carried out according to the reaction $$\begin{gathered} 2NaA1Si_3 O_8 + CaC1_2 \hfill \\ \leftrightarrow CaA1_2 Si_2 O_8 + 4SiO_2 + 2NaC1. \hfill \\ \end{gathered}$$ Distribution coefficients defined by $$K_D = \frac{{X_{An} }}{{(X_{Ab} )^2 }}\frac{{(X_{NaC1} )^2 }}{{X_{CaC1_2 } }}$$ were determined at 700° C and 1 kbar. From previous studies it is known that variations in the concentration of the aqueous solutions have no influence upon K _D if the fluid is a single phase. In this study, variation of K _D with the concentration of the solutions is interpreted as the result of fluid unmixing to vapour and brine phases. This implies boiling of CaCl₂-NaCl-H₂O fluids analogous to that known for the system NaCl-H₂O. Experimental data permit calculation of the compositions of vapours and estimation of those of the brines for fluids in which Ca/Na<0.5. Boiling has an effect upon the exchange between feldspars and solutions (metasomatism) and must be considered when determining the activity coefficients.     

Complex movement patterns by foraging loggerhead sea turtles outside the breeding season identified using Argos‐linked Fastloc‐Global Positioning System

We used Argos‐linked Fastloc‐Global Positioning System (Argos‐linked Fastloc‐GPS) satellite tags to investigate how loggerhead sea turtles use neritic foraging habitats at multiple scales. Out of 24 turtles, six individuals used more than one foraging site, with all sites being separated by >25 km. These six individuals used up to four sites, remaining at each site for a mean of 150 days and returning to the same site a minimum of 52 days later. The other 18 turtles remained in a single site. The area within sites was not used uniformly, with 15 out of 24 turtles exhibiting complex movement patterns within and amongst up to five focal patches, which were typically 0.1–5.0 km apart within a single site. Movements between sites and patches might sometimes have reflected overwintering behaviour; however, similar movement patterns occurred at multiple times of the year, suggesting other factors were also involved. Use of multiple sites and patches might be driven by differences in resource availability, such as food and/or night‐time refuges, competition, or exploratory movement to investigate or locate alternative patches. We confirmed competition via direct visual observations of aggressive interactions between individuals at one foraging patch. Our results illustrate the importance of standardizing data to the same number of locations per day and night to accurately delineate key areas used by turtles or for evidence‐based marine protected area planning.     

Assemblages of Li-Cs pegmatite minerals in equilibrium with a fluid from their primary crystallization until their hydrothermal alteration: an experimental study

Summary Hydrothermal alteration of alkali-rich pegmatites gives rise to secondary minerals: for example spodumene + quartz replace petalite, cesian analcime crystallizes at the expense of pollucite and albite. Earlier experiments were performed at 450° and 600°C to determine the composition of the hydrothermal solution in equilibrium with Na-Li-Cs bearing minerals during their primary crystallization. New experiments performed at 330°C extend the previous results At 1.5 kbar, the Na/(Li + Na) ratio of the solution coexisting with petalite + albite remains constant and equal to 0.54 from 600° to 330°C. At 4 kbar the ratio of the solution coexisting with spodumene + albite varies from 0.49 to 0.68 over the same temperature range. During the lowering of the temperature these variations induce the dissolution of albite and the crystallization of a Li mineral. In the case of Cs, Na aluminosilicates, at 330°C we observe a continuous solid solution from pollucite to analcite. This result explains the wide variety of compositions of secondary cesian analcite in contrast to the relatively constant composition of primary pollucite.

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Résumé L'altération hydrothermale des pegmatites riches en alcalins donne naissance à des minéraux secondaires: par exemple l'association spodumène-quartz remplace la pétalite, et l'analcime substituée en césium remplace l'association pollucite-albite Des expériences précédentes, à 450° et 600°C, ont déterminé la composition des solutions hydrothermales chlorurées en équilibre avec des associations minérales contenant Li, Na et Cs. Nous présentons ici de nouvelles expériences à 330°C.Entre 600° et 330°C, à 1,5 kbar, dans la solution en équilibre avec l'association pétalite-albite, le rapport Na/(Li + Na) reste égal à 0,54. Entre les mêmes températures, à 4 kbar, ce rapport varie de 0,49 à 0,68 pour la solution en équilibre avec spodumène-albite. En système fermé, cette variation entraîne qu'une baisse de température, à pression constante de 4 kbar, provoque la dissolution de l'albite et la cristallisation d'un minéral contenant du Li.A 330°C nous constatons que la pollucite forme une solution solide continue avec l'analcime. Ceci explique pourquoi, dans la nature, les analcimes césiques de deuxième génération ont une composition très variable, alors que les pollucites primaires ont une composition relativement constante.

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With 4 Figures     

Growth and ordering processes in synthetic hydrothermal anorthite

Anorthite crystals were synthetized from gel under hydrothermal conditions (P=1000 bar, T=700° C) with run durations from 2 h to 110 days. The products were observed at room temperature by optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It has been shown that crystallization progresses as a function of time as follows: from t=2 h to t=7 days, the proportion of amorphous material decreases from 80 to 0 percent; the average crystal size grows from 1 to 20 μm; the number of crystals per unit volume decreases from 2.10¹¹ to 5.10⁸cm⁻³, indicating substantial recrystallization. The average A1, Si state of order increases with time and reaches a steady state after seven days. The crystals exhibit a core few micrometers in diameter and a rim whose width increases with time from 1 to 10 μm. The core, highly disordered in Al, Si, displays weak b reflexions and small antiphase domains (APDs), the rim, more ordered in Al, Si, differs from the core by sharp b reflexions and larger APDs extending radially. Both macroscopic results and microscopic observations show that crystals grow by two successive processes: at first, nucleation and growth from gel giving rise to the core, then recrystallization giving rise to the rim.     

Exchange of light rare earths for Ca in apatite

Diffusion experiments were carried out on natural apatite crystals that were immersed in molten light rare earth element (REE) chloride salt at temperatures between 900 and 1150 °C for periods up to 35 days. Electron microprobe analysis of the crystals showed that light REEs replaced Ca according to electronic balance, i.e. $\text{2}\text{REE}{}^{\mathrm{3+}}$ for $\text{3}\text{Ca}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}$. These diffusion profiles indicate that a maximum amount of substitution in the structure occurs when two of the ten Ca ions in apatite are replaced by the REE diffusing elements. Anisotropic diffusion is observed between a and c crystallographic directions. Comparison of maximum distance indicates that the larger ions move more easily in the apatite structure. We conclude that the light REEs diffuse within the channel structures of the mineral, and that this diffusion is controlled by the substitution type of elements in the calcium sites. To cite this article: A. Iqdari et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).