Thermal transformations in laser-heated chloritized annite

Chloritized annite from the Irizar granite has been used for laser-heating experiments, following the procedures used for ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar dating (heating steps in the 600–1080 °C temperature range). Four runs, at different temperatures, have been characterized using transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, micro-Raman and micro-IR spectroscopies. The water loss was evaluated by thermogravimetry. The chlorite domains break down first forming (001) amorphous layers, that later coalesce to rounded, equant inclusions and finally recrystallize to olivine and spinels plus silica glass. These phases occur within negative crystals hosted in ordered dehydrated annite, produced by dehydration and annealing of the starting annite. Dehydrated annite, olivine and spinels display topotactic relationships, determined by the common orientation of closely packed oxygen layers.