The System CaO-CO2-H2O and the Origin of Carbonatites

The ternary isobaric (TX) prism for the system CaO–CO₂–H₂Owas determined at 1,000 bars pressure between 600? C and 1,320?C. At this pressure, calcite melts incongruently at 1,310? C,portlandite (Ca(OH)₂) melts congruently at 835? C, a binaryeutectic exists between calcite and portlandite at 685? C, meltingbegins at 740? C on the join calcite-water and the univariant(isobaric invariant) equilibria lime?calcite?portlandite?liquidand calcite?portlandite?liquid?vapour occur at 683? C and 675?C, respectively. The latter is the minimum liquidus temperaturein the TX prism, and the composition of this liquid is 65CaO,19CO₂, 16H₂O (in weight per cent). PT curves were determinedfor several univariant equilibria. In the binary system CaO-H₂O,four univariant curves meet at an invariant point, at 810? Cand 100 bars pressure. Portlandite dissociates only at pressuresbelow this point. The minimum liquidus temperature in the ternarysystem varies between 685? C and 640? C in the pressure interval27 bars to 4, 000 bars. Liquids in the system are regarded as simplified carbonatitemagmas in which CaO represents the basic oxides, and CO₂ andH₂O the volatile constituents. The liquids have low viscosityas indicated by the rapid attainment of equilibrium and theobservation that crystal settling takes place in 15-min runs.The existence of such liquids at moderate temperatures througha wide pressure range leaves little reason to doubt a magmaticorigin for those carbonatites which appear to be intrusive.Differentiation could occur in multicomponent magmas by separationof the successive liquid fractions produced by crystallizationof calcite, dolomite, and siderite. The determined phase relationsdo not favour an origin by gas transfer. The results also suggestthat partial melting of limestones is likely at igneous contacts,and that impure limestones may be partially melted during high-graderegional metamorphism.