Stable Isotope Fractionation during Experimental Formation of Norsethite (BaMg[CO3]2): A Mineral Analogue of Dolomite

Stable oxygen and carbon isotopefractionation during the experimental formation ofordered norsethite (BaMgCO₃]₂) from thereaction of anhydrous BaCO₃ (witherite) withrelatively low concentrated sodium-magnesiumbicarbonate solutions has been studied between20° and 135 °C. In the investigatedtemperature range, ¹⁸O and ¹³C are enrichedin norsethite with respect to water and gaseous carbondioxide, respectively. Whereas ¹⁸O/¹⁶Opartitioning is intermediate between those of theBaCO₃–H₂O and MgCO₃–H₂O systems,¹³C/¹²C partitioning is more similar to thatfor BaCO₃–CO₂. Between 20° and90°C, the temperature dependences of the¹⁸O/¹⁶O and ¹³C/¹²C fractionationfactors are represented by the equations (T in °K):10³ ln _BaMgCO₃]₂-H_2O = 2.83 10⁶T^--2.85, and 10³ln_BaMgCO₃]₂-CO₂(gas) = 1.78 10⁶T^--10.16. The later equation considers carbon isotope fractionationbetween the dissolved carbonate ion and carbon dioxide measured by Halaset al. (1997). Under standard state conditions (25 °C) the fractionation factors in the system BaMgCO₃]₂-CO₂-H₂O are: Oxygen isotopes: _BaMg(CO₃)₂-H_2O = 1.02941, _BaMg(CO₃)₂-OH-(aq) = 1.07059,_BaMg(CO₃)₂-CO₂(gas) = 0.98868, and_BaMg(CO₃)₂-H₂CO₃ ^* = 0.98843; carbon isotopes:_BaMg(CO₃)₂-CO₂(gas) = 1.00992,_BaMg(CO₃)₂-H₂CO₃ ^* = 1.01099,_BaMg(CO₃)₂-HCO₃ ^- = 1.00194,_BaMg(CO₃)₂-CO₃ ^2- = 1.00491 or 1.00150.The spontaneous precipitation of aBaMgCO₃]₂ gel at 20 °C,followed by the alteration of the products at20° or 60°C for 31 days,demonstrated isotope exchange reactions betweensolids and mother solutions dueto recrystallization. Isotope equilibrium, wasnot reached within run time.