Chlorite-Biotite Equilibrium Reactions in a Carbonate-Free System

In a system open to both potassium and water, the conditionsfor two different chloritebiotite equilibrium reactions maybe depicted on an isobaric temperature–(K)/(H) diagram.At moderate values of the (K)/(H) ratio in the fluid phasepervading the system, muscovite is involved in the equilibriumreaction: chloritequartzKOH= biotitemuscoviteH₂O. At high values of (K)/(H) K-feldspar is involved in the equilibriumreaction: chlorite quartzKOH = biotiteK-feldsparH₂O. When the same system is closed to potassium, assemblages formingat lower values of (K/(H) resemble those developed on progressivemetamorphism, whereas higher (K)/ (H assemblages in the closedsystem resemble certain retrogressive mineral assemblages. Theassemblage muscovitebiotite is characteristic of higher temperaturesand lowyer values of µ_K/µ_S than the assemblageK-feldsparchlorite in carbonate-free rocks where both potassiumand water were perfectly mobile components and SiO₂ was presentin excess.