Pre-eruptive Conditions of the Huerto Andesite (Fish Canyon System, San Juan Volcanic Field, Colorado): Influence of Volatiles (C-O-H-S) on Phase Equilibria and Mineral Composition

Crystallization experiments at 400 MPa, oxidized condition (logfO₂= NNO + 1, where NNO is nickel–nickel oxide buffer) andover a range of temperatures (850–950°C) and fluidcomposition (XH₂O_in = 0·3–1) have been carriedout to constrain the storage conditions of the sulphur-richmagma of the Huerto Andesite (an anhydrite, pyrrhotite, andS-rich apatite-bearing, post-Fish Canyon Tuff mafic lava). Theresults are used to evaluate the role of fluids released fromthe crystallization of magmas such as the Huerto Andesite onthe remobilization of the largely crystallized dacitic FishCanyon magma body. Experiments were performed using the naturalandesitic bulk composition with and without added sulphur. Thepresence of sulphur slightly affects the phase equilibria bychanging the phase proportions, stability fields of plagioclase,pyroxenes and ilmenite, and also affects the plagioclase composition.Phase equilibria and mineral composition data indicate thatthe magma may have contained 4·5 wt % water in the meltand that the pre-eruptive temperature was 875 ± 25°C.Assuming that the magma was in equilibrium with a fluid phase,the CO₂ concentration of the melt is estimated to be in therange 2000–4000 ppm (at 400 MPa). Before eruption, theandesite had an oxidation state very close to, or slightly within,the co-stability field of anhydrite–pyrrhotite at NNO+ 1·1. At these conditions, the sulphur content in themelt is 500 ppm. Assuming open-system degassing resulting fromcontinuing crystallization at depth, most of the CO₂ dissolvedin the andesitic melt should be released after the crystallizationof <10 vol. % of the magma, corresponding to a cooling from875 to 825–850°C. Thus, the fluids released owingto crystallization processes should be mainly composed of waterat temperatures below 825°C. KEY WORDS: experimental study; andesite; volatile; Fish Canyon Tuff; Huerto Andesite