The Experimental Study of Talc and Antigorite Evolution under Dry-Thermal Condition

The Xiuyan Jade samples were treated under thermal conditions. By polarizing microscope, the three kinds of jade were choosed. With DTA-TG analysis, three transition temperatures were obtained which were 600℃, 770℃ and 840℃. The study interpreted the mechanism of Xiuyan Jade under thermal condition through XRD analysis results. The mechanism of antigorite thermal activation was as following: when the temperature reached 600℃, the hydroxyl in octahedral sheet began dehydrating, and the new mineral phase forsterite was found, but the layer structure was maintained; when the temperature reached 770℃, the layer structure of antigorite was destroyed; when the temperature reached 840℃, the crystallinity of forsterite was improved, then another new mineral phase enstatite appeard. For talc, it was likely turn to enstatite directly while the temperature rising, and the appearance of SiO2 was most likely due to the conversion of talc.