Electrical conductivity of amphibole-bearing rocks: influence of dehydration

We investigated the electrical conductivity of amphibole-bearing rocks under the conditions of the middle to lower crust. Alternating current measurements were performed in the frequency range of 10–10⁶ Hz in a cubic-anvil high-pressure apparatus at 0.5–1.0 GPa and 373–873 K. The electrical conductivity of these rocks is weakly temperature dependent below ~800 K with modest anisotropy and relatively low conductivity (~5 × 10⁻³ S/m at ~750 K with the activation enthalpy of 64–67 kJ/mol). However, the electrical conductivity starts to increase with temperature more rapidly above ~800 K (activation enthalpy of 320–380 kJ/mol). The infrared spectroscopy observations indicate that dehydration occurs in this high temperature regime. The observed high activation enthalpy and the reproducibility suggest that the enhanced conductivity is not due to the direct effect caused by the generation of conductive fluids. Dehydration of amphibole is associated with the oxidation of iron (from ferrous to ferric), and we suggest that the increased conductivity associated with dehydration is caused by oxidation. This effect may explain high electrical conductivity observed in some regions of the continental crust.