Compositions and Structural States of Anhydrous Mg-Cordierites: A Re-investigation of the Central Part of the System MgO-Al2O3-SiO2

The central portion of the system MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂has been studied with the aim of determining the range of solidsolution, as well as the stability limits of the various structuralstates of the ternary compound cordierite. The previously suggestedlimited solid solution between cordierite of the composition2MgO? 2Al₂O₃? 5SiO₂ (2: 2: 5) and SiO₂ is now believed to existonly metastably. Between 800? and 1,300? C the composition ofcordierite was found to be invariably 2MgO. 2Al₂O₃ 5SiO2. Above1,300?C, however, there is evidence for the existence of limitedsolid solution in cordierite (2: 2: 5) toward a theoreticalcompound ‘Mg-beryl’ (3: 1: 6). The existence ofcordierite solid solution at liquidus temperatures has an importantbearing on the melting relations of many compositions withinthe system. Because of this solid solution the courses of crystallizationof melts consisting of normative cordierite (2: 2: 5) and smallamounts of MgSiO3, for example, have to follow parts of theboundary curve between the cordierite and spinel fields withthese two phases coprecipitating over a limited range of temperatures.The dividing line between compositions which complete theircrystallization at the ternary eutectic forsterite+protoenstatite+cordierite+liquid,1,364? ?3? C, and those which complete their crystallizationat the ternary eutectic protoenstatite +cordierite+tridymite+liquid,1, 355??3? C was formerly considered to be the join MgSiO3-cordierite(2: 2: 5). Because of solid solution in cordierite coexistingwith liquid this dividing line is displaced slightly in thedirection toward more siliceous bulk compositions. Furthermore,the temperature maximum along the boundary curve cordierite+protoenstatite+liquid cannot lie at the intersection of this boundary curvewith the join MgSiO3–2: 2: 5, but with the tie line MgSiO3-cordieritess.The position of this temperature maximum thus moves closer tothe ternary eutectic protoenstatite+cordierite+tridymite+liquid.Temperatures and compositions of some of the invariant pointsin the system have been redeter-mined.