Copper partitioning between granitic silicate melt and coexisting aqueous fluid at 850°C and 100 MPa

Experiments on the partitioning of Cu between different granitic silicate melts and the respective coexisting aqueous fluids have been performed under conditions of 850 ℃, 100 MPa and oxygen fugacity （fO2） buffered at approaching Ni-NiO （NNO）. Partition coefficients of Cu （Dcu = Cfluid/Cmelt） were varied with different alumina/alkali mole ratios [Al2O3/（Na2O ＋ K2O）, abbreviated as Al/ Alk], Na/K mole ratios, and SiO2 mole contents. The DCu increased from 1.28 ± 0.01 to 22.18 ±0.22 with the increase of Al/Alk mole ratios （ranging from 0.64 to 1.20） and Na/K mole ratios （ranging from 0.58 to 2.56）. The experimental results also showed that Dcu was positively correlated with the HCl concentration of the starting fluid. The Dcu was independent of the SiO2 mole content in the range of SiO2 content considered. No Dcu value was less than 1 in our experiments at 850 ℃ and 100 MPa, indicating that Cu preferred to enter the fluid phase rather than the coexisting melt phase under most conditions in the melt-fluid system, and thus a significant amount of Cu could be transported in the fluid phase in the magmatichydrothermal environment. The results indicated that Cu favored partitioning into the aqueous fluid rather than the melt phase if there was a high Na/K ratio, Na-rich, peraluminous granitic melt coexisting with the high Cl^- fluid.

Electrical conductivity of hydrous silicate melts and aqueous fluids: Measurement and applications

The combination of magnetotelluric survey and laboratory measurements of electrical conductivity is a powerful approach for exploring the conditions of Earth's deep interior. Electrical conductivity of hydrous silicate melts and aqueous fluids is sensitive to composition, temperature, and pressure, making it useful for understanding partial melting and fluid activity at great depths. This study presents a review on the experimental studies of electrical conductivity of silicate melts and aqueous fluids, and introduces some important applications of experimental results. For silicate melts, electrical conductivity increases with increasing temperature but decreases with pressure. With a similar Na^+ concentration, along the calc-alkaline series electrical conductivity generally increases from basaltic to rhyolitic melt, accompanied by a decreasing activation enthalpy. Electrical conductivity of silicate melts is strongly enhanced with the incorporation of water due to promoted cation mobility. For aqueous fluids, research is focused on dilute electrolyte solutions. Electrical conductivity typically first increases and then decreases with increasing temperature, and increases with pressure before approaching a plateau value. The dissociation constant of electrolyte can be derived from conductivity data. To develop generally applicable quantitative models of electrical conductivity of melt/fluid addressing the dependences on temperature, pressure, and composition, it requires more electrical conductivity measurements of representative systems to be implemented in an extensive P-T range using up-to-date methods.

H_(2)O-induced sedimentary carbon migration from subducting slabs to the forearc mantle

Carbon in sedimentary carbonates dominates the global carbon input flux in subduction zones,the fate of which makes an impact on the global carbon cycle.At forearc depths,~32%of subducting water is released through slab dehydration and may greatly promote sedimentary carbon migration to the forearc mantle.However,it is controversial that considering the infiltration of external aqueous fluids,whether extremely limited or a significant portion of sedimentary carbon is liberated from subducting slabs in the forearc region.To explore to what extent hydrous fluids could facilitate carbon migration at forearc depths,hydrous carbonate-dominated sediment(1.14 wt.%H2O)-harzburgite reaction(layered)experiments have been performed at 1.5 GPa and 600–1000℃with various durations.For comparison,an anhydrous sediment-harzburgite reaction experiment was conducted to investigate the role of water on carbon migration.In hydrous experiments under subsolidus conditions(600–900℃),(1)a reaction zone comprised of clinopyroxene+dolomite forms at the sediment-harzburgite interface due to the metasomatic reaction;(2)the Ca#(100×Ca/[Ca+Mg+Fe],in molar)of calcite in the sediment layer drastically deceases when approaching the reaction zone;(3)newly formed dolomite and pargasite occur in the upper harzburgite layer.The above phenomena were not observed in the anhydrous experiment.Under a supersolidus condition(1000℃),a reaction zone composed of olivine+clinopyroxene+pargasite+CO_(2)formed as a result of hydrous carbonate melt-harzburgite interaction.The experiments demonstrate that aqueous fluids could significantly promote the chemical reaction and component exchange between sediments and mantle peridotite,and also induce subducting sedimentary carbon migration to the forearc mantle.It is estimated roughly that globally,~50%of subducting sedimentary carbon may be released at forearc depths.The carbon and water would be stabilized as carbonates(e.g.,dolomite)and hydrous minerals(e.g.,pargasite)in the forearc mantle,implying that the forearc mantle may be an important carbon reservoir.Our study explains the fate of a portion of carbon that is not returned to the atmosphere through arc volcanism.