Application of Hydrothermal Diamond Anvil Cell to Homogenization Experiments of Silicate Melt Inclusions

The homogenization of silicate melt inclusions （SMIs）,small droplets of silicate melt trapped in magmatic minerals,is an important component of petrogenetic and magmatic research.Conventional homogenization experiments on SMIs use microscope-mounted heating stages capable of producing high temperatures at 1 atm and cold-seal high-pressure vessels.Heating stages are generally used for SMIs with low internal pressures and allow in situ observations of the homogenization processes.In contrast,cold-seal high-pressure vessels are generally used to heat SMIs that have high internal pressures,although the homogenized SMIs can only be observed after quenching in this approach.Here we outline an alternative approach that uses a hydrothermal diamond anvil cell （HDAC） apparatus to homogenize SMIs.This is the only current method wherein phase changes in high-internal-pressure SMIs can be observed in situ during homogenization experiments,which represents an advantage over other conventional methods.Using an HDAC apparatus prevents high-internal-pressure SMIs from decrepitating during heating by elevating their external pressure,in addition to allowing in situ observations of SMIs.The type-V HDAC that is currently being used has a shorter distance between the sample chamber and the observation window than earlier types,potentially enabling continuous observation of the processes involved in heating and SMI homogenization through an objective lens with a long working distance.Homogenization experiments using HDAC require that a number of steps,including HDAC preparation,sample preparation,sample loading,preheating,and formal heating,be carefully followed.Homogenization experiments on SMIs within granite samples from the Jiajika pegmatite deposit （Sichuan,China） are best performed using an HDAC-based approach,because the elevated proper external pressure of these SMIs,combined with a short heating duration,helps to suppress material leakage and any reactions within the SMIs,in addition to allowing in situ observations during homogenization experiments.Furthermore,using the HDAC approach has other benefits：heating rates can be precisely controlled,wafer oxidization can be prevented,and samples can be subjected to in situ microbeam analysis.In summary,homogenization using HDAC provides more reliable results than those obtained using conventional heating equipment.Future developments will include improvements to the quenching method and temperature controls for the HDAC apparatus,thereby improving the utility of this approach for SMI homogenization experiments.