Experimental study of silica diffusion during metasomatic reactions in the presence of water at 550°C and 1000 bars

Abstract

Metasomatic reactions between quartz and incompatible oxides or hydroxides were experimentally studied at 550°C and 1000 bars water pressure. Two porous pellets of the initial reagents pressed one against the other were used. Reaction rims in the millimeter range develop at the initial boundary in the oxide pellet. All the experiments show that an important transfer of silica occurs by diffusion in the stationary intergranular solution.The chemical transfer of silica through the intergranular fluid is quantitatively determined by studying the kinetics of growth of the forsterite rim in the system quartz-brucite. The kinetics limiting stage being silica transfer, the experiments allow the determination of the diffusion coefficient of silica through the solution. At 550°C and 1000 bars, a value of 2.4 × 10−1cm2 s1 is found.This high value shows the importance of chemical diffusion in the intergranular fluid of rocks during metamorphic processes.