High-pressure structural study of muscovite

Abstract

The compressibility and structural variations of two 2M1 muscovites having compositions (Na0.07K0.90 Ba0.01□0.02)(Al1.84Ti0.04Fe0.07Mg0.04)(Si3.02Al0.98) O10 (OH)2 (7 mole % paragonite) and (Na0.37K0.60□0.03)(Al1.84Ti0.02 Fe0.10Mg0.06)(Si3.03Al0.97) O10(OH)2 (37 mole % paragonite) were determined at pressures between 1 bar and 35 kbar, by single-crystal X-ray diffraction using a Merrill-Bassett diamond anvil cell. Isothermal bulk moduli, setting K′ = 4, were 490 and 540 (± 30) kbar for the Na-poor and Na-rich samples respectively. Both samples show highly anisotropic compressibility patterns, with β a ∶β b ∶β c = 1∶1.15∶3.95 for the Na-poor sample and β a ∶β b ∶β c = 1∶1.19∶3.46 for the Na-rich one. HP structural refinements showed that the different compressibility was largely due to the partial substitution of Na for K in the interlayer region. Moreover, the different compressibility of the tetrahedral and octahedral layers, observed in both micas, increased the a rotation of the tetrahedral layer by about 2° in 28 kbar, as also indicated by the evolution of interlayer cation bond lengths. This increases the repulsion of oxygens of the basal layers and between the high-charged cations of the tetrahedral layer. As a consequence, phengitic substitution, reducing α rotation, would increase the baric stability of mica. Comparison between the HP structures of muscovite and phlogopite indicated the lower compressibility of the latter, mainly due to the greater compressibility of the dioctahedral layer with respect to that of the trioctahedral layer. The HT and HP behaviour of di- and trioctahedral micas showed an anisotropy in the compressional pattern which was markedly greater than that observed in the dilatation pattern. This unexpected result was explained by the different evolution with P and T of alkaliO bond lengths. By combining HP and HT data, a tentative equation of state of muscovite is proposed.