Oxygen potential of diamond formation in the lower mantle

Abstract

Thermodynamic calculations have shown that when a metallic phase arising due to ferroan ion disproportionation is contained in lower-mantle rocks, carbon occurs as iron carbide and the oxygen fugacity corresponds to the equilibrium of ferropericlase with Fe-Ni alloy. The typical values of oxygen fugacity in zones of diamond formation in the lower mantle lie between the iron-wustite buffer and six logarithmic units above this level. The processes that proceed in the lower mantle give rise to variation of \(f_{O_2 }\) within several orders of magnitude above the elevated \(f_{O_2 }\) values, which are necessary for the formation of diamond, as compared with a common level typical of the lower mantle. The mechanisms responsible for redox differentiation in the lower mantle comprise the subduction of oxidized crustal material, mechanical separation of metallic phase and silicate-oxide mineral assemblage enriched in ferric ions, as well as transfer of fused silicate material presumably enriched in Fe3+ through the mantle.