Re-equilibration of natural H2O–CO2–salt-rich fluid inclusions in quartz—Part 1: experiments in pure water at constant pressures and differential pressures at 600 °C

Abstract

Re-equilibration processes of natural H2O–CO2–NaCl-rich fluid inclusions quartz are experimentally studied by exposing the samples to a pure H2O external fluid at 600 °C. Experimental conditions are selected at nearly constant pressure conditions (309 MPa) between fluid inclusions and pore fluid, with only fugacity gradients in H2O and CO2, and at differential pressure conditions (394–398 MPa, corresponding to an internal under-pressure) in addition to similar CO2 fugacity gradients and larger H2O fugacity gradients. Modifications of fluid inclusion composition and density are monitored with changes in ice dissolution temperature, clathrate dissolution temperature and volume fraction of the vapour phase at room temperature. Specific modification of these parameters can be assigned to specific processes, such as preferential loss/gain of H2O and CO2, or changes in total volume. A combination of these parameters can clearly distinguish between modifications according to bulk diffusion or deformation processes. Bulk diffusion of CO2 according to fugacity gradients is demonstrated at constant pressure conditions. The estimated preferential loss of H2O is not in accordance with those gradients in both constant pressure and differential pressure experiments. The development of deformation halos in quartz around fluid inclusions that are either under-pressurized or over-pressurized promotes absorption of H2O from the inclusions and inhibits bulk diffusion according to the applied fugacity gradients.