Serpentines, talc, chlorites, and their high-pressure phase transitions: a Raman spectroscopic study

Abstract

Raman spectra of magnesian phyllosilicates belonging to the serpentine, talc, and chlorite groups have been obtained at ambient conditions, and at high pressures and up to 200 °C in order to study high-pressure transformations in the 10 GPa range. The complex and distinct Raman spectra of these minerals allow straightforward identification, which may otherwise be difficult from optical microscopy. High-pressure measurements are in good agreement with DFT calculations for talc and lizardite. Pressure-induced displacive modifications are identified in lizardite and antigorite serpentines, and in chlorite at ~4, 7 and 8 GPa, respectively, while talc shows no transition up to ~11 GPa. At high temperature, the high-pressure distortions of serpentines shift to higher pressures. Given the stability limits of these minerals, and the natural range of P–T conditions, none of the high-pressure distortions observed at high pressure are likely to occur at depth in the Earth.