Abstract
MANY geochemical processes, such as crystallization of silicate magmas or planetary differentiation, require a knowledge of the way in which elements become partitioned between coexisting crystal and liquid phases1,2. But quantitative prediction of crystal/melt partition coefficients from thermodynamic principles has not previously been possible. By studying the partitioning of 15 elements between silicate minerals and their coexisting melts, we show here that the partitioning behaviour of any series of isovalent cations can be rationalized in terms of a simple model in which the size and elasticity of the crystal lattice sites play a critical role. We find that elasticity varies linearly with the formal charge of the cation. This model allows us to predict element partitioning behav-iour solely from the physical characteristics of the cation sites in the crystal.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Irving, A. J. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 42, 743–770 (1978).
Henderson, P. Inorganic Geochemistry (Pergamon, Oxford, 1982).
Beattie, P. D. et al. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 57, 1605–1606 (1993).
Takahashi, E. & Irvine, T. N. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 45, 1181–1185 (1981).
Jones, J. H. & Burnett, D. S. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 51, 769–782 (1987).
Nagasawa, H. Science 152, 767–769 (1966).
Tsang, T., Philpotts, J. A. & Yin, L. J. Phys. Chem. Solids 39, 439–442 (1978).
Brice, J. C. J. Crystal Growth 28, 249–253 (1975).
Blundy, J. D. & Wood, B. J. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 55, 193–209 (1991).
Blundy, J. D. & Wood, B. J. Mineralog. Mag. 58A, 101–102 (1994).
Beattie, P. Mineralog. Mag. 58A, 63–64 (1994).
Onuma, N., Higuchi, H., Wakita, H. & Nagasawa, H. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 5, 47–51 (1968).
Jensen, B. B. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 37, 2227–2242 (1973).
Mackrodt, W. C. in Computer Simulation of Solids (eds Catlow, C. R. A. & Mackrodt, W. C.), Lecture Notes in Physics 166, 175–194 (Springer, Berlin, 1982).
Catlow, C. R. A., James, D., Mackrodt, W. C. & Stewart, R. F. Phys. Rev. B25, 1006–1026 (1982).
Smith, J. V. & Brown, W. L. Feldspar Minerals 1. Crystal Structures, Physical, Chemical and Microtextural Properties (Springer, Berlin, 1988).
Smyth, J. R. & Bish, D. L. Crystal Structures and Cation Sites of the Rock Forming Minerals (Allen & Unwin, Boston, 1988).
Hart, S. R. & Dunn, T. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 113, 1–8 (1993).
Liu, C. Q., Masuda, A., Shimizu, H., Takahashi, K. & Xie, G. H. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 56, 1523–1530 (1992).
Levien, L. & Prewitt, C. T. Am. Miner. 66, 315–323 (1981).
Angel, R. J., Hazen, R. M., McCormick, T. C., Prewitt, C. T. & Smyth, J. R. Phys. Chem. Miner. 15, 313–318 (1988).
Anderson, D. L. & Anderson, O. L. J. geophys. Res. 75, 3494–3500 (1970).
Hazen, R. M. & Finger, L. W. J. geophys. Res. 84, 6723–6728 (1979).
Rubin, K. H. & Macdougall, J. D. Nature 335, 158–161 (1988).
Jones, J. H. in Handbook of Geophysical Constants (ed. Ahrens, T. J.) Vol. 3, Ch. 7 (American Geophysical Union, Washington, in the press).
Sumino, Y. & Anderson, O. L. in Handbook of Physical Properties of Rocks (ed. Carmichael, R. S.) Vol. 3, 39–138 (Chemical Rubber Company, Boca Raton, 1989).
Kato, T., Ringwood, A. E. & Irifune, T. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 90, 65–68 (1988).
Drake, M. J., McFarlane, E. A., Gasparik, T. & Rubie, D. C. J. geophys. Res. 98, 5427–5431 (1993).
Agee, C. B. Nature 346, 834–837 (1990).
Burns, R. G. Mineratogical Applications of Crystal Field Theory (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1970).
Shannon, R. D. Acta crystallogr. A32, 751–767 (1976).
Hinton, R. W. Chem. Geol. 83, 11–25 (1990).
McKay, G., Wagstaff, J. & Tang, S. R. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 50, 927–937 (1986).
Grutzeck, M., Kriedelbaugh, S. & Weill, D. F. Geophys. Res. Lett. 1, 273–275 (1974).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Blundy, J., Wood, B. Prediction of crystal–melt partition coefficients from elastic moduli. Nature 372, 452–454 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/372452a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/372452a0
This article is cited by
-
Revealing the role of crystal chemistry in REE fractionation in skarn garnets: insights from lattice-strain theory
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (2024)
-
Earth’s early continental crust formed from wet and oxidizing arc magmas
Nature (2023)
-
Trace element partitioning in basaltic systems as a function of oxygen fugacity
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (2023)
-
Trace-element partitioning between gregoryite, nyerereite, and natrocarbonatite melt: implications for natrocarbonatite evolution
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (2023)
-
Contributions of juvenile lower crust and mantle components to porphyry Cu deposits in an intracontinental setting: evidence from late Mesozoic porphyry Cu deposits in the South Qinling Orogenic Belt, Central China
Mineralium Deposita (2023)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
