Nature 305, 414 - 416 (29 September 1983); doi:10.1038/305414a0

Effect of pressure on rare earth element partition coefficients in common magmas

T. H. Green & N. J. Pearson

School of Earth Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2113, Australia

Geochemical modelling of magma generation and crystal fractionation processes at pressures corresponding to those of the lower crust¹ and upper mantle² is critically dependent on the trace element partition coefficients used in the calculations. The effects of temperature and melt composition on partition coefficients are reasonably well established^3,4, but the possible effect of pressure has not been closely evaluated, apart from some work on nickel partitioning⁵. Rare earth elements (REE) are important in geochemical modelling, and the need for data on the pressure effect on REE partitioning has been pointed out³. We have done a series of experiments in which the role of pressure was isolated from that of temperature and melt composition (or melt structure), and we are able to demonstrate a systematic increase in La, Sm, Ho and Lu partition coefficients for sphene/silicate liquid and clinopyroxene/silicate liquid as pressure increases from 7.5 to 30 kbar.

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