Silicate systems bearing on the crystallization courses in alkali basalts

Abstract

Phase-equilibrium studies of the nepheline normative portion of the basalt tetrahedron nepheline-forsterite-silica-diopside ofYoder andTilley have shown that during the course of crystallization the composition of the liquid phase leaves this tetrahedron. When the tetrahedron is expanded to nepheline-forsterite-silica-Ca₂SiO₄ the courses of crystallization and composition of the liquid can be and have been followed by studying a series of joins within this expanded tetrahedron. These studies show that the ultimate goal of crystallization is the quaternary invariant point diopsidic pyroxene + nepheline solid solution + sodic plagioclase + wollastonite solid solution + liquid at 950 ± 5°"C. Attention is called to this low melting point in a dry system. With perfect equilibrium between the solid phases and liquid all melilite disappears by reaction with liquid below 1065 ± 5°C, the temperature of the quaternary reaction point with diopsidic pyroxene + melilite + nepheline solid solution + wollastonite solid solution + liquid.

A flow sheet showing the reactions between all quaternary invariant points in the geologically interesting portion of the expanded tetrahedron is presented. This shows the interrelations (daughter-parent relations) between a large number of rock types found in intrusive and extrusive nepheline normative compositions as well as in the quartz normative tholeiitic basalts.