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Compositional limits and analogs of monoclinic triple-chain silicates

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Abstract

Growing recognition of triple-chain silicates in nature has prompted experimental research into the conditions under which they can form and the extent of solid solution that is feasible for some key chemical substitutions. Experiments were done primarily in the range of 0.1–0.5 GPa and 200–850 °C for durations of 18–1,034 h. A wide range of bulk compositions were explored in this study that can be classified broadly into two groups: those that are Na free and involve various possible chemical substitutions into jimthompsonite (Mg10Si12O32(OH)4), and those that are Na bearing and involve chemical substitutions into the ideal end-member Na4Mg8Si12O32(OH)4. Numerous attempts to synthesize jimthompsonite or clinojimthompsonite were unsuccessful despite the type of starting material used (reagent oxides, magnesite + SiO2, talc + enstatite, or anthophyllite). Similarly, the chemical substitutions of F− for OH−, Mn2+, Ca2+, or Fe2+ for Mg2+, and 2Li+ for Mg2+ and a vacancy were unsuccessful at nucleating triple-chain silicates. Conversely, nearly pure yields of monoclinic triple-chain silicate could be made at temperatures of 440–630 °C and 0.2 GPa from the composition Na4Mg8Si12O32(OH)4, as found in previous studies, though its composition is most likely depleted in Na as evidenced by electron microprobe and FTIR analysis. Pure yields of triple-chain silicate were also obtained for the F-analog composition Na4Mg8Si12O32F4 at 550–750 °C and 0.2–0.5 GPa if a flux consisting of Na-halide salt and water in a 2:1 ratio by weight was used. In addition, limited chemical substitution could be documented for the substitutions of 2 Na+ for Na+ + H+ and of Mg2+ + vacancy for 2Na+. For the former, the Na content appears to be limited to 2.5 cations giving the ideal composition of Na2.5Mg8Si12O30.5(OH)5.5, while for the latter substitution the Na content may go as low as 1.1 cations giving the composition Na1.1Mg9.4Si12O31.9(OH)4.1 based on a fixed number of Si cations. Further investigation involving Mg for Na cation exchange may provide a pathway for the synthesis of Na-free clinojimthompsonite. Fairly extensive solid solution was also observed for triple-chain silicates made along the compositional join Na4Mg8Si12O32(OH)4–Ca2Mg8Si12O32(OH)4 where the limit of Ca substitution at 450 °C and 0.2 GPa corresponds to Na0.7Ca1.8Mg7.8Si12O31.9(OH)4.1 (with the OH content adjusted to achieve charge balance). Aside from the Na content, this composition is similar to that observed as wide-chain lamellae in host actinolite. The relative ease with which Na-rich triple chains can be made experimentally suggests that these phases might exist in nature; this study provides additional insights into the range of compositions and formation conditions at which they might occur.

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Acknowledgments

This work represents the efforts of the co-authors over a period of approximately 15 years and has been supported by a variety of grants from the National Science Foundation, of which grant EAR-0228975 may be the most appropriate. We wish to thank B. Evans for the anthophyllite sample, which is sample BM 93327 of the Natural History Museum, London, UK, from Kongsberg, Norway. Thanks go to Peter Burns at University of Notre Dame for assistance in examining several crystals for possible single-crystal analysis. Figure 1 was drawn in part with the program XtalDraw by R. T. Downs, University of Arizona. The authors thank the reviewers for their comments and careful reviews of the original manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Sciences and Environmental Studies, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA

    David M. Jenkins & Jaclyn M. Dibiase

  2. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Geoffrey J. Gilleaudeau

  3. 126 Reed Street, Plymouth, WI, 53073, USA

    Cynthia Kawa

  4. Via Strasburgo 4, 61122, Pesaro, PU, Italy

    Maria Fokin

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  1. David M. Jenkins
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  2. Geoffrey J. Gilleaudeau
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  3. Cynthia Kawa
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  4. Jaclyn M. Dibiase
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  5. Maria Fokin
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Correspondence to David M. Jenkins.

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Communicated by M. W. Schmidt.

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Jenkins, D.M., Gilleaudeau, G.J., Kawa, C. et al. Compositional limits and analogs of monoclinic triple-chain silicates. Contrib Mineral Petrol 164, 229–244 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-012-0735-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-012-0735-7

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