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Title: High-temperature hematite and spinel phases in iron-rich slags produced in shales above burned coal seams

Conference · · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)
OSTI ID:6447314

Ultrametamorphic effects (1300+ /sup 0/C) in shales above burned coal seams in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, include the formation of droplets and stalactites of congealed iron-rich melt (40.3 wt.% SiO/sub 2/, 35.5% Fe as Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/, 13.5% Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, 2.2% MgO, 5.0% CaO, 0.3% MnO, 1.0% K/sub 2/O, 0.5% TiO/sub 2/, 1.3% P/sub 2/O/sub 5/, <0.2% Na/sub 2/O, 0.55% LOI, total 100.2%). This melt, quartz-normative and comparable to an iron-rich basalt, formed along fractures which served as chimneys for escape of burning gases; pyrite or other iron-rich concretions in the shale may have been the source of the iron in the melts. Oxide phases, dominantly intergrown hematite+magnetite, in the droplets reflect a high-T, low-P, high-f(O/sub 2/) environment. Hematite ranges from nearly pure Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ near the droplet rims (Hm-1) to Al- and Ti-rich in the interiors (Hm-2 to -5). Magnetite contains Mg and Al (Mt-1); in the droplet interiors it is richer in Mg and Al (Mt-2 = host+lamellae) and contains lamellae of exsolved hercynite spinel (Sp-1). Near droplet rims, hematite occurs with magnesioferrite spinel (Mf-1) enriched in Mn and Zn (up to 7 wt.% ZnO), a product of reaction with gases during cooling. Averaged microprobe analyses are provided.

OSTI ID:
6447314
Report Number(s):
CONF-8510489-
Journal Information:
Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 17; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28 Oct 1985
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English