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Dissolution rates of plagioclase at pH = 2 and 3

Journal Article · · American Mineralogist; (United States)
OSTI ID:5784922
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Sandia National Lab., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  2. NSI Technology Services Corp., Corvallis, OR (United States)

The dissolution rates of plagioclase in acids are very sensitive to the mineral composition. At pH = 2.0 and 25C, rates range from {approx} 1 {times} 10{sup {minus}15} feldspar-mol/cm{sup 2}/s for albite to greater than 1 {times} 10{sup {minus}12} feldspar-mol/cm{sup 2}/s for anorthite. At pH = 3.0, the respective rates range from {approx} 3 {times} 10{sup {minus}16} feldspar-mol/cm{sup 2}/s to {approx} 7 {times} 10{sup {minus}14} feldspar-mol/cm{sup 2}/s. The relationship between mineral composition and dissolution rate, however, is not simple. In order to better define such a relation at pH = 2, rates were measured on eight plagioclase minerals and compared to existing data. In general, the dissolution rates of a given plagioclase mineral estimated by different researchers generally agree to within a factor of two to five. The uncertainty is much larger for Ca-rich minerals such as bytownite and anorthite, and reasons for the disagreement are unclear. Even with this uncertainty, however, it is apparent that dissolution rates vary nonlinearly with composition and that the rates for the Ca-rich minerals vary more with composition than Na-rich minerals.

DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
5784922
Journal Information:
American Mineralogist; (United States), Journal Name: American Mineralogist; (United States) Vol. 76:1-2; ISSN AMMIA; ISSN 0003-004X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English