Crystallization from a vapor phase in igneous rocks -- A conceptual model
- Orange Coast Coll., Costa Mesa, CA (United States)
Euhedral, late-stage crystals in pocket pegmatite and in vesicles of volcanic rocks are commonly cited as examples of crystallization from a vapor phase. If, however, crystallization takes place only from the cavity forming vapor, that vapor cannot contain sufficient material for the formation of the observed crystals. The approximate amount of H[sub 2]O vapor and percentage of dissolved silicate matter (1) for shallow pocket pegmatite is 0.5 g/cm[sup 3] and 0.3 percent; (2) for vesicles is 0.002 g/cm[sup 3] and [much lt]1 percent. These values show that the silicate matter dissolved in the vapor is insufficient for the formation of the observed crystals. No (or little) recharge of the vapor is an unstated assumption in most discussions of enclosed cavities. This, however, is not quite correct. For a simplified system, four phases will exist in equilibrium: (1) mineral grains growing from liquid, (2) late-stage, H[sub 2]O-enriched, silicate liquid, (3) vapor, (4) crystals growing from vapor. The total system (for transferal of silicate matter) is given. Little silicate matter is dissolved in the vapor at any one time, but it is replenished as the crystals grow. The vapor becomes a continuously resupplied reservoir of dissolved silicate matter; crystallization from the vapor continues until the silicate liquid is depleted.
- OSTI ID:
- 5096602
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9305259-; CODEN: GAAPBC
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 25:5; Conference: 89. annual meeting of the Cordilleran Section and the 46th annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Section of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Reno, NV (United States), 19-21 May 1993; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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