Melt–Fluid and Fluid–Fluid Immiscibility in a Na2SO4–SiO2–H2O System and Implications for the Formation of Rare Earth Deposits
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We would like to thank Dr. Cui Ying and the School of Earth and Space Sciences of Peking University for the assistance in conducting the Raman spectrum analysis. Two anonymous reviewers are thanked for their constructive suggestions in improving this manuscript. This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant nos. 41930427, 41872078, and 41502069), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (Grant no. YESS20180143), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant nos. FRF-TP-18-017A3 and FRF-IDRY-19-001).

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    Abstract:

    Liquid–liquid immiscibility has crucial influences on geological processes, such as magma degassing and formation of ore deposits. Sulfate, as an important component, associates with many kinds of deposits. Two types of immiscibility, including (i) fluid–melt immiscibility between an aqueous solution and a sulfate melt, and (ii) fluid–fluid immiscibility between two aqueous fluids with different sulfate concentrations, have been identified for sulfate–water systems. In this study, we investigated the immiscibility behaviors of a sulfate- and quartz-saturated Na2SO4–SiO2–H2O system at elevated temperature, to explore the phase relationships involving both types of immiscibility. The fluid–melt immiscibility appeared first when the Na2SO4–SiO2–H2O sample was heated to ~270°C, and then fluid–fluid immiscibility emerged while the sample was further heated to ~450°C. At this stage, the coexistence of one water-saturated sulfate melt and two aqueous fluids with distinct sulfate concentrations was observed. The three immiscible phases remain stable over a wide pressure–temperature range, and the appearance temperature of the fluid–fluid immiscibility increases with the increased pressure. Considering that sulfate components occur extensively in carbonatite-related deposits, the fluid–fluid immiscibility can result in significant sulfate fractionation and provides implications for understanding the formation of carbonatite-related rare earth deposits.

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CUI Hao, ZHONG Richen, XIE Yuling, WANG Xiaolin, CHEN Huan.2021. Melt–Fluid and Fluid–Fluid Immiscibility in a Na2SO4–SiO2–H2O System and Implications for the Formation of Rare Earth Deposits[J]. Acta Geologica Sinica(),95(5):1604-1610

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History
  • Received:April 18,2021
  • Revised:June 07,2021
  • Adopted:
  • Online: October 27,2021
  • Published: