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The uptake and solubility of water in quartz at elevated pressure and temperature

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Abstract

The uptake of water in quartz at 1.5 GPa total pressure, 1173 K and high water fugacity, over times up to 24 h, has been investigated using a newly developed assembly to prevent microcracking. It is found that the uptake is small, and below the detectability of the presently used technique of infrared spectroscopy and serial sectioning. This observation reflects either a low value for the diffusivity or the solubility or a combination of both, and is in agreement with the observations of Kronenberg et al. (1986) and Rovetta et al. (1986). It brings into question the interpretation of the early experiments on water weakening by Griggs and Blacic (1964) and the recent estimates of the solubility and diffusivity by Mackwell and Paterson (1985).

Rults of a combined T.E.M., light-scattering and infrared-spectroscopy investigation of ‘wet’ synthetic quartz before and after heating at 0.1, 300 and 1500 MPa total pressure and 1173 K, strongly suggest that the water in ‘wet’ quartz is mainly in the form of H2O in inclusions, consistent with the solubility being low, possibly less than 100 H/106Si.

From these observations, water-containing inclusions appear to play a major role in the plasticity of quartz, while any role of water in solid solution remains to be clarified.

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Author notes

  1. J. Gerretsen

    Present address: Institute for Earth Sciences, State University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

    J. Gerretsen, M. S. Paterson & A. C. McLaren

  2. Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

    A. C. McLaren

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  1. J. Gerretsen
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  2. M. S. Paterson
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  3. A. C. McLaren
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Gerretsen, J., Paterson, M.S. & McLaren, A.C. The uptake and solubility of water in quartz at elevated pressure and temperature. Phys Chem Minerals 16, 334–342 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00199553

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