Franz A. Weis

Magmatic origin of giant ‘Kiruna-type’ apatite-iron-oxide ores in Central Sweden

Iron is the most important metal for modern industry and Sweden is by far the largest iron-producer in Europe, yet the genesis of Swedens main iron-source, the ‘Kiruna-type’ apatite-iron-oxide ores, remains enigmatic. We show that magnetites from the largest central Swedish ‘Kiruna-type’ deposit at Grängesberg have δ18O values between −0.4 and +3.7‰, while the 1.90−1.88 Ga meta-volcanic host rocks have δ18O values between +4.9 and +9‰. Over 90% of the magnetite data are consistent with direct precipitation from intermediate to felsic magmas or magmatic fluids at high-temperature (δ18Omgt > +0.9‰, i.e. ortho-magmatic). A smaller group of magnetites (δ18Omgt ≤ +0.9‰), in turn, equilibrated with high-δ18O, likely meteoric, hydrothermal fluids at low temperatures. The central Swedish ‘Kiruna-type’ ores thus formed dominantly through magmatic iron-oxide precipitation within a larger volcanic superstructure, while local hydrothermal activity resulted from low-temperature fluid circulation in the shallower parts of this system.

Magmatic water contents determined through clinopyroxene: Examples from the Western Canary Islands, Spain

Water is a key parameter in magma genesis, magma evolution, and resulting eruption styles, because it controls the density, the viscosity, as well as the melting and crystallization behavior of a m ...

Experimental hydration of natural volcanic clinopyroxene phenocrysts under hydrothermal pressures (0.5–3 kbar)

Abstract Water is a key parameter in mantle rheology, magma genesis, magma evolution, and resulting eruption styles, because it controls the density and the viscosity, as well as the melting and crystallization behavior of a melt. The water content in nominally anhydrous minerals (NAMs) such as clinopyroxene recently has been used as a proxy for magmatic water contents. NAMs, however, may dehydrate during magma degassing and eruption. We performed rehydration experiments on potentially degassed clinopyroxene phenocrysts from various volcanic settings. The experiments were conducted in hydrogen gas at 1 atm or hydrothermal pressures ranging from 0.5 to 3 kbarto test the incorporation of water into natural clinopyroxene under water fugacities similar to those in a volcanic system. Our results show a dependence of the water content in the clinopyroxene crystals with pressure as the phenocrysts begin to dehydrate upon lower water fugacities in the experiments. Water loss or gain in a crystal occurs according to the relatively fast redox–reaction OH– + Fe2+ ↔ O2− + Fe3+ + ½ H2, which was confirmed by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The kinetics of this redox–process are independent of pressure and thus water fugacity. Water contents in rehydrated clinopyroxene crystals can be related to magmatic water contents at various levels in a volcanic system. Our results thus show that the water content in erupted clinopyroxene phenocrysts cannot be taken for granted to be representative of magmatic water contents prior to magma degassing. The conducted experiments indicate the simultaneous dehydration of clinopyroxene along with magma ascent and degassing. Rehydration experiments under hydrothermal pressures, however, may be able to reconstruct clinopyroxene water contents at crystallization prior to dehydration.

Hydrogen concentration analysis in clinopyroxene using proton–proton scattering analysis

Traditional methods to measure water in nominally anhydrous minerals (NAMs) are, for example, Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy or secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Both well-established methods provide a low detection limit as well as high spatial resolution yet may require elaborate sample orientation or destructive sample preparation. Here we analyze the water content in erupted volcanic clinopyroxene phenocrysts by proton–proton scattering and reproduce water contents measured by FTIR spectroscopy. We show that this technique provides significant advantages over other methods as it can provide a three-dimensional distribution of hydrogen within a crystal, making the identification of potential inclusions possible as well as elimination of surface contamination. The sample analysis is also independent of crystal structure and orientation and independent of matrix effects other than sample density. The results are used to validate the accuracy of wavenumber-dependent vs. mineral-specific molar absorption coefficients in FTIR spectroscopy. In addition, we present a new method for the sample preparation of very thin crystals suitable for proton–proton scattering analysis using relatively low accelerator potentials.