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Updated: Jul 22, 2026
11:27
Synthesis and Characterization of Functionalized Metal-organic Frameworks
Published on: September 5, 2014
Element partitioning: the role of melt structure and composition
M W Schmidt1, J A D Connolly, D Günther
1Institut für Mineralogie und Petrologie, Department of Earth Sciences, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), 8092 Zürich, Switzerland. max.schmidt@erdw.ethz.ch
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|June 17, 2006
Summary
High pressure experiments show melt structure significantly impacts trace element partitioning between coexisting gabbroic and granitic melts. This finding is crucial for understanding magma evolution and element distribution in the Earth
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Petrology
- Experimental Petrology
Background:
- Trace element partitioning between crystals and melts is fundamental to understanding magma differentiation and the formation of igneous rocks.
- Melt structure, influenced by composition, pressure, and temperature, is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in element behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally determine the influence of melt structure on trace element partitioning between coexisting gabbroic and granitic melts.
- To quantify the contribution of melt structure to crystal/melt partition coefficients.
- To investigate the relationship between element properties (e.g., field strength) and their partitioning behavior.
Main Methods:
- Segregation of coexisting gabbroic and granitic melts via high-pressure, high-temperature centrifugation.
- Analysis of trace element compositions in separated melts using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS).
- Application of a regular solution model to predict observed partitioning effects.
Main Results:
- Melt structure accounts for approximately one order of magnitude variation in crystal/melt partition coefficients.
- Alkali and alkaline earth element partitioning is strongly dependent on their field strength.
- Specific element groups (amphoteric, lone pair electron, rare earth, transition, high field strength) exhibit distinct partitioning preferences controlled by melt polymerization and coordination.
Conclusions:
- Melt structure is a dominant control on trace element partitioning, significantly influencing magma evolution models.
- The observed partitioning trends can be predicted using a regular solution model, highlighting the importance of thermodynamic approaches.
- This study provides critical insights into the behavior of trace elements in complex magmatic systems.
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