XU Man1,2, TANG Hongfeng1
(1. Key Laboratory of High-temperature and High-pressure Study of the Earth’s Interior, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China;
2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)
Abstract: Plagioclase is one of the most important rock-forming minerals and plays a significant role in the evolution of magmas. High temperature and high pressure experimental studies can be employed to constrain the conditions and to explore the kinetics of plagioclase crystallization. In recent years, many investigators have experimentally studied the crystallization of plagioclase. These studies help us better understand the conditions for plagioclase crystallization as well as magma crystallization processes. The present review systematically summarizes the experimental studies on plagioclase crystallization in the following aspects: (1) restricting factors on plagioclase crystallization (including the effects of melt composition, temperature, pressure and H2O content on the crystallization of plagioclase). Melt composition can affect the liquidus temperature of plagioclase and the An content of crystallized plagioclase; temperature can affect the nucleation and growth, composition and morphology of plagioclase; the effect of pressure on plagioclase crystallization is complex; H2O content can significantly lower the crystallization temperature of plagioclase and can determine the crystal size; (2) the application of plagioclase crystallization experimental studies in interpreting magma processes. By studying the composition, texture and crystal size of plagioclase, changes of physical and chemical conditions during the evolution of magmas can be determined.
Keywords: plagioclase; crystallization; experimental studies
Email: tanghongfeng@vip.gyig.ac.cn
ACTA MINERALOGICA SINICA Vol. 36, No. 1, 2016, Page 61-69
