9.1 ZHANG Li

Effects of major volatiles on deep mantle mineralogy

Zhang Li

Major volatiles (water, carbon dioxide, and chlorine) are the key components in crustal hydrothermal processes and in the formation of many magma-related ore deposits (Kamenetsky et al., Geology 2004). Distribution of the volatiles and their behavior in the deep Earth provide key information for understanding the evolution history of our planet. In this talk, we are going to discuss how the major volatiles (water, chlorine, and carbon) influence deep mantle mineralogy. Through high P-T experiments in a laser heated diamond anvil cell (DAC), we applied the advanced synchrotron powder XRD and multigrain XRD techniques to study the reactions in volatile-bearing lower mantle systems, identify new volatile-bearing phases, and investigate their crystal chemistry and physical properties, under conditions corresponding to the lower mantle. We focus on understanding the heterogeneities in the deep mantle and how the volatiles partition at the core-mantle boundary.