Metal-silicate partitioning of lithophile elements at high pressures and temperatures

Abstract:

Trace element abundances in Earth's core were established during core–mantle differentiation and metal–silicate equilibration processes early in the planet's history. The core has been suggested as a possible reservoir in which the presence of nominally lithophile elements can explain the observance of non-chondritic ratios of some of these elements in surface rocks (e.g. Nb/Ta, Th/U and Mg/Si)[1-2]. Additionally, several of these elements (U, Th and K) are long-lived sources of radiogenic heat and could be important for explaining the geomagnetic field early in Earth’s history. Based on their metal–silicate partitioning behavior at near ambient conditions, it is frequently assumed that uranium and other strongly lithophile elements are present in the core at only trivial abundances. However, core formation took place at a variety of conditions, reaching pressures and temperatures well above those in which most metal–silicate partitioning measurements were obtained[3]. Here we report metal–silicate partitioning data of lithophile elements such as U and Mg, as well as partially siderophile elements Si and S, at conditions more relevant to metal segregation and core formation in a magma ocean. Laser heated diamond anvil methods were used to obtain pressures of 30-70 GPa and temperatures up to 5200 K. FIB/EM methods were used to section the recovered samples and measure the quenched metal and silicate melt compositions. We find that even strongly lithophile elements such as U and Mg partition measurably into the metal phase under extreme P-T conditions.

References:

[1]Wade, J. and Wood, B. J., Nature, 109 (2001)

[2]Allegre et al. EPSL, 134 (1995)

[3]Rubie, et al. Icarus, 248 (2015)