The influence of potassium content on the electrical conductivity of melts

Abundant potassium-rich rocks exposed in the Tibetan plateau suggest that lower-crustal melting plays a major role in post-collisional settings. Magnetotelluric surveys reveal widespread crustal conductive anomalies underneath the Tibetan plateau. To interpret these conductive structures, we carried out experimental measurements of the electrical conductivity of synthetic potassium-rich melts under high temperature and high pressure. Our results showed that potassium-rich melts are less conductive than sodium-rich melts, and the electrical conductivity of potassium-rich melts is more sensitive to temperature.