Experimental Demonstration of the Existence of Peridotitic Liquids in Earliest Archean Magmatism

Research Article| January 01, 1975 Experimental Demonstration of the Existence of Peridotitic Liquids in Earliest Archean Magmatism D. H. Green; D. H. Green 1Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T., Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar I. A. Nicholls; I. A. Nicholls 1Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T., Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar M. Viljoen; M. Viljoen 2Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company Limited, P.O. Box 2, Randfontein, Transvaal, South Africa Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R. Viljoen R. Viljoen 2Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company Limited, P.O. Box 2, Randfontein, Transvaal, South Africa Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information D. H. Green 1Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T., Australia I. A. Nicholls 1Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T., Australia M. Viljoen 2Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company Limited, P.O. Box 2, Randfontein, Transvaal, South Africa R. Viljoen 2Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company Limited, P.O. Box 2, Randfontein, Transvaal, South Africa Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1975) 3 (1): 11–14. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1975)3<11:EDOTEO>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation D. H. Green, I. A. Nicholls, M. Viljoen, R. Viljoen; Experimental Demonstration of the Existence of Peridotitic Liquids in Earliest Archean Magmatism. Geology 1975;; 3 (1): 11–14. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1975)3<11:EDOTEO>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract An Archean peridotitic komatiite from the Barberton Mountain Land, South Africa, contains relict zoned skeletal olivine crystals with compositions as magnesian as 100 Mg/(Mg + Fe2+) = 93.6. This magnesian olivine is also relatively rich in nickel (0.51 percent NiO) and in chromium (0.18 percent Cr2O3). Experimental investigation of the near-liquidus phase relations of peridotitic komatiite as a function of pressure has shown that liquidus olivine for this bulk composition has a composition identical to the observed, most magnesian olivine in the rock. Experimental study of the effect of water on melting relations demonstrates a pronounced, pressure-dependent decrease of liquidus temperature for water-saturated conditions, but further demonstrates that the natural magma contained <0.2 percent H2O approximately at extrusion. The temperature of the completely liquid peridotitic magma at the Earth's surface was 1650° ± 20°C. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.