Experimental studies of alunite: I. 18O-16O and D-H fractionation factors between alunite and water at 250-450°C

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
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Abstract

We have determined oxygen and hydrogen isotope fractionation factors between alunite and water over a temperature range of 250-450??C by reacting synthetic natroalunite with 0.7 m K2SO4 -0.1 to 0.65 m H2SO4 solutions to produce K-rich alunite. From 88 to 95% alkali and isotope exchange were observed in most of these experiments, and the partial equilibrium method was used to compute equilibrium fractionation factors. Least-squares fits of the data give 103 In ??alunite(so4)-H2O = 3.09 ( 106 T2 (K)) - 2.94 and 103 In ??alunite(OH)-H2O = 2.28 ( 106 T2 (K)) - 3.90. The intramineral 18O- 16O fractionation factor 103 In ??alunite(so4-OH site) is given by the expression 0.8 ( 106 T2 (K)) + 0.96. The alunite-water D-H fractionation factor ranges from -19 at 450??C to -6 at 250??C and does not appear to be strongly dependent on temperature. Runs with alkali exchange in the opposite direction were used to obtain 18O- 16O and D-H fractionation factors between natroalunite (mol% Na = 70-75) and water at 350-450??C. These indicate that mol% Na has negligible effect on the fractionation factors over this temperature range. Measured 18O-16O and D-H fractionation factors between alunite and 1.0 m KCl -0.5 m H2SO4 fluids also agree within 2?? with the values obtained from the K2SO4-H2SO4 fluids. However, experiments with alunite and distilled water at 400??C gave a value of 103 In ??alunite(SO4)-H2O of 0.0, compared with a value of 3.9 obtained at this temperature with K2SO4- and H2SO4-bearing fluids. This suggests that changes in fluid composition can affect alunite-water 18O-16O fractionation factors. Reconnaissance experiments with fine-grained natural natroalunite demonstrate that alunite-water D-H exchange can occur by hydrogen diffusion, although this process is generally not significant in the experiments with coarser grained synthetic alunites. ?? 1994.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Experimental studies of alunite: I. 18O-16O and D-H fractionation factors between alunite and water at 250-450°C
Series title Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
DOI 10.1016/0016-7037(94)90514-2
Volume 58
Issue 2
Year Published 1994
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Description 14 p.
First page 903
Last page 916
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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