Phase relations in the phlogopite-apatite system at 20 kbar; implications for the role of fluorine in mantle melting

Abstract

Phase relations have been determined at 20 kb in the simple, Fe-, Ti-free systems hydroxyphlogopite-hydroxyapatite and hydroxyfluorphlogopite-hydroxyfluorapatite in order to determine distribution of fluorine between phlogopite, apatite and melt under mantle conditions. No excess H₂O was present in the hydroxyphlogopite-hydroxyapatite system and the F/(OH) ratio was unity in the F-bearing system. Both systems are pseudobinary and contain forsterite at phlogopite-rich compositions. In the F-absent system, the minimum melting occurs at 1225°C and Phl₈₅Ap₁₅, whereas in the F-bearing system this temperature is 1260°C and Phl₆₆Ap₃₄. Phlogopite in the F-absent system has lower Al than in the F-bearing system with both showing Si+Mg=^[IV]Al+^[VI]Al as the principal substitution. Increase in CaO in forsterite increases with increasing apatite in the bulk composition and is more pronounced in the F-absent system. Distribution of fluorine between phlogopite and liquid and apatite and liquid shows that D ^(Phl/glass)_F ranges from 2–1.25 depending on temperature and bulk composition, whereas the D ^(Apat/glass)_F is about unity. These results suggest that fluorine will tend to remain in the solid phases rather than the melt during partial melting in the mantle. Hence the enrichment of fluorine in ultrapotassic magmas and its role in their evolution are constrained.