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Uvarovite: Stability of uvarovite-grossularite solid solution at low pressure

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Abstract

Uvarovite (Ca3Cr2Si3O12) forms a complete solid solution series with grossularite (Ca3Al2Si3O12) below 855 ± 5 ° C at a total pressure of 1 atm. Pure uvarovite decomposes to pwo (CaSiO3) + esk (Cr2O3) at 1385 ± 10 ° C. The incorporation of about 5 wt-% of Ca3Al2 Si3O12 component in the uvarovite structure raises the thermal stability of the garnetss to 1410 ± 5 ° C, and uvarovite95 grossularite05 melts incongruently to pwo (CaSiO3) + coreskss ((Al, Cr)2O3) + L. Pure grossularite decomposes to wo (CaSi03) + geh (Ca2Al2SiO7) + and (CaAl2Si2O8) at 855 ± 5 ° C, grossularite thermal stability is increased by incorporation of Ca3Cr2Si3O12 component by 530 ° C.

At 1280±5 ° C coreskss + L react to garss + geh + an defining an invariant tequilibrium of the CaO-Cr2O3-Al2O3-SiO2 quaternary system. Liquid reacts to garss + pwo + geh + an at 1263 ±5 ° C terminating univariant and divariant liquid relations occurring along the join Ca3Cr2Si3O12-Ca3Al2Si3O12.

The unit-cell parameter for uvarovite is 11.996(2) Å, the refractive index 1.865(3). The substitution of Cr by Al decreases a and n almost linearly toward the grossularite end member which displays a unit-cell parameter of 11.848(2) Å and a refractive index of 1.732 (1).

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  1. Mineralogisch-Petrographisches Institut der Universität München, Federal Republic of Germany

    H. G. Huckenholz & D. Knittel

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Huckenholz, H.G., Knittel, D. Uvarovite: Stability of uvarovite-grossularite solid solution at low pressure. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 49, 211–232 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376589

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