The geochemistry of the stable isotopes of silicon |
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| Authors: | CB Douthitt |
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| Institution: | Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 U.S.A. |
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| Abstract: | One hundred thirty two new measurements of the relative abundances of the stable isotopes of silicon in terrestrial materials are presented. The total variation of δ30Si found is 6.2%., centered on the mean of terrestrial mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks, δ30Si = ?0.4%.. Igneous rocks show limited (1.1%.) variation; coexisting minerals exhibit small, systematic silicon isotopic fractionations that are roughly the magnitude of concomitant oxygen isotopic fractionations at 1150°C. In both igneous minerals and rocks, δ30Si shows a positive correlation with silicon content, as does δ18O. Opal from both sponge spicules and sinters is light, with and ?1.4%., respectively. Large δ30Si values of both positive and negative sign are reported for the first time from clay minerals (?2.3 to +1.8%.), opaline phytoliths (?1.4 to +2.8%.), and authigenic quartz (+ 1.4%.). All highly fractionated samples were precipitated from solution at low temperatures; however, aqueous silicon is not measurably fractionated relative to quartz at equilibrium. A kinetic isotope fractionation of ≈3.5%. is postulated to occur during the low temperature precipitation of opal and, possibly, poorly ordered phyllosilicates, with the silicate phase being enriched in 28Si. This fractionation, coupled with a Rayleigh precipitation model, is capable of explaining most non-magmatic δ30Si variations. Chert δ30Si values are largely inherited, but the primary opal δ30Si values can be modified by isotopic equilibration of silicate silicon and dissolved silicon during the transformation of opal into quartz. |
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