Phase equilibrium modeling of zircon stability in mantle peridotite: Implication for crust-mantle interaction

Zircon is a common accessory mineral in various rocks, especially in the crustal ones. It is the best mineral for U-Pb dating. Meanwhile, trace elements and isotopes of the mineral can also provide much information concerning the formation and evolution of rocks. There are a growing number of reports of zircon existing in mantle peridotite. However, it is generally considered that zircon is unlikely crystallized in ultrabasic rocks due to SiO2-unsaturation. In this paper, the SiO2 activity and zircon/baddeleyite transition curve at different conditions were calculated through thermodynamic phase equilibrium modeling, to reveal the main factors affecting the SiO2 activity and the stability of zircon/baddeleyite in ultrabasic and basic rocks, especially in mantle peridotite. These results provide a thermodynamic basis for interpreting the genesis and significance of zircon in mantle rocks. That is, the SiO2 activity is mainly controlled by stable mineral assemblages and temperature-pressure conditions. The orthopyroxene+olivine assemblage in peridotite as an effective buffer restricts the SiO2 activity in a relatively high range with a small variation. The upper temperature limit of zircon can reach more than 1500 degrees C with this mineral assemblage. During the low-temperature serpentinization of peridotite, the replacement of olivine and pyroxene by serpentine can result in a significant decrease of SiO2 activity, and baddeleyite can be stabilized at <530 degrees C and < 2.7 GPa. When peridotite is strongly metasomatized by the SiO2-bearing fluid, the addition of SiO2 can increase its activity and make zircon stable at low temperatures. The SiO2 activity in ultrabasic-basic rocks is not only positively correlated with the SiO2 content but also negatively correlated with the Ca and Na contents of rocks. This is because Ca and Na preferentially combine with Si and Al to form Si-rich minerals, such as clinopyroxene and feldspar. This process will consume excessive SiO2, decreasing the SiO2 activity. This may be the reason why zircon can be found in ultrabasic rocks, while baddeleyite can exist in some basic and alkaline rocks. The thermodynamic modeling can also reasonably explain the mutual transformation between zircon and baddeleyite in ultrabasic-basic rocks. Our results indicate that zircon can exist stably in mantle peridotite in a wide range of temperature-pressure conditions and its formation is related to melt/fluid metasomatism. That is, the presence of zircon in mantle peridotite is an important information carrier of crust-mantle interaction for deep material cycling.

Automated summary

Through thermodynamic phase equilibrium modeling, this study calculated the SiO2 activity and zircon/baddeleyite transition curve under different conditions, revealing the stability and factors affecting the formation of zircon in ultrabasic rocks. The results provide a thermodynamic basis for interpreting the genesis and significance of zircon in mantle peridotite.