Thermochemistry and melting properties of basalt

The heat capacities of the liquid, glassy and crystalline phases of an alkali basalt have been determined from relative enthalpies measured between 400 and 1,800 K. Values given by available models of calculation generally agree to within 2% of these results. As derived from the new data and the enthalpy of vitrification measured at 973 K by oxide-melt drop solution calorimetry for the same sample, the enthalpy of fusion of this basalt increases from 15.4 kJ/mol at 1,000 K to 33.6 kJ/mol at 1,800 K. Comparisons between the enthalpies of fusion of basalt and model compositions confirm the small magnitude of the enthalpy of mixing between the molten mineral components of the liquids. Minor variations in the chemical composition have only a small effect in the heat capacity and the enthalpy of melting of basalt. The enthalpies of formation at 298 K from the oxides of the crystallized and glass phases of this alkali basalt are -112.2 and -98.5 kJ/mol, respectively, for a gram formula weight based on one mole of oxide components.