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Published April 1987 | public
Journal Article

Experimental geochemistry of Pu and Sm and the thermodynamics of trace element partitioning

Abstract

The partitioning of Pu and Sm between diopside/liquid and whitlockite/liquid has been investigated experimentally to evaluate the geochemical coherence of Pu and the light REEs. ^(Pu)D/^(Sm)D is 2 ~ for both diopsidic pyroxene and whitlockite. This small amount of fractionation would be decreased further if Pu were compared to Ce or Nd. Our experimental results thus validate the suggestion that Pu behaves as a LREE during igneous processes in reducing environments. Our data and the data of Ray et al. (1983) indicate that temperature rather than melt composition is the most important control on elemental partitioning. This is true even though we demonstrate that additions of only 1–2 wt.% of P2_O_5 to the diopside-anorthite-albite system change ^(Pu)D_(cpx) by a factor of two. Our data suggest that P_2O_5 in aluminosilicate melts serves as a complexing agent for the actinides and lanthanides.

Additional Information

© 1987 Pergamon Press Ltd. Received 7 May 1986, Accepted 24 December 1986. We thank C. Lesher and R. Nielsen for constructive reviews. T. Benjamin provided advice and assistance during the experimental portion of this study. This work was supported by NASA grants NSG 7202 and NAG 9-39 and NSF grant EAR76-84402. Editorial handling: E. B. Watson.

Additional details

Created:
August 22, 2023
Modified:
October 23, 2023