GEOCHEMICAL JOURNAL
Online ISSN : 1880-5973
Print ISSN : 0016-7002
ISSN-L : 0016-7002
Isotopic ratios of carbonaceous materials incorporated in olivine crystals from the Hualalai Volcano, Hawaii—An approach to mantle carbon
Shuichi WatanabeKazunobu MishimaSadao Matsuo
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1983 Volume 17 Issue 2 Pages 95-104

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Abstract

Carbon dioxide and graphitic carbon in olivine crystals from dunite nodules in the 1801 lava flow of the Hualalai Volcano, Hawaii were extracted by three methods, i.e., the pyrolysis under oxygen atmosphere, the ball-milling and the dissolution with hydrochloric acid. It is concluded that most of CO2 extracted by the oxidative pyrolysis was derived from fluid inclusions, by comparing the isotopic ratios of CO2 released by the oxidative pyrolysis and the ball-milling. Graphitic carbon was recovered from the evaporation residue after olivine crystals were dissolved in hydrochloric acid. The averaged concentration of CO2 extracted by the oxidative pyrolysis was 0.87μmole/g and δ13C value was -3.2‰. These of graphitic carbon were 0.51μmole/g and -26.9‰, respectively, No appreciable amount of hydrogen-bearing species such as H2, H2O, CH4, higher hydrocarbons and H2S was detected in olivine crystals by both the oxidative pyrolysis and the ball-milling. Assuming all the extracted carbon is present in fluid inclusions in olivine crystals and the disproportionation reaction of CO (2CO → CO2 + C) has occurred in inclusions, we conclude that the major carbon-bearing species in the mantle beneath the Hawaiian Islands are CO and CO2, and the CO/CO2 ratio is estimated to be about 3 on the basis of the experimental data and that the δ13C value of the carbon in upper mantle below the Hawaiian Islands is around -12‰. Some additional data on Japanese olivines suggest that the δ13C value of the mantle carbon may not be unique throughout the mantle.

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© Geochemical Society of Japan
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