Mantle–slab interaction and redox mechanism of diamond formation

Subduction tectonics imposes an important role in the evolution of the interior of the Earth and its global carbon cycle; however, the mechanism of the mantle–slab interaction remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate the results of high-pressure redox-gradient experiments on the interactions between Mg...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2013-12, Vol.110 (51), p.20408-20413
Main Authors: Palyanov, Yuri N., Bataleva, Yuliya V., Sokol, Alexander G., Borzdov, Yuri M., Kupriyanov, Igor N., Reutsky, Vadim N., Sobolev, Nikolai V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbides
Carbon
Carbon cycle
Carbonates
Crystallization
Diamonds
Earth
Experiments
Graphite
Iron
Mantle
Minerals
Nitrogen
Physical Sciences
Pressure
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Summary:Subduction tectonics imposes an important role in the evolution of the interior of the Earth and its global carbon cycle; however, the mechanism of the mantle–slab interaction remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate the results of high-pressure redox-gradient experiments on the interactions between Mg-Ca-carbonate and metallic iron, modeling the processes at the mantle–slab boundary; thereby, we present mechanisms of diamond formation both ahead of and behind the redox front. It is determined that, at oxidized conditions, a low-temperature Ca-rich carbonate melt is generated. This melt acts as both the carbon source and crystallization medium for diamond, whereas at reduced conditions, diamond crystallizes only from the Fe-C melt. The redox mechanism revealed in this study is used to explain the contrasting heterogeneity of natural diamonds, as seen in the composition of inclusions, carbon isotopic composition, and nitrogen impurity content.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1313340110