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Hydrogeology of Crystalline Rocks pp 27–50Cite as

Alkali Feldspars as Microtextural Markers of Fluid Flow

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Part of the book series: Water Science and Technology Library ((WSTL,volume 34))

Abstract

Alkali feldspars provide an easily read microtextural record of fluid-rock interaction in the range from 450°C to diagenetic temperatures. The microtextures can provide unique insights into paths of fluid flow and mass transfer through crystalline rocks from the nanometre to the kilometre scale. The main thermodynamic driving force for the microtextural changes is elastic strain energy associated with coherency in strain-controlled microperthitic intergrowths and with tweed domain textures in orthoclase, both of which form at higher temperatures in cooling igneous and metamorphic rocks. Spontaneously strained feldspar dissolves in fluid films, reprecipitating as unstrained feldspar, a process which has been called ‘unzipping’. This causes regular strain-controlled microperthites to coarsen to irregular patch and vein perthites, and orthoclase to recrystallize to tartan twinned microcline. Dissolution and reprecipitation around dislocation cores is an important part of these unzipping reactions, which lead to feldspars which are turbid, microporous and micropermeable. Crystal—fluid exchange reactions are driven by unzipping and the porous feldspars readily maintain alkali and isotopic exchange equilibrium with aqueous fluids down to ≤200°C. Intracrystal dissolution—reprecipitation is a process that has affected a high proportion of the alkali feldspar in the granitic upper crust of the Earth.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geophysics, The University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JW, Scotland

    Ian Parsons & Martin R. Lee

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  1. Ian Parsons
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  2. Martin R. Lee
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hydrogeology, Geological Survey Baden-Württemberg, Freiburg, Germany

    Ingrid Stober

  2. Institute of Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Kurt Bucher

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Parsons, I., Lee, M.R. (2000). Alkali Feldspars as Microtextural Markers of Fluid Flow. In: Stober, I., Bucher, K. (eds) Hydrogeology of Crystalline Rocks. Water Science and Technology Library, vol 34. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1816-5_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1816-5_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-5368-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-1816-5

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