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Symplectic Intergrowths ( Symplectites') Are Vermicular (Worm-Like) Intergrowths of

The most accepted hypotheses for the genesis of myrmekite are: 1) A reaction between sodium- and calcium-bearing fluids with potassium feldspar, releasing quartz proportional to plagioclase composition. 2) Exsolution of sodium and calcium from high-temperature orthoclase under stress, forming calcic plagioclase since it requires less silica in its lattice than potassium feldspar.

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Felix Cardenz
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80 views4 pages

Symplectic Intergrowths ( Symplectites') Are Vermicular (Worm-Like) Intergrowths of

The most accepted hypotheses for the genesis of myrmekite are: 1) A reaction between sodium- and calcium-bearing fluids with potassium feldspar, releasing quartz proportional to plagioclase composition. 2) Exsolution of sodium and calcium from high-temperature orthoclase under stress, forming calcic plagioclase since it requires less silica in its lattice than potassium feldspar.

Uploaded by

Felix Cardenz
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Myrmekite

Symplectic intergrowths (‘symplectites’) are vermicular (worm-like) intergrowths of


minerals that grow simultaneously in a solid-state reaction (Figs. 4.61–4.65). The most
common example is myrmekite (Figs. 4.61 and 4.62), a symplectic intergrowth of quartz and
sodic plagioclase.

Furthermore, myrmekite typically nucleates on existing plagioclase (primary or exsolved),


rather than inside K-feldspar--even in microperthitic microcline, which should have some
internal strain energy, owing to the presence of deformation twins and exsolution lamellae-
suggests that strain energy may not contribute directly to nucleation of myrmekite either,
at least in many instances.
A literature review based largely on papers Fubfished in the past quarter century shows
that hypotheses for myrmekite genesis fall mainly into five categories: 1)simultaneous or
direct crystallization, 2)replacement of potash feldspar by plagioclase, 3)replacement of
plagioclase by potash feldspar, 4)solid-state exsolution, 5) recrystallizing quartz involved
with blastic plagioclase and 6) miscellaneous hypotheses including combinations of some
of the above hypotheses. Recently one new hypothesis has been proposed such that the
myrmekite–forming reaction is triggered by the combination of stress/strain
concentration and fluid infiltration during deformation (Tsurumi et al., 2003; Menegon et
al., 2006
Genesis models
1) simultaneous or direct crystallization
The simultaneous or direct crystallization hypothesis is one of the earliest, and it implies that
myrmekite formed as the result of simultaneous plagioclase and quartz crystallization from a melt
or a solution (Spencer, 1938). Barker (1970) argued against this hypothesis, starting that
myrmekite differs considerably from magmatic quartz–feldspar intergrowths such as granophyre
and graphic granite in terms of bulk composition as well as texture and occurrence. In particular,
this hypothesis does not explain why myrmekite occurs mostly between K- feldspar and
plagioclase. Myrmekite has not been considered a primary igneous texture because it has been
reported in various metamorphic rocks (e.g. Shelley, 1964; Hall, 1966; Barker, 1970; Ashworth,
1972; Shelley, 1973a,b; Phillips, 1980a; Nold, 1984). Myrmekite in granitic rocks can be produced
at the hydrothermal stage during cooling of the granite body (e.g. Yuguchi and Nishiyama, 2007).

2) replacement of potash feldspar by plagioclase


The replacement of K-feldspar by plagioclase hypothesis is originally based on Becke's (1908)
model. Focusing on the relation between anorthite content of the plagioclase and the volume of
quartz in myrmekite, Becke (1908) argued that myrmekite indicates the replace- ment of K-
feldspar at the sub-solidus stage by the following two reactions:

KAlSi3O8 + Na+ = NaAlSi3O8 + K+


2KAlSi3O8 + Ca2+ = CaAl2Si2O8 + 4SiO2 + 2K+
The mixture of albite and anorthite components yields a sodic plagioclase and the silica
precipitates as vermicular quartz. This model may explain the genesis of the rim
myrmekite but not of intergranular myrmekite (Phillips, 1974). The myrmekitic plagioclase
is albitic,—Ab93 An7 in our case—which is inconsistent with this model
3) replacement of plagioclase by potash feldspar
Drescher-Kaden (1948) proposed that myrmekite formed as a part of reaction in which
plagioclase is metasomatically replaced by K-feldspar. The replacement requires excess
silica as seen in the Becke's second reaction above, and the source of this silica was
discussed by Bhattacharyya (1971, 1972) in that ‘the residual silica’ in K-feldspar was used
to replace plagioclase in myrmekite from charnockitic rocks of Eastern Ghtas, India.
However, myrmekite commonly shows an invasion texture in K-feldspar, as we will see
later in the case of the Okueyama granite, which contradicts this hypothesis.
4) solid-state exsolution
Schwanke (1909) proposed that K-feldspar has a hypothetical silica-enriched An
component (CaAl 2 Si 6 O 16 : now called Schwanke's component). Exsolution of
Schwanke's component may yield myrme- kite by the following reaction:
CaAl2Si6O16 = CaAl2Si2O8 + 4SiO2
Some petrologists (Spencer, 1945; Hall, 1966; Hubbard, 1966) had supported this
hypothesis because of the close occurrence of myrmekite and perthite. However, Phillips
(1974) stated that Schwanke's component is purely hypothetical, and is proven neither
by experiments nor by crystallographic studies. This hypothesis does
not explain the albite-rich composition of myrmekitic plagioclase,
either.
Castle and Lindsley (1993) proposed an exsolution model characterized by a ‘silica-pump’.
However, no hypothesis based on exsolution can explain the characteristic occurrence of
myrmekite between plagioclase and K-feldspar.

5) recrystallizing quartz involved with blastic plagioclase


The next hypothesis considers incorporation of recrystallizing quartz into growing albite (Shelley,
1964). Albite exsolved from K-feldspar grows on the plagioclase seed crystal and encloses pre-
existing rod-like quartzstructuresatthecrush-zonesbetweenplagioclaseandK-feldspar. This
hypothesis was criticized by Ashworth (1972) based on the molar proportion of quartz in
myrmekite.

Most accepted
• Most accepted hypothesis goes back to Becke (1908) who proposed the reaction of
Na- and Ca-bearing fluids with K-feldspar:

KAlSi3O8 + Na+ = NaAlSi3O8 + K+


2KAlSi3O8 + Ca2+ = CaAl2Si2O8 + 4SiO2 + 2K+

SiO2 is released because the Al/Si ratio is different in K-feldspar and in Ca-rich
feldspar and because of the immobility of Al and Si, quarz forms a microscopic
intergrowth with feldspar in quantities that are directly in proportion to the An% of
plagioclase.

• Second hypothesis Simpson & Wintsch (1989) that is commonly used to explain the
origin of wart like myrmekite is to suggest that the K-feldspar is primary a high-
temperature orthoclase, containing dissolved Na and Ca. At low temperatures the
orthoclase, under stress, inverts to microcline and supposedly exsolves the Na and
Ca to the margin of the crystal to form myrmekite. As above, balanced mass-for-
mass equations are used to explain what happens. Because calcic plagioclase
requires less silica in its lattice than in K-feldspar or sodic plagioclase, silica is left
over to form quartz vermicules in the myrmekite proportional to the Ca-content.
Others
• Jahns & Burnham (1969), he suggested that K is partitioned strongly into an aqueous
phase, which ends coprecipitation of K-feldspar with plagioclase and quartz, allows
crystallization of myrmekite from the remaining melt during pressure-quenching,
and eventually promotes precipitation around the myrmekite of K-feldspar from the
K-rich aqueous phase. However, more recent experimental work has shown that the
K/Na ratio in the aqueous phase is never greater than in the coexisting silicate melt,
unless the melt is also in equilibrium with a K-poor., Na-rich mineral, such as
hornblende or

• Hibbard (1979) inferred that myrmekite in mesoscopically non-deformed granitoids


is due to crystallization from a water-saturated, pressure-quenched melt, as
opposed to more conventional hypotheses involving replacement of K-feldspar in
the solid state

• Hibbard (1987) also suggested that myrmekite in deformed granitoid rocks is due to
crystallization of small amounts of water-saturated magma in a largely crystallized
rock, in response to 'micro pressure-quenching' during deformation. Hibbard's
hypothesis is based on his observation of crystal faces and zoning in the plagioclase
of some myrmekitic aggregates

• Simpson & Wintsch (1989) suggested that myrmekite may form in response to local
stress differences on K-feldspar grain boundaries during subsolidus cooling.

Resumiendo
Dos modelos resumidos
A partir de un feldespato potásico
1) Reacción de fluidos de Na y Ca con el feldespato K
2) El Na y el Ca exsuelven fuera de la ortoclasas (de alta temperatura) cuando son
sometidas a esfuerzos, la plagioclasa Ca tiene menos sílice en Si en su red cristalina
que el feldespato potásico por esto se forma el cuarzo

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