To calculate the thermodynamic properties of recently discovered high-pressure mixed valence iron oxides in the system Fe–Mg–O, information on the equation of state of precursor inverse spinel phases along the magnetite–magnesioferrite join is needed. The existing equation of state data, particularly for magnesioferrite, are in poor agreement and no data exist for intermediate compositions. In this study, the compressibility of nearly pure magnesioferrite as well as of an intermediate $${{\mathrm{Mg}}_{0.5}}^{\vphantom{2+}}\mathrm{Fe}_{0.5}^{2+}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}^{3+}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}^{\vphantom{2+}}$$ Mg 0.5 Fe 0.5 2 + Fe 2 3 + O 4 sample have been investigated for the first time up to approximately 19 and 13 GPa, respectively, using single-crystal X-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell. Samples were produced in high-pressure synthesis experiments to promote a high level of cation ordering, with the obtained inversion parameters larger than 0.83. The room pressure unit cell volumes, V0, and bulk moduli, KT0, could be adequately constrained using a second-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state, which yields V0 = 588.97 (8) Å3 and KT0 = 178.4 (5) GPa for magnesioferrite and V0 = 590.21 (5) Å3 and KT0 = 188.0 (6) GPa for the intermediate composition. As magnetite has KT0 = 180 (1) GPa (Gatta et al. in Phys Chem Min 34:627–635, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00269-007-0177-3), this means the variation in KT0 across the magnetite–magnesioferrite solid solution is significantly non-linear, in contrast to several other Fe–Mg spinels. The larger incompressibility of the intermediate composition compared to the two end-members may be a peculiarity of the magnetite–magnesioferrite solid solution caused by an interruption of Fe2+–Fe3+ electron hopping by Mg cations substituting in the octahedral site.
It is widely accepted that the lower mantle consists of mainly three major minerals—ferropericlase, bridgmanite and calcium silicate perovskite. Ferropericlase ((Mg,Fe)O) is the second most abundant of the three, comprising approximately 16–20 wt% of the lower mantle. The stability of ferropericlase at conditions of the lowermost mantle has been highly investigated, with controversial results. Amongst other reasons, the experimental conditions during laser heating (such as duration and achieved temperature) have been suggested as a possible explanation for the discrepancy. In this study, we investigate the effect of pulsed laser heating on the stability of ferropericlase, with a geochemically relevant composition of Mg0.76Fe0.24O (Fp24) at pressure conditions corresponding to the upper part of the lower mantle and at a wide temperature range. We report on the decomposition of Fp24 with the formation of a high-pressure (Mg,Fe)3O4 phase with CaTi2O4-type structure, as well as the dissociation of Fp24 into Fe-rich and Mg-rich phases induced by pulsed laser heating. Our results provide further arguments that the chemical composition of the lower mantle is more complex than initially thought, and that the compositional inhomogeneity is not only a characteristic of the lowermost part, but includes depths as shallow as below the transition zone.
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