Mantle–slab interaction and redox mechanism of diamond formation

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 110; no. 51; pp. 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: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences 17-12-2013; NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: Carbides; Carbon; Carbon cycle; Carbonates; Crystallization; Diamonds; Earth; Experiments; Graphite; Iron; Mantle; Minerals; Nitrogen; Physical Sciences; Pressure; carbonate–iron interaction; high-pressure experiment; mantle mineralogy; deep carbon cycle
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1313340110

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.