GY303 Igneous Petrology

Ternary Phase Diagram Exercise A

Problem 1: With the Ab-Le-Q two-eutectic ternary calculate the following:

Composition X- assume equilibrium crystallization

1. Trace the evolutionary path of the melt fraction as arrows on the ternary diagram.
(See Figure 5)
2. Trace the evolutionary path of the solid composition as dots on the ternary diagram.
(See Figure 5)
3. List a detailed accounting of phenocrysts versus groundmass as mineral percentages of
the final rock after complete crystallization.
Phenocrysts=79% Matrix=21%
Ab = 79%(.56) = 44% Ab = 21%(.315) = 7% Q =21%(.385) = 8%
Or = 79%(.44) = 35% Or = 21%(.30) = 6%

Composition Y- assume fractional crystallization

1. Sketch the hypothetical pluton that would form from the fractional crystallization of
composition Y. List the percentage of the magma chamber of each layer to the right of the
sketch, and list the relative percentages of minerals in each layer to the left of the sketch.

Figure 1: Pluton sketch for Y.

Composition Z- assume equilibrium melting of composition Z

1. What is the first mineral to be lost during melting? _____Quartz_______

2. What is the second mineral lost during melting? ______Albite_____

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 GY303 Igneous Petrology
Ternary Phase Diagram Exercise A

3. What is the last mineral to be present as solid before complete melting?

__Orthoclase__________

4. What is the composition of the initial melt? ______32%NaAlSi3O8 + 52%SiO2 + 16%

KAlSi2O6_

Problem 2: With the Di-Fo-Cr ternary diagram construct the following:

Composition X: assume equilibrium crystallization

1. Trace the path of the melt in red. (see Fig. 6)

2. Trace the path of the solid in blue. (see Fig. 6)

3. Sketch the resulting pluton after complete crystallization. Classify the rock.

Figure 2: Pluton for composition X.

Composition Y: assume fractional crystallization

1. Trace the path of the melt in red. (see Fig. 6)

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 GY303 Igneous Petrology
Ternary Phase Diagram Exercise A

2. Trace the path of the solid in blue. (see Fig. 6)

3. Sketch the resulting pluton after complete crystallization of Y. Classify the rock layers.

Figure 3: Pluton for composition Y.

Composition Z: Assume fractional crystallization

1. Sketch the hypothetical pluton that would result from the fractional crystallization of
composition Z. Label the various layers formed in terms of percentage of total volume, and
in percentage of mineral constituents.

Figure 4: Pluton for composition Z.

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 GY303 Igneous Petrology
Ternary Phase Diagram Exercise A

Figure 5. Ab-Le-Q two-eutectic ternary diagram.

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 GY303 Igneous Petrology
Ternary Phase Diagram Exercise A

Figure 6: Di-Fo-Cr peritectic ternary phase diagram.

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