Formation of the 15 Å phase as the most expanded hydrated mineral in cold subduction zone

Talc, as an important class of clay minerals constituting subducting oceanic crust, has long been known to undergo interlayer expansion by ~6% to contain net ~13 wt.% water into the 'so-called' 10 Å phase. Although subduction fluid is mildly alkaline and includes various salts and other dissolved species, its effect on the stability of subducting minerals has not yet been considered. Here, we report that subducting talc, when exposed to alkaline salty water conditions, breaks down to form a super-hydrated 15 Å phase at ~3.0 GPa and ~350 °C, corresponding to a depth of ~90-95 km along a cold subduction geotherm. The 15 Å phase remains stable down to ~125 km depth, where it transforms into the previously known 10 Å phase. Our combined experimental and computational results show that the super-hydrated 15 Å phase contains net ~31 wt.% water through interlayer expansion by ~60%. Our work thus demonstrates mineral transformation under more realistic subduction environments, which calls for reevaluation of subduction-related geochemistry and seismicity as well as water transportation into the deep Earth.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2025-03-07
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56672-6
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Geological Studies and Exploration
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
7.04

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article

Formation of the 15 Å phase as the most expanded hydrated mineral in cold subduction zone

Jinhyuk Choi, Tae‐Yeol Jeon, Dongzhou Zhang, Kideok D. Kwon et al.
3 citations
Nature Communications
Geological Studies and Exploration
7.04
article

Formation of the 15 Å phase as the most expanded hydrated mineral in cold subduction zone

Jinhyuk Choi, Tae‐Yeol Jeon, Dongzhou Zhang, Kideok D. Kwon, Hanns‐Peter Liermann, Yoonah Bang, Tae Joo Shin, Juhyeok Kim, Yongjae Lee, Heehyeon Sim
article en
3 citations

Abstract

Talc, as an important class of clay minerals constituting subducting oceanic crust, has long been known to undergo interlayer expansion by ~6% to contain net ~13 wt.% water into the 'so-called' 10 Å phase. Although subduction fluid is mildly alkaline and includes various salts and other dissolved species, its effect on the stability of subducting minerals has not yet been considered. Here, we report that subducting talc, when exposed to alkaline salty water conditions, breaks down to form a super-hydrated 15 Å phase at ~3.0 GPa and ~350 °C, corresponding to a depth of ~90-95 km along a cold subduction geotherm. The 15 Å phase remains stable down to ~125 km depth, where it transforms into the previously known 10 Å phase. Our combined experimental and computational results show that the super-hydrated 15 Å phase contains net ~31 wt.% water through interlayer expansion by ~60%. Our work thus demonstrates mineral transformation under more realistic subduction environments, which calls for reevaluation of subduction-related geochemistry and seismicity as well as water transportation into the deep Earth.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 16(1)
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (US), Pohang University of Science and Technology (KR), Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KR), Kangwon National University (KR), Yonsei University (KR), University Health System (US), Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY (DE), University of Chicago (US), Yonsei University Health System (KR), Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (KR)
National Science Foundation, Institute for Korea Spent Nuclear Fuel, National Research Foundation, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, National Research Foundation of Korea, Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Geological Studies and Exploration
7.04
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