Low‐temperature dissociation of zircon in highly alkaline conditions: A cautionary note for studies on natural glasses of debated origin
Abstract Dissociated zircon is largely used as a robust indicator of glasses generated by impact cratering and airbursts. The reaction of zircon dissociation, i.e. ‘ZrSiO 4 → ZrO 2 + SiO 2 ’, requires high temperatures (>1670°C) only reached by extreme geological processes. Using high‐temperature experiments, this study shows that zircon can dissociate and form ZrO 2 ‐rich coronitic rims at temperatures of 900–1000°C (P = 1 bar), in the presence of a specific chemical environment made of NaCl or a mixture of NaCl and caliche soil (Ca‐sulfates). The use of silica glass vessels provides a SiO 2 ‐rich environment during the experiments. We observe that the dissociation is strongly related to the complexity of the surrounding system (e.g. the presence of other minerals that act as a flux) in which the reaction occurs. For these reasons, we suggest considering a more careful approach in using dissociated zircon as indicative of very high temperatures in glass‐forming processes.
Authors
- Anne‐Magali Seydoux‐Guillaume (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9921-4695)
- Pierre-Marie Zanetta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8352-2303)
- Pierrick Roperch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1145-6658)
- Alexis Licht (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5267-7545)
- Daniel Ferry (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1469-9871)
- P. Rochette (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7362-0660)
- A. Musolino
- Andréa Campos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0452-6472)
- Bertrand Devouard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8774-1842)
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Aix-Marseille Université (FR)
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR)
- Géosciences Rennes (FR)
- Centre de Recherche et d’Enseignement de Géosciences de l’Environnement (FR)
- Centrale Méditerranée (FR)
- Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon : Terre, Planètes et Environnement (FR)
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille (FR)
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR)
- Université de Rennes (FR)
- Université Jean Monnet (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Meteoritics and Planetary Science
- Published
- 2025-05-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.14372
- Primary Topic
- Geological and Geochemical Analysis
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche