Mantle-derived Fluids in Diamon Micro-inclusions



Oded Navon, Ian D. Hutcheon, George R. Rossman, Gerald J. Wasserburg
Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125




Abstract

Micro-inclusions in diamonds from Zire and Botswana differ in composition from the more common large inclusions of the peridotitic or eclogitic assemblages. These sub-micrometre inclusions resemble potassic magmas in their composition, but are enriched in H2O, CO32-, and K2O and depleted in MgO. This composition represents a volatile-rich fluid or melt from the upper mantle, which was trapped in the diamonds as they grew.


turbid diamond
Coated diamond from Zaire