Thermodynamics and geochemistry

 

Kultashev studied in 1902 the system Na2SiO3- CaSiO3 by using a thermal analysis method.

 

Day and Al proposed phase diagrams for the solid solutions of plagioclases feldspars.

 

Shand in 1913 published a list of unstable minerals in the presence of free silica.

 

Major developments in geochemistry are due to the works of F.N. Clarke, Victor Moritz Goldschmidt (1888 - 1947), V.I.Vernadsky and Alexandre Fersman (1883 -1945).

 

Goldschmidt observed in 1931 that analogue of forsterite in which germanium replaces magnesium was dimorphous of both olivines and spinel structures.

 

Goldschmidt published several volumes of: " Geochemische Verteilungsgesetze der Elemente " between 1923 and 1938.

 

Bowen introduced in 1945 the concept of " plagioclase effect ": if CaO (= lime) is present in a magma, the plagioclase which crystallizes from that magma will contain a certain content of anorthite.

 

Winkler experimentally determined in 1947 the growth speed of nepheline in a magma versus temperature.

 

Torgeson and Sahama determined in 1947 the heat of formation of various silicates using the hydrofluoric acid calorimeter.

 

Miyashiro published in 1949 the first attempt to establish the phase diagram for aluminium silicates (Al2SiO5).