Radiation - Enhanced Aqueous Dissolution of Minerals

Mineral samples of varying petrology, exposed to ion irradiation and subsequently immersed in water or exposed to a humid environment, show up to 60% depletion of specific surface atoms (Mg, Ca, K, and Na) — a depletion that is enhanced 26,000x compared to unirradiated surfaces. Surface depletions of irradiated minerals exposed to water were measured using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Irradiations were performed with 4 keV Ar ions at fluences from 10 – 10 ion cm; samples were subsequently exposed to liquid water or humid air (35o C and 70% RH). Analyses were done before irradiation, after irradiation, and after exposure to water, allowing identification of changes in composition due solely to ion irradiation or combined with water exposure. Before water exposure, we observe no significant change in stoichiometry of the minerals for ion fluences <10 ions cm. We find incongruent depletion of 60% Mg for forsterite after exposure to humidity or three minutes (or more) water immersion. Augite undergoes reduction in the surface concentration of approximately 30% Mg, 40% Ca, and 55% Na after 1.9 x 10 Ar cm and immersion in HPLC water (pH: 6.8) for three minutes. Depth profiles of the irradiated, water exposed, minerals show that the depth of the depleted region is on the order of the ion range, ~15nm. In addition, preliminary results for albite, anorthoclase, and microcline in water show significant depletions of Na, Na and K, and K, respectively, from the mineral surface.