The parameterization of solid metal-liquid metal partitioning of siderophile elements

Abstract

Many solar system processes involve a metallic liquid, and the composition of the metallic liquid, such as the liquid's concentrations of S, P, and degrees C, will influence the partitioning of elements during such processes. We present a method for parameterizing solid metal-liquid metal partition coefficients for siderophile (metal-loving) elements as a function of the metallic liquid composition. Our parameterization method is based on an older theory of Jones and Malvin (1990), which stated that the metallic liquid is composed of metal and non-metal-bearing domains, and the domains are the dominant influence on the partitioning behavior. By revising the means by which the metal domains are calculated, our revised parameterization method is able to match experimental partitioning data from the Fe-Ni-S, Fe-Ni-P, Fe-Ni-S-P, and Fe-Ni-C systems. Mathematical expressions were derived for the solid metal-liquid metal partitioning of 13 siderophile elements. Elements that are chalcophile (S-loving), P-loving, or C-loving prefer the non-metal-bearing domains in the metallic liquid and, consequently, aren't fit by the parameterization method presented here. Possible applications for our parameterization method include modeling the crystallization of iron meteorites, planetary differentiation, and the solidification of Earth's inner core.