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Russian Geology and Geophysics

2008 year, number 2

MECHANICAL ABRASION OF KIMBERLITE INDICATOR MINERALS: EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS

V.P. Afanas'eva, E.I. Nikolenko a , N.S. Tychkov a , A.T. Titov a , A.V. Tolstov b , V.P. Kornilova b , N.V. Sobolev a
a Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, Siberian Branch of the RAS, 3 prosp. Akad. Koptyuga, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
b ALROSA, 6 ul. Lenina, Mirny, 678170, Russia
Keywords: Pyrope; picroilmenite; olivine; kimberlite; diamond; mechanical abrasion; experiment
Pages: 91-97

Abstract

The relative abrasive stability of kimberlite indicator minerals such as pyrope, picroilmenite, olivine, and apatite as well as diamonds and kimberlite fragments was studied experimentally, and the following sequence of mineral abrasive stability was established: pyrope-olivine-picroilmenite-apatite-kimberlite fragments. Diamond did not virtually change during the experiment. Kimberlite fragments appeared to be rather stable. Their relics were preserved until the end of the experiment, whereas the other minerals acquired wearing-resistant shapes. Pyrope, olivine, and apatite were shaped into an oval. Owing to anisotropy of microhardness, picroilmenite forms hexagonal tablets, which are typical of ancient haloes of indicator minerals in all diamondiferous regions. The parity analysis of the abrasive stabilities of pyrope and picroilmenite has shown that in the haloes of