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Graphite formation by carbonate reduction during subduction

Nature Geoscience volume 6, pages 473–477 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Carbon is transported from Earth’s surface into its interior at subduction zones. Carbonates in sediments overlying hydrothermally altered rocks (including serpentinites) within the subducted slab are the main carriers of this carbon1. Part of the carbon is recycled back to the surface by volcanism, but some is transferred to the deep Earth1,2. Redox transformations during shallow subduction control the transfer and long-term fate of carbon, but are poorly explored1,3. Here we use carbon stable isotopes and Raman spectroscopy to analyse the reduction of carbonate in an exhumed serpentinite–sediment contact in Alpine Corsica, France. We find that highly crystalline graphite was formed during subduction metamorphism and was concentrated in the sediment, within a reaction zone in direct contact with the serpentinite. The graphite in this reaction zone has a carbon isotopic signature (δ13C) of up to 0.8±0.1‰, similar to that of the original calcite that composed the sediments, and is texturally associated with the calcium-bearing mineral wollastonite that is also formed in the process. We use mass-balance calculations to show that about 9% of the total carbonaceous matter in the sedimentary unit results from complete calcite reduction in the reaction zone. We conclude that graphite formation, under reducing and low-temperature conditions, provides a mechanism to retain carbon in a subducting slab, aiding transport of carbon into the deeper Earth.

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Figure 1: Evolution of the C content and isotopic composition in the PS and the RZ.
Figure 2: Photomicrographs of representative mineralogical assemblages and graphitic textures in the sediment and reaction zone.
Figure 3: Sketch illustrating the fate of carbonates in subduction zones including the carbonate reduction process triggering graphite formation.

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Acknowledgements

This project was financially supported by the ANR JC programme (project GeoCarbons, PI O. Beyssac), CNRS-INSU and the Ville de Paris Emergence programme (project Cycle géologique du carbone organique, PI O. Beyssac). Particularly insightful reviews by D. Rumble and J. Connolly of early versions of the manuscript were much appreciated. This work also benefited from various discussions with C. Chopin, P. Agrinier, J. Dubessy, P. Cartigny, V. Busigny, A. Vitale Brovarone, M. Clog, P. Sans-Jofre, G. Cody and O. Vidal. Finally, we thank J. J. Bourrand and M. Ader for technical assistance.

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Author notes

  1. Matthieu E. Galvez

    Present address: Present address: Carnegie Institution of Washington, Geophysical Laboratory, 5251 Broad Branch Road NW, 20015 Washington DC, USA,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IMPMC, CNRS-UPMC-IRD UMR 7590, UPMC Campus Jussieu, 75005 Paris, Case Courrier 115, 4 Place Jussieu, France

    Matthieu E. Galvez, Olivier Beyssac & Karim Benzerara

  2. Géochimie des Isotopes Stables, IPGP, PRES Sorbonne Paris Cité, 1 Rue Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France

    Matthieu E. Galvez, Isabelle Martinez & Carine Chaduteau

  3. Département des Géosciences, Laboratoire de Géologie, ENS-CNRS, 24 Rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France

    Benjamin Malvoisin

  4. ISTerre, CNRS UMR 5275, Université Grenoble I, BP 53 38041 Grenoble CEDEX 9, France

    Benjamin Malvoisin

  5. Géosciences Montpellier, UMR 5243, CNRS-Université Montpellier II, 34095 Montpellier CEDEX 05, France

    Jacques Malavieille

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  1. Matthieu E. Galvez
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Contributions

M.E.G., O.B., I.M. and K.B designed the research and performed field work, analysed data and wrote the paper; M.E.G performed laboratory work; C.C. developed analytical tools, analysed data and wrote the paper; B.M. and J.M. performed field work, analysed data and wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to Matthieu E. Galvez or Olivier Beyssac.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Galvez, M., Beyssac, O., Martinez, I. et al. Graphite formation by carbonate reduction during subduction. Nature Geosci 6, 473–477 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1827

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