Trace Elements in Magmas: A Theoretical Treatment

Studying the distribution of certain elements, present in very low concentrations in igneous and metamorphic rocks, can yield important clues about the rocks' origin and evolution. Trace elements do not give rise to characteristic minerals, but their behaviour can be modelled to provide historical information about the source magma. This book brings together the essential theory required to understand the behaviour of trace elements in magmas and magma-derived rocks. It presents a wide range of models and mechanisms which explain trace element distribution. Trace Elements in Magmas provides an excellent resource for graduate students, petrologists, geochemists and mineralogists, as well as researchers in geophysics and materials science.