Halogen and phosphorus storage in the earth

Abstract

Chemical analyses of surface reservoirs, coupled with compositions for interior zones inferred from geophysical and geochemical data have been used to obtain a range of estimates of the bulk composition of the earth. It is suggested that (1) apatite with 3 wt% Fe, up to 1 wt% Cl, and 0.003 wt% Br is the principal mineral reservoir for halogens, and mica is a subsidiary reservoir; (2) apatite with 18 wt% P is the principal store of P in the upper mantle and perhaps lower mantle, but accounts for only one-twentieth of P in the earth; and (3) the remaining P is in a reservoir inaccessible to magmatism, and may amount to a maximum of 0.7 wt% in the core.