THERMAL PROPERTIES OF THE URALS SERPENTINOUS DUNITES (OLIVINE ROCK) AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES

10th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference - SGEM2010, www.sgem.org, SGEM2010 Conference Proceedings/ ISBN 10: 954-91818-1-2, June 20-26, 2010, Vol. 1, 815-822 pp

ABSTRACT

The authors were the first to carry out the investigation of thermal properties of
serpentinous dunites (olivine rock) at Mount Soloviev, Nizhny Tagil duniteclinopyroxenite
massif. The collection studied includes 12 dunite samples varying in the
degree of serpentinization in the range of values from near 0 to practically 100%.
The samples of serpentinous dunites from the Urals were investigated for
thermoconductivity and thermal diffusivity by the apparatus applying the method of
periodic heating in the system of contacting bodies in the range of temperatures from
20° C to 140°C.

Main conclusions:

1. Significant correlation between thermoconductivity-and-serpentinization degree and thermal diffusivity-and-serpentinization degree was observed.

2. Correlation coefficient between thermoconductivity and serpentinization degree (0.7- 0.8) and thermal diffusivity and serpentinization degree (0.6- 0.7) can be explained by the fact that rock thermal properties depend not only on mineralogical and petrographic makeup but also on other factors (grain size and shape, contaminations).

3. Heat parameter-temperature relation show that with a rise in temperature heat parameter would change. Thermal diffusivity would decrease, thermoconductivity would increase and heat capacity changes would be insignificant.

4. Thermoconductivity, thermal diffusivity, and heat capacity based empirical
regression equations for serpentinous dunites have been built up due to the coefficient of partial correlation higher than simple linear correlation.

5. Serpentinization degree influence study, as well as other mineralogical and
petrographic features, is of great scientific importance and must be continued with a larger number of rock samples for examination.

Keywords: thermoconductivity, thermal diffusivity, dunites, coefficients,
serpentinization