Abstract
Almost all magmas contain sulfide- or sulfate-bearing phases. In most natural samples the sulfur-bearing phase is a sulfide, which typically is pyrrhotite (Fe1−xS) or pyrite (FeS2) although chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), pentlandite ((Fe,Ni)9S8), sphalerite (ZnS) or molybdenite (MoS2) may be present as well. Sulfate minerals are rare at magmatic conditions, and anhydrite (CaSO4) is the most common. Other magmatic SO4-bearing minerals include the sodalite group minerals (haüyne simplified formula: (Na,Ca)4-8(Al6Si6(O,S)24)(SO4,Cl)1-2), scapolite minerals (silvialite: (Ca,Na)4Al6Si6O24(SO4,CO3)), and S-bearing apatite (Ca5(PO4)3(F, Cl, OH)). Barite (BaSO4) has been mentioned in rare cases (Marchev 1991). Sulfur-bearing minerals usually constitute a negligible fraction of the mineral assemblage in magmatic rocks and thus can be classified as accessory minerals. The crystallization of sulfide, sulfate, and S-bearing minerals strongly depends on melt composition, temperature and pressure, and the S speciation in melt which, in turn, is strongly dependent on the prevailing oxygen fugacity (Baker and Moretti 2011, this volume; Wilke et al. 2011, this volume). Irrespectively of the low abundance of S-bearing minerals, the evolution of sulfur in magmas may be evaluated from the occurrence of sulfides and sulfates. These minerals are critical for estimating the activity of various sulfur-bearing species in magmas and can be used to constrain the oxygen fugacity and the S concentration in the melt (e.g., pre-eruptive sulfur concentration in melts). The presence of either sulfide or sulfate in silicate melt indicates that the predominant dissolved sulfur species in the melt are S2− or S6+, respectively. Typically one of these species is dominant, but there are conditions where S2− ...