Carbonate melts are widely recognized as key metasomatic agents in the Earth's mantle. Their physical properties influence their mobility from the source region to shallower depths, playing a crucial role in the long-term carbon cycle. Their mobility is controlled by grain-scale distribution. Previous studies report that carbonate melts in contact with olivine develop dihedral angles (θ) of ~28°–30° [1,2], significantly lower than those of silicate melts, suggesting that carbonate melts remain interconnected even at low fractions, enhancing mobility. While natural carbonatitic melts are complex C–O–H systems, most previous research has focused on anhydrous models. This study investigates the textural equilibrium of hydrous carbonate melts in a dunite matrix, considering the effects of time and water content.

Piston-cylinder experiments were conducted at 2.5 GPa, 1200°C, from 3 to 306 hours. A pre-sintered dunite rod—composed of sieved (

The evolution of wetting angles mimics liquid-phase sintering [3] and provides a valuable framework for exploring melt channelization. These findings shed light on the mobility of carbonatitic liquids in the mantle, challenging previous assumptions regarding the wetting behavior of carbonatitic liquids

[1] Hunter and McEnzie (1989) EPSL 92:347-356
[2] Watson et al. (1990) in Continental Mantle (ed. M.A. Menzies), Clarendon Press, Oxford, 111-124
[3] German et al. (2009) J Mater Sci 44: 1-39