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Exploring the pyroxene quadrilateral

Exploring the pyroxene quadrilateral
Exploring the pyroxene quadrilateral If the pyroxene has only magnesium and calcium in it, the chemistry would fall on the left side of the quadrilateral, on the line between enstatite and diopside (big green circles). If only magnesium and iron were present, the chemistry of the pyroxene would plot only on the base of the quadrilateral, between enstatite and ferrosilite (yellow asterisks). Similarly, if the pyroxene contained only iron and calcium, the chemistry would plot on the right side of the quadrilateral, between ferrosilite and hedenbergite (pink squares). Finally, if the pyroxene has all 3 types of cations (calcium, magnesium, and iron) in its structure, its chemistry would be represented by a dot somewhere within the quadrilateral. Melissa Lane