Abstract
In the last decade, reaction of metals and silicate minerals under high pressure and temperature have been studied extensively. These investigations have revealed that the solubility of hydrogen, oxygen and silicon in metallic iron are enhanced by high pressure, and these elements were added to the candidates of the light elements in the earth's core. Pressure effect on partition coefficients of elements between metallic iron and mantle minerals have also been examined by high pressure experiments. These experimental investigations have successively provided important information for the studies of formation and composition of the earth's core. Some difficulties, however, still remain in the high pressure experimental techniques for metal-mineral reaction, such as the reaction of the sample and its container.
