The join CaMgSi
2O
4 (diopside)-MgCr
2O
4 (picrochromite) is characterized by the presence of a wide picrochromite (MgCr
2O
4) primary field. The liquidus for diopside
ss attains only 1.3 wt% MgCr
2O
4, keeping almost same temperatures, 1389±2°C, while the liquidus curve for picrochromite has a steep slope in the CaMgSi
2O
6-rich part. Diopside
ss onephase field extends to 1.4 wt% MgCr
2O
4 at 1310°±5°C. Diopside
ss melts incongruently to picrochromite+liquid. A small field of diopside
ss+picrochromite+liquid is present between fields of picrochromite+liquid and diopside
ss+picrochromite. The part richer in MgCr
2O
4 than 1.4 wt% consists of diopside
ss and picrochromite at subsolidus temperatures. Diopside
ss may contain CaCr
2SiO
6 and its composition does not lie on the join, indicating non-binary nature of the join.
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