Kinetic fractionation of dissolved iron occurs as a result of diffusion. When isotopes diffuse, the lower mass isotopes diffuse more quickly than the heavier isotopes, resulting in fractionation. This difference in diffusion rates has been approximated as:
In this equation, D and D are the diffusivities of the isotopes, m and m are the masses of the isotopes, and β, which can vary between 0 and 0.5, depending on the system. More work is required to fully understand fractionation as a result of diffusion, studies of diffusion of iron on metal have consistently given β values of approximately 0.25. Iron diffusion between silicate melts and basaltic/rhyolitic melts have given lower β values (~0.030). In aqueous environments, a β value of 0.0025 has been obtained.