Ferrospinels and petromagnetism of Siberian traps: A case study of traps drilled by the Norilsk borehole

Magnetic characteristics and compositions of ferromagnetic species of trap samples from the Norilsk borehole are studied; the borehole penetrated the complete section of a trappean rock sequence (nearly 3 km) represented by eight magmatic formations. The lowest (Ivakinskian) formation consists of rocks of the subalkalic type, and the remaining formations generally belong to the tholeiitic series. Primary ferromagnetic phases are represented by titanomagnetites with various ulvospinel concentrations in a solid solution. Three modes characterized by TiO₂ concentrations of 14.6, 18, and 23.9 wt % are revealed. The Ivakinskian rocks are most magnetized, and magnetization is low in core samples from depths of 1700–2500 m. Various magnetic characteristics have polymodal distributions of their values. Plateau basalt samples of the Ivakinskian Formation from other regions of Siberia, the Lory Plateau (Armenia), and Kamchatka are additionally studied. On the whole, titanomagnetites of plateau basalts were crystallized under the quartz-fayalite-magnetite (QFM) buffer conditions.