Impact of temperature increase on the formation of magnetic minerals in shales. The example of Tournemire, France

Abstract

Remagnetization is a pervasive mechanism affecting all kinds of rocks. Sedimentary rocks are particularly prone to such a mechanism because they can experience a wide range of physical and biogeochemical processes which can lead to partial or total loss of the original paleomagnetic record. Temperature increase is one of key factors affecting the rock magnetic properties in sedimentary rocks. Laboratory experiments on shales in the literature have shown that the magnetic mineralogy changed with temperature as low as 50 °C, and that new magnetic phase(s) are formed. The latter was identified to be mostly iron oxides (e.g., magnetite) and iron sulfides (e.g., pyrrhotite). In this study similar to what previously conducted on samples from the Paris Basin, a laboratory heating experiment is conducted on shale samples from the Tournemire tunnel (SE France) in a temperature range of 50 to 130 °C. This aims to simulate a new exposition of the samples to temperature and to identify the changes in magnetic phases, especially on FeIII-bearing minerals, with temperature. The remanence of the analyzed samples increases stepwise, suggesting an increasing concentration of magnetic minerals above their blocking volume with increasing temperature. Magnetite is the main magnetic carrier present and formed in the heated samples, with possibly pyrrhotite forming at high temperature. A conceptual model of magnetic mineralogy changes with temperature is presented and compared to previous results on claystones from the Paris Basin. The experimental observations support that the paleomagnetic record in sedimentary rocks affected by a later temperature increase during burial should be interpreted carefully. Indeed, remagnetization will likely occur when magnetic minerals record a secondary remanence either growing above their blocking volume or when exposed again to a temperature higher than the maximum burial temperature formerly experienced by the samples.