Metallic Iron in Basalts of the Malyi Yenisei Lava River: Results of Thermomagnetic Study

Abstract

Thermomagnetic analysis of samples from two sections of lava layers of the Late Cenozoic basalt lava river in the Malyi Yenisei valley is carried out. The main magnetization carrier in the studied basalts is titanomagnetite with the Curie points of 100–120°C which is frequently substantially oxidized both single-phase and heterophase up to magnetite. It is likely that some part of metallic iron in the studied samples has also been oxidized and even disintegrated, which resulted in the significant scatter of iron concentration across the flow against which, however, the increasing trend of iron concentration in the lava flow from the top downwards is observed. The relative magnitude of this increase (iron concentration gradient along the vertical of the lava flow) is almost constant for all flows of the lava sequence probably indicating the decisive role of gravity in iron particle precipitation in the lava. Based on the synthesis of iron particle data from different objects and different regions of the world, this correlation with gravity also follows from the very similar shapes of particle size histograms of iron. This is most clearly seen from the same particle size modes (10–20 μm). Another important finding is that this constant mode of iron particle size does not depend on age and origin of rock as well as on the type of particle source (terrestrial or extraterrestrial).