Petrogenesis of the flood-basalt sequence at Noril'sk, North Central Siberia

The 3500-m-thick sequence of volcanic rocks at Noril'sk, formed during a brief interval (∼1 m.y.) at the Permian/Triassic time boundary (∼251 Ma), represents the earliest part of the ∼6500-m-thick sequence presently ascribed to the Siberian flood-basalt province. It is composed of picritic and basaltic lavas of both low-Ti and high-Ti parentage. Extensive geological, geochemical, and isotopic study of the lava sequence and related intrusions allows detailed reconstruction of its petrogenesis. Various crustal-related processes-fractionation, crustal contamination, sulfide separation, and magma mixing-participated in the formation of the lavas. The geochemical and isotopic characteristics indicative of these processes, as well as mantle-related signatures of lava compositions, are discussed. Based on these characteristics, detailed interpretations of lava genesis and evolution throughout the Noril'sk sequence are presented. Eight varieties of lavas are recognized to be primitive, similar in composition to p...