Paleomagnetism of Archean rocks from northwestern Ontario: V. Poohbah Lake alkaline complex, Quetico Subprovince

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Abstract
The Poohbah Lake alkaline complex is a late synkinematic Kenoran pluton in the Quetico gneiss belt of the western Superior Province. Three units of the complex, porphyritic syenite (PS), malignite (M: a nepheline–clinopyroxene–K-feldspar rock), and hornblende syenite (HS), as well as baked Archean schists near the intrusive contact, have a predominantly reverse-polarity R magnetization with mean direction D = 198° I = −22.5° (k = 62, α95 = 5°, N = 13 sites) and a paleopole at 60°E, 50.5°N. Pyrrhotite and coarse primary magnetite are carriers of the R remanence. PS, M, and biotite pyroxenite (BP) exhibit also a predominantly normal N magnetization carried by fine-grained, probably secondary magnetite. N is systematically steeper than R: its mean direction is D = 359.5° I = +55.5° (k = 28, α95 = 8°, N = 13 sites) with a paleopole at 90°E, 77.5°N. R and N do not record an asymmetric field reversal, since reverse-polarity N vectors and normal-polarity R vectors are occasionally found. R resembles in polarity and direction the natural remanent magnetization (NRM) of the 2630 Ma Matachewan diabase. It is probably the primary NRM of the Poohbah Lake pluton, with an age of about 2650 Ma in approximate agreement with the K/Ar isochron age of 2700 ± 25 Ma. N resembles in polarity and direction NRM's from the 2580 Ma Shelley Lake granite and the late Archean Burchell Lake granite. It is probably a secondary NRM about 2550 Ma in age, as suggested by updated K/Ar mica ages. The characteristic NRM of HS samples and secondary magnetizations in other rock types have poles on the Grenville Track of the polar wander path but there is no evidence for Grenvillian-age events in the area.

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