Origin of magnetite and pyrrhotite in carbonaceous chondrites

It is proposed that a substantial fraction of the magnetite, at least, resulted from the oxidation of troilite. Pyrrhotite is expected as a direct consequence of magnetite formation through this reaction. During thermomagnetic experiments on troilite, magnetite formation was observed at temperatures as low as 373 K, provided that the oxygen fugacity was held in the magnetite stability field, and that the troilite was sufficiently finely divided.