Plate-plume-accretion tectonics in Proterozoic terrain of northeastern Rajasthan, India: Evidence from mafic volcanic rocks of north Delhi fold belt

Abstract   The northern part of the Aravalli mountain belt of northwestern Indian shield is broadly composed of three Proterozoic volcano-sedimentary domains, i.e. the Bayana, the Alwar and the Khetri basins, comprising collectively the north Delhi fold belt. Major, trace and rare earth element concentrations of mafic volcanic rocks of the three basins exhibit considerable diversity. Bayana and Alwar volcanics are typical tholeiites showing close similarity with low Ti–continental flood basalts (CFB) with the difference that the former shows enriched and the latter flat incompatible trace element and rare earth element (REE) patterns. However, the Khetri volcanics exhibit a transitional composition between tholeiite and calc-alkaline basalts. It appears that the melts of Bayana and Alwar tholeiites were generated by partial melting of a common source within the spinel stability field possibly in the presence of mantle plume. During ascent to the surface the Bayana tholeiites suffered crustal contamination but the Alwar tholeiites erupted unaffected. Geochemically, the Khetri volcanics are arc-like basalts which were generated in a segment of mantle overlying a Proterozoic subduction zone. It is suggested that at about 1800 Ma the continental lithosphere in northeastern Rajasthan stretched, attenuated and fractured in response to a rising plume. The produced rifts have undergone variable degrees of crustal extension. The extension and attenuation of the crust facilitated shallowing of the asthenosphere which suffered variable degree of melting to produce tholeiitic melts – different batches of which underwent different degrees of lithospheric contamination depending upon the thickness of the crust in different rifted basins. The occurrence of subduction-related basaltic rocks of Khetri Belt suggests that a basin on the western margin of the craton developed into a mature oceanic basin.