Precambrian mafic magmatism in the Western Dharwar Craton,southern India

Mafic rocks of Western Dharwar Craton (WDC) belong to two greenstone cycles of Sargur Group (3.1–3.3 Ga) and Dharwar Supergroup (2.6–2.8 Ga), belonging to different depositional environments. Proterozoic mafic dyke swarms (2.4, 2.0–2.2 and 1.6 Ga) constitute the third important cycle. Mafic rocks of Sargur Group mainly constitute a komatiitic-tholeiite suite, closely associated with layered basic-ultrabasic complexes. They form linear ultramaficmafic belts, and scattered enclaves associated with orthoquartzite-carbonate-pelite-BIF suite. Since the country rocks of Peninsular Gneiss intrude these rocks and dismember them, stratigraphy of Sargur Group is largely conceptual and its tectonic environment speculative. It is believed that the Sargur tholeiites are not fractionated from komatiites, but might have been generated and evolved from a similar mantle source at shallower depths. The layered basic-ultrabasic complexes are believed to be products of fractionation from tholeiitic parent magma. The Dharwar mafic rocks are essentially a bimodal basalt-rhyolite association that is dominated by Fe-rich and normal tholeiites. Calc-alkaline basalts and andesites are nearly absent, but reference to their presence in literature pertains mainly to carbonated, spilitized and altered tholeiitic suites. Geochemical discrimination diagrams of Dharwar lavas favour island arc settings that include fore-, intra- and back-arcs. The Dharwar mafic rocks are possibly derived by partial melting of a lherzolite mantle source and involved in fractionation of olivine and pyroxene followed by plagioclase. Distinctive differences in the petrography and geochemistry of mafic rocks across regional unconformities between Sargur Group and Dharwar Supergroup provide clinching evidences in favour of distinguishing two greenstone cycles in the craton. This has also negated the earlier preliminary attempts to lump together all mafic volcanics into a single contemporaneous suite, leading to erroneous interpretations. After giving allowances for differences in depositional and tectonic settings, the chemical distinction between Sargur and Dharwar mafic suites throws light on secular variations and crustal evolution. Proterozoic mafic dyke swarms of three major periods (2.4, 2.0–2.2 and 1.6 Ga) occur around Tiptur and Hunsur. The dykes also conform to the regional metamorphic gradient, with greenschist facies in the north and granulite facies in the south, resulting from the tilt of the craton towards north, exposing progressively deeper crustal levels towards the south. The low-grade terrain in the north does not have recognizable swarms, but the Tiptur swarm consists essentially of amphibolites and Hunsur swarm mainly of basic granulites, all of them preserving cross-cutting relations with host rocks, chilled margins and relict igneous textures. There are also younger dolerite dykes scattered throughout the craton that are unaffected by this metamorphic zonation. Large-scale geochemical, geochronological and palaeomagnetic data acquisition through state-of-the-art instrumentation is urgently needed in the Dharwar craton to catch up with contemporary advancements in the classical greenstone terrains of the world.     

Mafic and ultramafic magmatism and associated mineralization in the Dharwar craton,southern India

Evidence of mafic and ultramafic magmatism exists in many parts of the Dharwar craton which is divided into two blocks, the West Dharwar Craton (WDC) and the East Dharwar Craton (EDC). The mafic-ultramafic rocks occur in supracrustal/greenstone belts and in numerous enclaves and slivers in the WDC. The oldest recorded maficultramafic rocks, which are mainly komatiitic in nature, are preserved in the Sargur Group which is more than 3.3–3.4 Ga old, the youngest being manifested by 63–76 Ma old mafic dyke magmatism, possibly related to Deccan volcanism. In the Sargur Group, ultramafics rocks greatly dominate over mafic lithological units. Both extrusive and intrusive varieties, the latter in the form of differentiated layered complexes, occur. Mafic volcanics exists in all the greenstone belts of the eastern block and in the Bababudan and Western Ghats belts of the western block. In addition to the Sargur Group where stratigraphic sequences are unclear, mafic magmatism is recorded in three different formations of the Bababudan Group and two sub-divisions of the Shimoga and Chitradurga Groups where basaltic flows are conspicuous. In the well studied greenstone belts of Kolar and Hutti in the EDC, three to four different Formations of mafic volcanic rocks have been mapped. Isotopic dating has indicated that while mafic magmatism in the greenstone belts of the EDC covers only a short time span of between 2.65 to 2.75 Ga, those in the Dharwar Supergroup of the WDC cover a much longer time span from 3.35 to 2.5 Ga. Mafic dyke magmatism has taken place repeatedly from 2.45 Ga to about 1.0 Ga, but, the peak of emplacement was between 1.8 and 1.4 Ga when the densely developed swarms on the western and south western portions of the Cuddapah Basin and in the central part of Karnataka, were intruded. Emplacement of potassic ultramafic magma in the form of kimberlite-lamproite which is confined to the EDC, is a later magmatic event that took place between 1.4 Ga and 0.8 Ga. From a mineralization perspective, mafic magmatism of the supracrustal groups of the WDC and the greenstone belts of the EDC are the most important. V-Ti-magnetite bands constitute the most common deposit type recorded in the mafic-ultramafic complexes of the Sargur Group with commercially exploitable chromite deposits occurring in a number of belts. PGE mineralization of possible commercial value has so far been recorded in a single mafic-ultramafic complex, while copper-nickel mineralization occurs at certain localities in the Sargur and Chitradurga Groups. Gold mineralization hosted by mafic (occasionally ultramafic) rocks has been noted in many of the old workings located in supracrustal groups of rocks in the WDC and in the greenstone belts of EDC. Economically exploitable mineralization, however, occurs mainly in the greenstone belts of the Kolar, Ramagiri-Penkacherla and Hutti-Maski and along the eastern margin of the Chitradurga belt, where it is associated with a major N-S striking thrust zone separating the WDC from the EDC. Gold deposits of the eastern greenstone belts are comparable to those of the younger greenstone belts of Canada, Zimbabwe and Australia where the mineralization is associated with quartz carbonate veins often in iron-rich metabasic rocks. The gold was emplaced as hydrothermal fluids, derived from early komatiitic and tholeiitic magmas, and injected into suitable dilatent structures. The other common type of mineralization associated with the ultramafic rocks of the Sargur Group and supracrustal belts, particularly of the WDC, are asbestos and soapstone, related to autometamorphism/metasomatism. Ruby/sapphire deposits occur in places at the contacts of ultramafic rocks with the Peninsular Gneiss, and are related to contact metamorphism and metasomatism. Mineable magnesite deposits related to low-temperature hydrothermal/lateritic alteration exist in the zone of weathering, particularly in the more olivine-rich rocks. Recent spurt in diamond exploration is offering promise of discovering economically workable diamondiferous kimberlite/lamproite intrusions in the EDC.     

Structural relations of charnockites of the Archaean Dharwar craton, southern India

Abstract Two varieties of charnockites are recognized in the Dharwar craton of southern India. The style and sequence of structures in one charnockite variety, and related intermediate to basic granulites, are similar to those in the supracrustal rocks of the Dharwar Supergroup and the adjacent Peninsular Gneiss. This style has isoclinal folds with long limbs and sharp hinges with an axial planar fabric in some instances. Additional evidence of flattening is provided by pinch-and-swell and boudinage structures, with basic granulites forming boudins in the more ductile charnockites/enderbites in the limbs of isoclinal folds. These folds are involved in near-coaxial upright folding resulting in the bending of the axial planes of the isoclinal folds and the associated boudins. All these structures are overprinted by non-coaxial upright folds with axial planes striking nearly N–S. The map pattern of charnockites suggests that this sequence of structures is present not only on a mesoscopic scale, but also on a macroscopic scale. Charnockites of this variety provide, in some instances, evidence of having been migmatized to give rise to hornblende–biotite gneiss and biotite gneiss, which form a part of the Peninsular Gneiss terrane.
The second variety comprises charnockite sensu stricto with an entirely different structural style. This type occurs in the tensional domains of the hinge zones of the later buckle folds, in the necks of foliation boudinage, in shear zones and in release joints parallel to the axial planes of the later folds in the Peninsular Gneiss. Because the non-coaxial later folds are associated with a strain pattern different from, and later than, that of the isoclinal folds of the first generation, it follows that charnockites of the Dharwar craton have evolved in at least two distinct phases, separate both in time and in process.     

Multi-stage crustal growth and Neoarchean geodynamics in the Eastern Dharwar Craton,southern India

The Dharwar Craton is a composite Archean cratonic collage that preserves important records of crustal evolution on the early Earth. Here we present results from a multidisciplinary study involving field investigations, petrology, zircon SHRIMP U–Pb geochronology with in-situ Hf isotope analyses, and whole-rock geochemistry, including Nd isotope data on migmatitic TTG (tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite) gneisses, dark grey banded gneisses, calc-alkaline and anatectic granitoids, together with synplutonic mafic dykes along a wide Northwest – Southeast corridor forming a wide time window in the Central and Eastern blocks of the Dharwar Craton. The dark grey banded gneisses are transitional between TTGs and calc-alkaline granitoids, and are referred to as ‘transitional TTGs’, whereas the calc-alkaline granitoids show sanukitoid affinity. Our zircon U–Pb data, together with published results, reveal four major periods of crustal growth (ca. 3360-3200 Ma, 3000-2960 Ma, 2700-2600 Ma and 2570-2520 Ma) in this region. The first two periods correspond to TTG generation and accretion that is confined to the western part of the corridor, whereas widespread 2670-2600 Ma transitional TTG, together with a major outburst of 2570–2520 Ma juvenile calc-alkaline magmatism of sanukitoid affinity contributed to peak continental growth. The transitional TTGs were preceded by greenstone volcanism between 2746 Ma and 2700 Ma, whereas the calc-alkaline magmatism was contemporaneous with 2570–2545 Ma felsic volcanism. The terminal stage of all four major accretion events was marked by thermal events reflected by amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphism at ca. 3200 Ma, 2960 Ma, 2620 Ma and 2520 Ma. Elemental ratios [(La/Yb)_N, Sr/Y, Nb/Ta, Hf/Sm)] and Hf-Nd isotope data suggest that the magmatic protoliths of the TTGs emplaced at different time periods formed by melting of thickened oceanic arc crust at different depths with plagioclase + amphibole ± garnet + titanite/ilmenite in the source residue, whereas the elemental (Ba–Sr, [(La/Yb)_N, Sr/Y, Nb/Ta, Hf/Sm)] and Hf-Nd isotope data [εHf_(T) = −0.67 to 5.61; εNd_(T) = 0.52 to 4.23; ] of the transitional TTGs suggest that their protoliths formed by melting of composite sources involving mantle and overlying arc crust with amphibole + garnet + clinopyroxene ± plagioclase + ilmenite in the residue. The highly incompatible and compatible element contents (REE, K–Ba–Sr, Mg, Ni, Cr), together with Hf and Nd isotope data [εHf_(T) = 4.5 to −3.2; εNd_(T) = 1.93 to −1.26; ], of the sanukitoids and synplutonic dykes suggest their derivation from enriched mantle reservoirs with minor crustal contamination. Field, elemental and isotope data [εHf_(T) = −4.3 to −15.0; εNd_(T) = −0.5 to −7.0] of the anatectic granites suggest their derivation through reworking of ancient as well as newly formed juvenile crust. Secular increase in incompatible as well as compatible element contents in the transitional TTGs to sanukitoids imply progressive enrichment of Neoarchean mantle reservoirs, possibly through melting of continent-derived detritus in a subduction zone setting, resulting in the establishment of a sizable continental mass by 2700 Ma, which in turn is linked to the evolving Earth. The Neoarchean geodynamic evolution is attributed to westward convergence of hot oceanic lithosphere, with continued convergence resulted in the assembly of micro-blocks, with eventual slab break-off leading to asthenosphere upwelling caused extensive mantle melting and hot juvenile magma additions to the crust. This led to lateral flow of hot ductile crust and 3D mass distribution and formation of an orogenic plateaux with subdued topography, as indicated by strain fabric data and strong seismic reflectivity along an E-W crustal profile in the Central and Eastern blocks of the Dharwar Craton.     

The Dharwar craton, southern India, and its Late Archaean plate tectonic setting: current interpretations and controversies

In spite of detailed geological investigations of the Dharwar craton since the 1890s, its principal lithological units, structure and chronology remain contentious. Important new work on lithostratigraphy, basin development, structure, geochemistry and geochronology has led to wide-ranging speculation on the Late Archaean plate tectonic setting. Much of the speculation is based on uniformitarian models which contrast with a recent proposal that the evolution of the craton was controlled by gravity-driven processes with no crustal shortening.     

Sedimentational,structural and migmatitic history of the Archaean Dharwar tectonic province,southern India

The earliest decipherable record of the Dharwar tectonic province is left in the 3.3 Ga old gneissic pebbles in some conglomerates of the Dharwar Group, in addition to the 3.3–3.4 Ga old gneisses in some areas. A sialic crust as the basement for Dharwar sedimentation is also indicated by the presence of quartz schists and quartzites throughout the Dharwar succession. Clean quartzites and orthoquartzite-carbonate association in the lower part of the Dharwar sequence point to relatively stable platform and shelf conditions. This is succeeded by sedimentation in a rapidly subsiding trough as indicated by the turbidite-volcanic rock association. Although conglomerates in some places point to an erosional surface at the contact between the gneisses and the Dharwar supracrustal rocks, extensive remobilization of the basement during the deformation of the cover rocks has largely blurred this interface. This has also resulted in accordant style and sequence of structures in the basement and cover rocks in a major part of the Dharwar tectonic province. Isoclinal folds with attendant axial planar schistosity, coaxial open folds, followed in turn by non-coaxial upright folds on axial planes striking nearly N-S, are decipherable both in the “basement” gneisses and the schistose cover rocks. The imprint of this sequence of superposed deformation is registered in some of the charnockitic terranes also, particularly in the Biligirirangan Hills, Shivasamudram and Arakalgud areas. The Closepet Granite, with alignment of feldspar megacrysts parallel to the axial planes of the latest folds in the adjacent schistose rocks, together with discrete veins of Closepet Granite affinity emplaced parallel to the axial planes of late folds in the Peninsular Gneiss enclaves, suggest that this granite is late-tectonic with reference to the last deformation in the Dharwar tectonic province. Enclaves of tonalite and migmatized amphibolite a few metres across, with a fabric athwart to and overprinted by the earliest structures traceable in the supracrustal rocks as well as in a major part of the Peninsular Gneiss, point to at least one deformation, an episode of migmatization and one metamorphic event preceding the first folding in the Dharwar sequence. This record of pre-Dharwar deformation and metamorphism is corroborated also by the pebbles of gneisses and schists in the conglomerates of the Dharwar Group. Volcanic rocks within the Dharwar succession as well as some of the components of the Peninsular Gneiss give ages of about 3.0 Ga. A still younger age of about 2.6 Ga is recorded in some volcanic rocks of the Dharwar sequence, a part of the Peninsular Gneiss, Closepet Granite and some charnockites. These, together with the 3.3 Ga old gneisses and 3.4 Ga old ages of zircons in some charnockites, furnish evidence for three major thermal events during the 700 million year history of the Archaean Dharwar tectonic province.     

Crustal growth processes as illustrated by the Neoarchaean intraoceanic magmatism from Gadwal greenstone belt, Eastern Dharwar Craton, India

Geochemical studies on metavolcanic rocks of the Gadwal greenstone belt (GGB), eastern Dharwar craton, have documented several rock types that are indicative of subduction zone tectonics reflecting on the crustal growth processes in the Dharwar craton. The dominance of komatiites in the western Dharwar craton (WDC) and the arc volcanics in the eastern Dharwar craton (EDC) is an indication for the predominance of plume magmatism in the WDC and the intraoceanic subduction zone processes in EDC which together played a significant role in the growth and evolution of continental crust in the Dharwar craton. Boninites of GGB are high calcic type with high MgO (13–24 wt.%) and a characteristic MREE depleted U-shaped REE patterns whereas the basalts have flat REE patterns with no Eu anomalies. Nb-enriched basalts exhibit slightly fractionated REE patterns with high Nb (8–26 ppm) content compared to arc basalts. Adakites of GGB are Sr depleted with highly fractionated REE patterns and no Eu anomaly compared to rhyolites. The occurrence of boninites along with arc basalts, Nb-enriched basalts–basalt–andesite–dacite–rhyolites and adakites association in Gadwal greenstone belt indicate the intraoceanic subduction zone processes with a clear cut evidence of partial melting of metasomatized mantle wedge (boninites), melting of subducting slab (adakites) and residue of adakite–wedge hybridization (Nb-enriched basalts) which have played a significant role in the growth of continental crust in the Dharwar craton during the Neoarchaean.     

Geochemical characteristics and petrogenesis of four Palaeoproterozoic mafic dike swarms and associated large igneous provinces from the eastern Dharwar craton,India

Palaeoproterozoic mafic dike swarms of different ages are well exposed in the eastern Dharwar craton of India. Available U-Pb mineral ages on these dikes indicate four discrete episodes, viz. (1) ~2.37 Ga Bangalore swarm, (2) ~2.21 Ga Kunigal swarm, (3) ~2.18 Ga Mahbubnagar swarm, and (4) ~1.89 Ga Bastar-Dharwar swarm. These are mostly sub-alkaline tholeiitic suites, with ~1.89 Ga samples having a slightly higher concentration of high-field strength elements than other swarms with a similar MgO contents. Mg number (Mg#) in the four swarms suggest that the two older swarms were derived from primary mantle melts, whereas the two younger swarms were derived from slightly evolved mantle melt. Trace element petrogenetic models suggest that magmas of the ~2.37 Ga swarm were generated within the spinel stability field by ~15–20% melting of a depleted mantle source, whereas magmas of the other three swarms may have been generated within the garnet stability field with percentage of melting lowering from the ~2.21 Ga swarm (~25%), ~2.18 Ga swarm (~15–20%), to ~1.89 Ga swarm (~10–12%). These observations indicate that the melting depth increased with time for mafic dike magmas. Large igneous province (LIP) records of the eastern Dharwar craton are compared to those of similar mafic events observed from other shield areas. The Dharwar and the North Atlantic cratons were probably together at ~2.37 Ga, although such an episode is not found in any other craton. The ~2.21 Ga mafic magmatic event is reported from the Dharwar, Superior, North Atlantic, and Slave cratons, suggesting the presence of a supercontinent, ‘Superia’. It is difficult to find any match for the ~2.18 Ga mafic dikes of the eastern Dharwar craton, except in the Superior Province. The ~1.88–1.90 Ga mafic magmatic event is reported from many different blocks, and therefore may not be very useful for supercontinent reconstructions.     

Geological setting and chemistry of kimberlite clan rocks in the Dharwar Craton, India

Diamond exploration in India over the past decade has led to the discovery of over 80 kimberlite-inferred and lamproite-related intrusions in three of the four major Archean cratons that dominate the subcontinent. These intrusions are Proterozoic (1.1 Ga), and are structurally controlled: locally (at the intersections of faults); regionally (in a 200 km wide, 1000 km long diamond corridor); and globally (in the reconstructed supercontinent of Rodinia). The geochemistry of 57 samples from 13 intrusions in the southern Dharwar Craton of Andhra Pradesh has been determined by XRF spectrometry. The bodies are iron-rich with mg#=50–70 and are neither archetypal kimberlites nor ideal lamproites; this may be the underlying reason that conventional exploration techniques have thus far failed to locate the primary sources of India's historically famous diamonds. The two major fields of kimberlite-clan rocks (KCR) in the Dharwar Craton, Wajrakur and Narayanpet, are separated by a NW–SE trending, transcontinental (Mumbai-Chennai) gravity lineament. About 80% of intrusions in Wajrakur are diamondiferous, but diamonds have not yet been reported in Narayanpet. The gravity anomaly may mark the boundary of an architectural modification in the keel of the sub-continental lithosphere, a suggestion that is supported by differences in kimberlite mineralogy, chemistry, mantle xenoliths, structural setting and crustal host rocks.     

Relative timing of deformation and two-stage gold mineralization at the Hutti Mine, Dharwar Craton, India

Gold mineralization at Hutti is confined to a series of nine parallel, N–S to NNW–SSE trending, steeply dipping shear zones. The host rocks are amphibolites and meta-rhyolites metamorphosed at peak conditions of 660±40°C and 4±1 kbar. They are weakly foliated (S₁) and contain barren quartz extension veins. The auriferous shear zones (reefs) are typically characterized by four alteration assemblages and laminated quartz veins, which, in places, occupy the entire reef width of 2–10 m, and contain the bulk of gold mineralization. A <1.5 m wide distal chlorite-sericite (+biotite, calcite, plagioclase) alteration zone can be distinguished from a 3–5 m wide proximal biotite-plagioclase (+quartz, muscovite, calcite) alteration zone. Gold is both spatially and temporally associated with disseminated arsenopyrite and pyrite mineralization. An inner chlorite-K-feldspar (+quartz, calcite, scheelite, tourmaline, sphene, epidote, sericite) alteration halo, which rims the laminated quartz veins, is characterized by a pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, ilmenite, rutile, and gold paragenesis. The distal chlorite-sericite and proximal biotite-plagioclase alteration assemblages are developed in microlithons of the S₂–S₃ crenulation cleavage and are replaced along S₃ by the inner chlorite-K-feldspar alteration, indicating a two-stage evolution for gold mineralization. Ductile D₂ shearing, alteration, and gold mineralization formed the reefs during retrograde evolution and fluid infiltration under upper greenschist to lower amphibolite facies conditions (560±60°C, 2±1 kbar). The reefs were reactivated in the D₃ dextral strike-slip to oblique-slip environment by fault-valve behavior at lower greenschist facies conditions (ca. 300–350°C), which formed the auriferous laminated quartz veins. Later D₄ crosscutting veins and D₅ faults overprint the gold mineralization. The alteration mineralogy and the structural control of the deposit clearly points to an orogenic style of gold mineralization, which took place either during isobaric cooling or at different levels of the Archean crust. From overlaps in the tectono-metamorphic history, it is concluded that gold mineralization occurred during two tectonic events, affecting the eastern Dharwar craton in south India between ca. 2550 – 2530 Ma: (1) The assemblage of various terranes of the eastern block, and (2) a tectono-magmatic event, which caused late- to posttectonic plutonism and a thermal perturbation. It differs, however, from the pre-peak metamorphic gold mineralization at Kolar and the single-stage mineralization at Ramagiri. Notably, greenschist facies gold mineralization occurred at Hutti 35–90 million years later than in the western Dharwar craton. Editorial handling: G. Beaudoin     

Rare earth element geochemistry and Rb-Sr geochronology of Archaean stromatolitic cherts of the Dharwar craton, south India

Stromatolites associated with cherty dolomites of the Vanivilaspura Formation of the Archaean Dharwar Supergroup show a morphology indicative of the deposition of the latter in a intertidal to subtidal environment. The cherts are moderately high in their Al/Al + Fe ratios but depleted in Fe₂C₃ and also most trace elements. Unlike most other Archaean cherts, the Vanivilaspur cherts exhibit significant negative Ce anomaly, which is interpreted to have resulted from contemporary manganese deposition. The Rb/Sr ratios in the cherts show a sufficient spread to define a linear correlation line in the Rb-Sr evolution diagram corresponding to an age of 2512 ± 159 Ma and initial Sr ratio of 0.7128 ± 0.0012 (2σ). While this age is strikingly close to that of regional metamorphism in the Dharwar craton, the initial ratio is distinctly higher than that of the associated volcanics. Acid leaching experiments on the cherts suggest that they may have been isotopically equilibrated on a mm to cm scale about 500 Ma later than the time of regional metamorphism.     

Uniformity in sulfur isotope composition in the orogenic gold deposits from the Dharwar Craton,southern India

The sulfur isotope composition of sulfides (mainly pyrite and arsenopyrite) from gold deposits/prospects of the Dharwar Craton such as Hutti, Hira-Buddini, Uti, Kolar (Chigargunta), Ajjanahalli, and Jonnagiri has a narrow range (δ³⁴S = +1.1 to +7.1‰). Such craton-scale uniformity of the above gold camps is noteworthy, in spite of the wide diversity in host rock compositions and their metamorphic conditions, and suggests a magmatic or average crustal source of sulfur for all deposits studied. In addition, our study points towards gold precipitation from reduced ore fluids, with near-homogeneous sulfur isotope compositions.     

华北克拉通东部鲁西早白垩纪基性岩墙成因:来自锆石年龄、地球化学和Sr-Nd-Hf同位素的证据

中生代基性辉绿岩墙广泛分布于华北克拉通东部山东地区。本研究给出代表性岩墙的U-Pb锆石年龄、地球化学和Sr-Nd-Hf同位素证据,4个代表性锆石的LA-ICP-MS年龄范围处于121.9±0.6Ma和124.3±0.5Ma之间(早白垩纪)。岩石的主量元素组成变化较小,岩石富集轻稀土元素和大离子亲石元素(如,Rb、Ba、U、K和Pb),以及亏损高场强元素(如,Nb、Ta和Ti)。另外,基性岩墙具有相对一致的(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i比值(~0.7098),负的ε_Nd(t)值(-14.7~-14.5)、ε_Hf(t)值(-31.4~-26.7)和高的Hf模式年龄(t_DM1=1817~2024Ma)。研究显示基性岩墙来自富集岩石圈地幔的部分熔融作用,并在上升侵位过程中经历了一定程度的地壳混染作用影响。总体研究表明,基性岩墙的成因机制与扬子克拉通与华北克拉通的碰撞有关,岩浆源区为晚中生代前受俯冲扬子地壳沉积物交代后的富集岩石圈地幔。     

华北克拉通基性岩墙成因模式：来自锆石U-Pb年龄、地球化学和Sr-Nd-Pb同位素证据

本研究共涉及来自太行山和郯庐断裂岩浆带的12组基性岩墙群,岩墙群具体出露于河北省、山西省、山东省和安徽省。研究中给出了新的锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄、地球化学和Sr-Nd-Pb同位素基性岩墙测试数据。基性岩墙形成于128.1±1.2Ma与115.0±0.8Ma之间,且具有典型的辉绿结构。另外,基性岩墙富集轻稀土元素（LREE）、个别大离子亲石元素（如,Rb、Ba、Sr）、Pb和Th,亏损Nb、Ta和Ti,具有高的初始⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr比值（0.7056~0.7105）,负的ε_Nd（t）（-15.5~-12.4）、相对一致的初始Pb同位素比值（²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=16.45~16.49、²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=15.44~15.51、²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=36.49~36.53）及较大的Nd模式年龄（t_DM2^Nd=1.82~2.69Ga）。研究结果表明,基性岩墙来自石榴石二辉橄榄岩地幔源区（类似EM1）一定程度的（1.0%~5.0%）部分熔融,岩浆侵位前经历了橄榄石、单斜辉石和角闪石的分离结晶作用,同时受到少量地壳混染的影响。目前,关于华北克拉通破坏和中生代岩浆作用的成因已有较多可能模式,本研究基性岩墙成因的新模式：古太平洋板块与华北克拉通的持续碰撞,导致华北克拉通岩石圈（地幔和地壳）加厚,并发生可能的榴辉岩化,并在一定时间发生拆沉作用。在新模式的制约下,导致了研究区中生代基性岩墙的产生和侵位。     

华北克拉通北缘凉城基性岩墙成因及古地理的重建意义

为揭示华北克拉通北缘凉城基性岩墙的形成时代、岩石成因、构造背景及对罗迪尼亚超大陆重建的意义,本研究借助激光烧蚀多接收器等离子质谱(LA-MC-ICP-MS)锆石U-Pb定年、Hf同位素及全岩地球化学研究手段,对凉城桃花沟岩墙开展了系统研究。研究结果显示,凉城桃花沟岩墙为新元古代早期(903±15 Ma)基性岩浆活动的产物,归属拉斑岩石系列,具有较高的TFeO(12.78%～16.30%)及TiO₂(2.59%～3.31%)含量、较低的MgO(2.87%～3.83%)、Cr(32.7×10^-6～42.0×10^-6)、Ni(11.6×10^-6～14.5×10^-6)含量及Mg^#值(29～38),富集轻稀土元素(LREE)、Rb、Pb、Zr及Hf元素,亏损Ba、Sr、Nb、Ta、Ti及Eu(Eu/Eu^*=0.74～0.83)元素。锆石原位ε_Hf(t)范围为2.4～13.4,单阶段Hf模式年龄(t_DM1     

Petrology and geochemistry of high-titanium and low-titanium mafic dykes from the Damodar valley,Chhotanagpur Gneissic Terrain,eastern India and their relation to Cretaceous mantle plume(s)

The Damodar valley within the Chhotanagpur Gneissic terrain at the northern-most margin of the Singhbhum craton, eastern India, is perhaps the only geological domain in the entire Indian shield which hosts the early Cretaceous Rajmahal as well as the late Cretaceous Deccan igneous activities. A number of Cretaceous mafic dykes intrude the Gondwana sedimentary formations and are focus of the present study. One set of these dykes strike NNE to ENE, are very fresh and mainly exposed within the Jharia, Bokaro and Karanpura basins; whereas the other set of dykes (including the well-known Salma mega dyke) trend NW to NNW, intrude mainly the Raniganj basin and show meagre hydrothermal alteration. Majority of the samples from both these dyke groups display ophitic or sub-ophitic textures and are essentially composed of augite/titan augite and plagioclase. On the basis of petrographic and geochemical characteristics the NNE to ENE dykes are identified as high-Ti dolerite (HTD) dykes and the NW to NNW dykes are referred to as low-Ti dolerite (LTD) dykes. Apart from the first-order distinction on their titanium contents, both these groups also show conspicuous geochemical differences. The HTD dykes contain relatively high values of iron, and high-field strength elements than those from the LTD dykes with an overlapping MgO contents.Although available field, paleomagnetic and limited geochronological data for most of the studied dykes suggests their emplacement during early Cretaceous period (110–115 Ma), the Salma dyke, dated to be of Deccan-age at ∼65 Ma, is an exception. Geochemically all the studied samples show an undoubted plume-derived character but their unequivocal affinity to either the early Cretaceous Kerguelen (Rajmahal) or the late-Cretaceous Reunion (Deccan) plume is not straightforward since they share bulk-rock characteristics of rocks derived from both these plumes. Even though, the spatial and temporal association of the mafic dykes of present study with the Rajmahal Traps are suggestive of their linkage to the Kerguelen plume activity, robust geochronological and paleomagnetic constraints are clearly required to understand the relative contributions of the two Cretaceous mantle plumes in the genesis of the mafic igneous activity in this interesting domain.     

Geochemistry and petrogenesis of early Cretaceous sub-alkaline mafic dykes from Swangkre-Rongmil,East Garo Hills,Shillong plateau,northeast India

Numerous early Cretaceous mafic and alkaline dykes, mostly trending in N-S direction, are emplaced in the Archaean gneissic complex of the Shillong plateau, northeastern India. These dykes are spatially associated with the N-S trending deep-seated Nongchram fault and well exposed around the Swangkre-Rongmil region. The petrological and geochemical characteristics of mafic dykes from this area are presented. These mafic dykes show very sharp contact with the host rocks and do not show any signature of assimilation with them. Petrographically these mafic dykes vary from fine-grained basalt (samples from the dyke margin) to medium-grained dolerite (samples from the middle of the dyke) having very similar chemical compositions, which may be classified as basaltic-andesite/andesite. The geochemical characteristics of these mafic dykes suggest that these are genetically related to each other and probably derived from the same parental magma. Although, the high-field strength element (+rare-earth elements) compositions disallow the possibility of any crustal involvement in the genesis of these rocks, but Nb/La, La/Ta, and Ba/Ta ratios, and similarities of geochemical characteristics of present samples with the Elan Bank basalts and Rajmahal (Group II) mafic dyke samples, suggest minor contamination by assimilation with a small amount of upper crustal material. Chemistry, particularly REE, hints at an alkaline basaltic nature of melt. Trace element modelling suggests that the melt responsible for these mafic dykes had undergone extreme differentiation (∼ 50%) before its emplacement. The basaltic-andesite nature of these rocks may be attributed to this differentiation. Chemistry of these rocks also indicates ∼ 10–15% melting of the mantle source. The mafic dyke samples of the present investigation show very close geochemical similarities with the mafic rocks derived from the Kerguelen mantle plume. Perhaps the Swangkre-Rongmil mafic dykes are also derived from the Kerguelen mantle plume.     

Extensional collapse of the Gondwana orogen: Evidence from Cambrian mafic magmatism in the Trivandrum Block,southern India

The assembly of Late Neoproterozoice Cambrian supercontinent Gondwana involved prolonged subduction and accretion generating arc magmatic and accretionary complexes, culminating in collision and formation of high grade metamorphic orogens. Here we report evidence for mafic magmatism associated with post-collisional extension from a suite of gabbroic rocks in the Trivandrum Block of southern Indian Gondwana fragment. Our petrological and geochemical data on these gabbroic suite show that they are analogous to high Fe tholeiitic basalts with evolution of the parental melts dominantly controlled by fractional crystallization. They display enrichment of LILE and LREE and depletion of HFSE with negative anomalies at Zre Hf and Ti corresponding to subduction zone magmatic regime. The tectonic affinity of the gabbros coupled with their geochemical features endorse a heterogeneous mantle source with collective melt contributions from sub-slab asthenospheric mantle upwelling through slab break-off and arc-related metasomatized mantle wedge, with magma emplacement in subduction to post-collisional intraplate settings. The high Nb contents and positive Nbe Ta anomalies of the rocks are attributed to inflow of asthenospheric melts containing ancient recycled subducted slab components and/or fusion of subducted slab materials owing to upwelling of hot asthenosphere. Zircon grains from the gabbros show magmatic crystallization texture with low U and Pb content. The LA-ICPMS analyses show ²⁰⁶ Pb/²³⁸ U mean ages in the range of 507-494 Ma suggesting Cambrian mafic magmatism. The post-collisional mafic magmatism identified in our study provides new insights into mantle dynamics during the waning stage of the birth of a supercontinent.     

华北克拉通山西省晚石炭世基性岩墙成因：锆石U-Pb年龄、地球化学和Sr-Nd同位素证据

作为岩石圈伸展拉张背景侵位的特征岩石,基性岩墙群（煌斑岩、辉绿岩和辉绿玢岩等）地质和地球化学研究日益受到地质研究者的关注。研究显示,基性岩墙在全球范围主要分布在美国、加拿大、巴西、澳大利亚和中国等地区,且年代格架主要集中在前寒武纪时期（2.4Ga、2.1Ga、1.8Ga、1.4Ga、1.0Ga）。目前,国内中生代以来基性岩墙群主要出露于华北克拉通、华南、西藏和塔里木盆地。本研究基性岩墙来自山西省大同附近,对于该套岩墙,本文给出了锆石U-Pb定年、地球化学和Sr-Nd同位素证据。LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄为293Ma,岩石具有变化较小的主元素变化特征（SiO₂=50.78%~51.35%,TiO₂=2.16%~2.32%,Al₂O₃=14.53%~15.08%,Fe₂O₃=12.42%~12.66%,MnO=0.13%~0.16%,MgO=5.14%~5.35%,CaO=7.93%~8.25%,Na₂O=3.52%~3.78%,K₂O=1.01%~1.14%和P₂O₅=0.24%~0.36%）。另外,基性岩墙富集轻稀土元素、大离子侵石元素（Ba,K和Sr）和高场强元素（Nb,Ta和Zr）,亏损Th、Pb和Ti。同时,基性岩墙具有相对一致的（⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr）_i比值（0.70422~0.70423）,正的ε_Nd（t）值（5.8~6.1）和变化较小的Nd模式年龄（t_DM1=0.67~0.72Ga,t_DM2=0.57~0.59Ga）。以上特征表明,基性岩墙来自亏损软流圈地幔的分布熔融作用,岩浆侵位过程中发生了橄榄石、辉石和含Ti相矿物的分离结晶作用,但没有受到地壳物质的混染作用影响。基性岩墙的成因上与华北克拉通和西伯利亚板块碰撞后的拉伸作用有密切联系。     

Grain to outcrop-scale frozen moments of dynamic magma mixJing in the syenite magma chamber,Yelagiri Alkaline Complex,South India

Magma mixing process is unusual in the petrogenesis of felsic rocks associated with alkaline complex worldwide. Here we present a rare example of magma mixing in syenite from the Yelagiri Alkaline Complex, South India. Yelagiri syenite is a reversely zoned massif with shoshonitic (Na₂O + K₂O=5–10 wt.%, Na₂O/K₂O = 0.5–2, TiO₂ <0.7 wt.%) and metaluminous character. Systematic modal variation of plagioclase (An_11–16 Ab_82–88), K-feldspar (Or_27–95 Ab_5–61), diopside (En_34–40Fs_11–18Wo_46–49), biotite, and Ca-amphibole (edenite) build up three syenite facies within it and imply the role of in-situ fractional crystallization (FC). Evidences such as (1) disequilibrium micro-textures in feldspars, (2) microgranular mafic enclaves (MME) and (3) synplutonic dykes signify mixing of shoshonitic mafic magma (MgO = 4–5 wt.%, SiO₂ = 54–59 wt.%, K₂O/Na₂O = 0.4–0.9) with syenite. Molecular-scale mixing of mafic magma resulted disequilibrium growth of feldspars in syenite. Physical entity of mafic magma preserved as MME due to high thermal-rheological contrast with syenite magma show various hybridization through chemical exchange, mechanical dilution enhanced by chaotic advection and phenocryst migration. In synplutonic dykes, disaggregation and mixing of mafic magma was confined within the conduit of injection. Major-oxides mass balance test quantified that approximately 0.6 portions of mafic magma had interacted with most evolved syenite magma and generated most hybridized MME and dyke samples. It is unique that all the rock types (syenite, MME and synplutonic dykes) share similar shoshonitic and metaluminous character; mineral chemistry, REE content, coherent geochemical variation in Harker diagram suggest that mixing of magma between similar composition. Outcrop-scale features of crystal accumulation and flow fabrics also significant along with MME and synplutonic dykes in syenite suggesting that Yelagiri syenite magma chamber had evolved through multiple physical processes like convection, shear flow, crystal accumulation and magma mixing.