Pb–Pb zircon ages of Archaean metasediments and gneisses from the Dharwar craton,southern India: Implications for the antiquity of the eastern Dharwar craton

²⁰⁷Pb–²⁰⁶Pb ages of zircons in samples of metasediments as well as ortho- and para-gneisses from both the western and the eastern parts of the Dharwar craton have been determined using an ion microprobe. Detrital zircons in metasedimentary rocks from both yielded ages ranging from 3.2 to 3.5 Ga. Zircons from orthogneisses from the two parts also yielded similar ages. Imprints of younger events have been discerned in the ages of overgrowths on older zircon cores in samples collected throughout the craton. Our data show that the evolution of the southwestern part of eastern Dharwar craton involved a significant amount of older crust (>3.0 Ga). This would suggest that crust formation in both the western and eastern parts of the Dharwar craton took place over similar time interval starting in the Mesoarchaean at ca. 3.5 Ga and continuing until 2.5 Ga. Our data coupled with geological features and geodynamic setting of the Dharwar craton tend to suggest that the eastern Dharwar craton and the western Dharwar craton formed part of a single terrane.     

Precise U–Pb dating of Paleoproterozoic mafic dyke swarms of the Dharwar craton,India: Implications for the existence of the Neoarchean supercraton Sclavia

We report seven high precision U–Pb age determinations for mafic dykes from a number of major Precambrian swarms located in the Dharwar craton, south India. These new age results define two previously unrecognized widespread Paleoproterozoic dyking events at 2221–2209 and 2181–2177 Ma, and confirm a third at 2369–2365 Ma. Three parallel E–W trending mafic dykes from the petrographically and geochemically variable Bangalore dyke swarm, the most prominent swarm in the Dharwar craton, yield indistinguishable U–Pb baddeleyite ages of 2365.4 ± 1.0, 2365.9 ± 1.5 and 2368.6 ± 1.3 Ma, indicating rapid emplacement in less than five million years. A compilation of Paleoproterozoic U–Pb ages for mafic magmatic events worldwide indicates that the 2369–2365 Ma Bangalore dyke swarm represents a previously unrecognized pulse of mafic magmatism on Earth.     

Petrography and Geochemistry of New Finding Alkaline Lamprophyre Dyke in Eastern Margin of the Eastern Dharwar Craton, Near Khammam, Telangana, India

正The various parts of Cudappah Igneous Provice(CIP)/Prakasham Alkaline Province(PAP)of the Eastern Dharwar Craton(EDC),southern India is known for the occurrence of lamprophyre.Present paper reports a     

Geochemical and Sm–Nd isotopic study of titanite from granitoid rocks of the eastern Dharwar craton,southern India

Titanite occurs as an accessory phase in a variety of igneous rocks, and is known to concentrate geologically important elements such as U, Th, rare earth element (REE), Y and Nb. The differences in the abundances of the REEs contained in titanite from granitoid rocks could reflect its response to changes in petrogenetic variables such as temperature of crystallization, pressure, composition, etc. Widespread migmatization in the granodiorite gneisses occurring to the east of Kolar and Ramagiri schist belts of the eastern Dharwar craton resulted in the enrichment of the REEs in titanite relative to their respective host rocks. A compositional influence on the partitioning of REEs between titanite and the host rock/magma is also noticed. The relative enrichment of REEs in titanite from quartz monzodiorite is lower than that found in the granodioritic gneiss. Depletion of REE and HFSE (high field-strength elements) abundances in granitic magmas that have equilibrated with titanite during fractional crystallization or partial melting has been modelled. As little as 1% of titanite present in residual phases during partial melting or in residual melts during fractional crystallization can significantly lower the abundances of trace elements such as Nb, Y, Zr and REE which implies the significance of this accessory mineral as a controlling factor in trace element distribution in granitoid rocks. Sm–Nd isotope studies on titanite, hornblende and whole rock yield isochron ages comparable to the precise U–Pb titanite ages, invoking the usefulness of Sm–Nd isochron ages involving minerals like titanite.     

Petrology and Sr-Nd isotope systematics of the Ahobil kimberlite (Pipe-16) from the Wajrakarur field,Eastern Dharwar craton,southern India

Detailed mineralogical, bulk-rock geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic data for the recently discovered Ahobil kimberlite(Pipe-16) from the Wajrakarur kimberlite field(WKF), Eastern Dharwar craton(EDC),southern India, are presented. Two generations of compositionally distinct olivine, Ti-poor phlogopite showing orangeitic evolutionary trends, spinel displaying magmatic trend-1, abundant perovskite, Tirich hydrogarnet, calcite and serpentine are the various mineral constituents. On the basis of(i) liquidus mineral composition,(ii) bulk-rock chemistry, and(iii) Sr-Nd isotopic composition, we show that Ahobil kimberlite shares several characteristic features of archetypal kimberlites than orangeites and lamproites. Geochemical modelling indicate Ahobil kimberlite magma derivation from small-degree melting of a carbonated peridotite source having higher Gd/Yb and lower La/Sm in contrast to those of orangeites from the Eastern Dharwar and Bastar cratons of Indian shield. The T_Dm Nd model age(～2.0 Ga) of the Ahobil kimberlite is(i) significantly older than those(1.5～1.3 Ga) reported for Wajrakarur and Narayanpet kimberlites of EDC,(ii) indistinguishable from those of the Mesoproterozoic EDC lamproites,and(iii) strikingly coincides with the timing of the amalgamation of the Columbia supercontinent. High bulk-rock Fe-Ti contents and wide variation in oxygen fugacity fO_2, as inferred from perovskite oxybarometry, suggest non-prospective nature of the Ahobil kimberlite for diamond.     

Petrology,genesis and geodynamic implication of the Mesoproterozoic–Late Cretaceous Timmasamudram kimberlite cluster,Wajrakarur field,Eastern Dharwar Craton,southern India

New mineralogical and bulk-rock geochemical data for the recently recognised Mesoproterozoic(ca.1100 Ma) and late Cretaceous(ca.90 Ma) kimberlites in the Timmasamudram cluster(TKC) of the Wajrakarur kimberlite field(WKF),Eastern Dharwar Craton,southern India,are presented.On the basis of groundmass mineral chemistry(phlogopite,spinel,perovskite and clinopyroxene),bulk-rock chemistry(SiO_2.K_2O,low TiO_2.Ba/Nb and La/Sm),and perovskite Nd isotopic compositions,the TK-1(macrocrystic variety) and TK-4(Macrocrystic variety) kimberlites in this cluster are here classified as orangeites(i.e.Group Ⅱ kimberlites),with geochemical characteristics that are very similar to orangeites previously described from the Bastar Craton in central India,as well as the Kaapvaal Craton in South Africa.The remaining kimberlites(e.g.,TK-2,TK-3 and the TK-1 microcrystic variant),are more similar to other 1100 Ma,Group Ⅰ-type kimberlites of the Eastern Dharwar Craton,as well as the typical Group Ⅰkimberlites of the Kaapvaal Craton.Through the application of geochemical modelling,based on published carbonated peridotite/melt trace element partition coefficients,we show that the generation of the TKC kimberlites and the orangeites results from low degrees of partial melting of a metasomatised,carbonated peridotite.Depleted mantle(T_(DM)) Nd perovskite model ages of the 1100 Ma Timmasamudram kimberlites show that the metasornatic enrichment of their source regions are broadly similar to that of the Mesoproterozoic kimberlites of the EDC.The younger,late Cretaceous(ca.90 Ma) TK-1(macrocrystic variant)and TK-4 kimberlites,as well as the orangeites from the Bastar Craton,share similar Nd model ages of1100 Ma,consistent with a similarity in the timing of source enrichment during the amalgamation of Rodinia supercontinent.The presence of late Cretaceous diamoncliferous orangeite activity,presumably related to the location of the Marion hotspot in southern India at the time,suggests that thick Iithosphere was preserved,at least locally,up to the late Cretaceous,and was not entirely destroyed during the breakup of Gondwana,as inferred by some recent geophysical models.     

Petrogenesis of 3.15 Ga old Banasandra komatiites from the Dharwar craton,India: Implications for early mantle heterogeneity

Spinifex-textured.magnesian(MgO 25 wt.%) komatiites from Mesoarchean Banasandra greenstone belt of the Sargur Group in the Dharwar craton,India were analysed for major and trace elements and~(147,146)Sm-~(143,142)Nd systematics to constrain age,petrogenesis and to understand the evolution of Archean mantle.Major and trace element ratios such as CaO/Al_2O_3.Al_2O_3/TiO_2,Gd/Yb,La/Nb and Nb/Y suggest aluminium undepleted to enriched compositional range for these komatiites.The depth of melting is estimated to be varying from 120 to 240 km and trace-element modelling indicates that the mantle source would have undergone multiple episodes of melting prior to the generation of magmas parental to these komatiites.Ten samples of these komatiites together with the published results of four samples from the same belt yield ~(147)Sm-~(143)Nd isochron age of ca.3.14 Ga with an initial ε_(Nd)(f) value of+3.5.High precision measurements of ~(142)Nd/~(144)Nd ratios were carried out for six komatiite samples along with standards AMES and La Jolla.All results are within uncertainties of the terrestrial samples.The absence of~(142)Nd/~(144)Nd anomaly indicates that the source of these komatiites formed after the extinction of ~(146)Sm,i.e.4.3 Ga ago.In order to evolve to the high ε_(Nd)(t) value of +3.5 by 3.14 Ga the time-integrated ratio of~(147)Sm/~(144)Nd should be 0.2178 at the minimum.This is higher than the ratios estimated,so far,for mantle during that time.These results indicate at least two events of mantle differentiation starting with the chondritic composition of the mantle.The first event occurred very early at ~4.53 Ga to create a global early depleted reservoir with superchondritic Sm/Nd ratio.The source of Isua greenstone rocks with positive ~(142)Nd anomaly was depleted during a second differentiation within the life time of ~(146)Sm,i.e.prior to 4.46 Ga.The source mantle of the Banasandra komatiite was a result of a differentiation event that occurred after the extinction of the ~(146)Sm,i.e.at 4.3 Ga and prior to 3.14 Ga.Banasandra komatiites therefore provide evidence for preservation of heterogeneities generated during mantle differentiation at4.3 Ga.     

Paragenesis and chemical characteristics of the celsian−hyalophane−K-feldspar series and associated Ba-Cr micas in barite-bearing strata of the Mesoarchaean Ghattihosahalli Belt,Western Dharwar Craton,South India

The upper greenschist - lower amphibolite facies, argillaceous to chemical-exhalative metasedimentary sequence of the Mesoarchaean Ghattihosahalli Schist Belt (GHSB), southern India, has been examined with a special focus on the paragenesis and solid solution characteristics of barian feldspars and associated dioctahedral Ba-Cr-bearing micas. Barian feldspars occur as untwinned porphyroblasts in a recrystallized finely banded matrix of barite, quartz and minor white mica. Idioblastic celsian (Cls_98-76Or_2-20Ab_1-8) and hyalophane (Cls_55-39Or_35-51Ab₁₀) predate the greenschist-facies foliation, whereas xenoblastic hyalophane (Cls_44-35Or_45-59Ab_8–17) and mantles on celsian (Cls_45-35Or_42-60Ab_13-5) as well as xenoblastic barian K-feldspar (Cls₆Or₉₀Ab₂) postdate the last fabric-defining event. The preservation of extremely complex zoning patterns down to the micron-scale shows that diffusional homogenization did not operate at fluid-present low to medium-grade conditions (350–550 °C, 3–5 kb). Microstructures indicate that at these conditions barian feldspars deform exclusively by brittle fracturing and do not undergo recrystallization. Barian feldspar compositions confirm the positive correlation of Na-content with temperature and the existence of a narrow asymmetric compositional gap (Cls_90-85?Cls₅₅, ~350 °C) which probably closes at lower amphibolite facies conditions (X_c ~Cls_75; T_c ~550 °C). White micas are solid solutions of the end-members muscovite, ganterite (Ba_0.5?K_0.5)Al₂(Al_1.5Si_2.5)O₁₀(OH)₂, paragonite, celadonite with a significant substitution of ^[VI]Al by Cr. Zoning is a common feature with cores being enriched in Ba. The data document extensive Ba substitution for K from muscovite to ganterite, exclusively controlled by the coupled substitution ^[XII]K + ^[IV]Si ? ^[XII]Ba + ^[IV]Al and strongly dependent on bulk composition. The extent of solid solution from (Ms+Gnt) towards paragonite and celadonite end-members is controlled by the miscibility gap in the (Ms+Gnt)–Pg–Cel pseudoternary, with the Pg-substitution depending on temperature and the Cel-substitution on pressure. ^[IV]Si values between 3.1 and 3.3 in Ba-poor micas indicate minimum pressures of chemical equilibration in the order of 3–5 kbar, while the most sodian compositions of low-celadonite micas provide an upper temperature estimate of ~550 °C, consistent with P-T estimates for assemblages of metapelites (500–550 °C, 4–5 kb).     

Geochemistry of granitoids of Bilgi area,northern part of eastern Dharwar craton,southern India — Example of transitional TTGs derived from depleted source

Mildly deformed granitoids exposed around Bilgi in the northernmost part of the eastern Dharwar craton are divided into two groups viz. granodiorites and monzogranites. The granodiorites contain microgranular enclaves and amphibolite xenoliths, and show low-Al TTG affinity with high SiO₂ (71–74 %), Na₂O, Y and Sr/Y, moderate to moderately high Mg#, Cr and Ni, low to moderate LILE, and low Nb and Ta. However, compared to similar TTGs from different cratons the Bilgi granodiorites have distinctly higher K₂O, K₂O/Na₂O, Rb and lower REE and Th. The amphibolite xenoliths are characterized by variable enrichment of K₂O, Rb, Ba and Th and depletion of Ti, Zr and P compared to MORB. The microgranular enclaves are quartz diorite to granodiorite in composition with high Mg, Ni and Cr, and compared to MORB, are enriched in LILE and depleted in Ti and Y. The monzogranites, compared to the granodiorites, display higher SiO₂, K₂O and Rb with lower Mg#, although still maintaining the high Na₂O, Ni and Cr and low REE character. The Bilgi granodiorites are explained as transitional TTGs late synkinematic with respect to regional deformation. Geochemical signatures and regional geological set up suggest that they are probably derived from partial melting of a highly depleted slab material (metabasalt) followed by variable contamination or assimilation of intermediate crustal rocks in a subduction zone set up. Late stage fluid activity on the granodioritic magma is probably responsible for the generation of monzogranites. The amphibolite xenoliths predate the granodiorites and possibly represent fragments of a schist belt carried away by the granitic magma. They are probably island arc basalt derived from mantle source that has been metasomatized by slab-derived fluids. The microgranular enclaves are coeval with the Bilgi granodiorites and also likely to be island arc magmas derived from mantle variably enriched in slab-derived and within-plate components.     

Application of the Sequence Stratigraphy in the Study of Cretaceous-Tertiary of the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang, China

1. IntroductionThe Tarim basin, one of the most developed and important areas of marine Cretaceous-Tertiary in China except for south Tibet, is very rich in oil and gas, such as Kekeya oilfield in southwestern Tarim and Kela2 gas field in northeastern Tarim. Because of the expansion, subduction of the oceanic crust of the Tethys and the collision between the India plate and the Eurasia plate during the Cretaceous-Tertiary, the Tethys transgressed into the Tarim basin from west to east fr…     

P–T conditions of mineralization in the Jonnagiri granitoid-hosted gold deposit,eastern Dharwar Craton,southern India: Constraints from fluid inclusions and chlorite thermometry

Gold mineralization at Jonnagiri, Dharwar Craton, southern India, is hosted in laminated quartz veins within sheared granodiorite that occur with other rock units, typical of Archean greenstone–granite ensembles. The proximal alteration assemblage comprises of muscovite, plagioclase, and chlorite with minor biotite (and carbonate), which is distinctive of low- to mid-greenschist facies. The laminated quartz veins that constitute the inner alteration zone, contain muscovite, chlorite, albite and calcite. Using various calibrations, chlorite compositions in the inner and proximal zones yielded comparable temperature ranges of 263 to 323 °C and 268 to 324 °C, respectively. Gold occurs in the laminated quartz veins both as free-milling native metal and enclosed within sulfides. Fluid inclusion microthermometry and Raman spectroscopy in quartz veins within the sheared granodiorite in the proximal zone and laminated auriferous quartz veins in inner zone reveal the existence of a metamorphogenic aqueous–gaseous (H₂O–CO₂–CH₄ + salt) fluid that underwent phase separation and gave rise to gaseous (CO₂–CH₄), low saline (~ 5 wt.% NaCl equiv.) aqueous fluids. Quartz veins within the mylonitized granodiorites and the laminated veins show broad similarity in fluid compositions and P–T regime. Although the estimated P–T range (1.39 to 2.57 kbar at 263 to 323 °C) compare well with the published P–T values of other orogenic gold deposits in general, considerable pressure fluctuation characterize gold mineralization at Jonnagiri. Factors such as fluid phase separation and fluid–rock interaction, along with a decrease in f(O₂), were collectively responsible for gold precipitation, from an initial low-saline metamorphogenic fluid. Comparison of the Jonnagiri ore fluid with other lode gold deposits in the Dharwar Craton and major granitoid-hosted gold deposits in Australia and Canada confirms that fluids of low saline aqueous–carbonic composition with metamorphic parentage played the most dominant role in the formation of the Archean lode gold systems.     

Proterozoic granite magmatism along the terrane boundary tectonic zone to the east of Cuddapah basin, Andhra Pradesh — petrotectonic implications for precambrian crustal growth in Nellore schist belt of eastern Dharwar craton

The area adjoining the western part of Archaean Nellore schist belt and the eastern margin of the Proterozoic Cuddapah basin in south Peninsular India is marked by emplacement of a number of granite plutons of Proterozoic age, intermittently extending over a stretch of 350 km from Vinukonda in the north to Sri Kalahasti in the south. Vinukonda, Darsi, Podili and Anumalakonda plutons are intensely deformed particularly along the margins, while development of crude deformational fabric is noticed in Kanigiri, Rapur and Kayyuru-Vendodu plutons. Petrographically majority of these granites vary from alkali feldspar granite to granite with the exception of Rapur granite which varies from granite to granodiorite. Geochemically they exhibit calc-alkaline trend and in A/NK-A/CNK plot they are positioned at the juncture of peraluminous-metaluminous-peralkaline field. Characteristically, majority of these granites are fluorite bearing. Biotite mineral chemistry suggests high FeO^T contents (31.68 to 34.69 %) and very low MgO contents (0.49 to 2.41 %). Geochemically, these are charecterised by high SiO₂ (69 to 74.5 %), Na₂O+K₂O (8.19 to 10.11%), Zr (280–660ppm), Y (70–340 ppm), Rb content (180–370 ppm) and high REE contents (except Eu); and low CaO (0.01 to 1.99), MgO (0.01 to 0.92%) and Sr (10 ppm to 85 ppm) contents. Rare earth element studies reveal a general enrichment of LREE, pronounced negative Eu anomaly; flat and depleted HREE. Enriched LILE and HFSE contents; presence of fluorite and interstitial biotite indicate that these granites are crystallized from a fluorine saturated magma derived from enriched crustal source. The field setup, distinct mineralogy and chemical characteristics suggest that these granite plutons are emplaced along a major tectonic zone i.e. terrane boundary shear zone (TBSZ) in a late-orogenic to anorogenic tectonic setup, close to the vicinity of a collision boundary zone; western margin of NSB and eastern margin of Nallamalai Fold Belt (NFB). The Proterozoic granite magmatism reported in the present studies represents a significant event of Precambrian crustal growth at the juncture of two tectonically contrasting terranes i.e. the Archaean Nellore schist belt and the Proterozoic Cuddapah basin in eastern Dharwar craton.     

A petrogenetic relationship between 2.37 Ga boninitic dyke swarms of the Indian Shield: Evidence from the Central Bastar Craton and the NE Dharwar Craton

The Indian Shield is cross-cut by a number of distinct Paleoproterozoic mafic dyke swarms. The density of dykes in the Dharwar and Bastar Cratons is amongst the highest on Earth. Globally, boninitic dyke swarms are rare compared to tholeiitic dyke swarms and yet they are common within the Southern Indian Shield. Geochronology and geochemistry are used to constrain the petrogenesis and relationship of the boninitic dykes (SiO₂ = 51.5 to 55.7 wt%, MgO = 5.8 to 18.7 wt%, and TiO₂ = 0.30 wt% to 0.77 wt%) from the central Bastar Craton (Bhanupratappur) and the NE Dharwar Craton (Karimnagar). A single U-Pb baddeleyite age from a boninitic dyke near Bhanupratappur yielded a weighted-mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 2365.6 ± 0.9 Ma that is within error of boninitic dykes from the Dharwar Craton near Karimnagar (2368.5 ± 2.6 Ma) and farther south near Bangalore (2365.4 ± 1.0 Ma to 2368.6 ± 1.3 Ma). Rhyolite-MELTS modeling indicates that fractional crystallization is the likely cause of major element variability of the boninitic dykes from Bhanupratappur whereas trace element modeling indicates that the primary melt may be derived from a pyroxenite mantle source near the spinel-garnet transition zone. The Nd isotopes (ε_Nd(t) = −6.4 to +4.5) of the Bhanupratappur dykes are more variable than the Karimnagar dykes (ε_Nd(t) = −0.7 to +0.6) but they overlap. The variability of Sr-Nd isotopes may be related to crustal contamination during emplacement or is indicative of an isotopically heterogeneous mantle source. The chemical and temporal similarities of the Bhanupratappur dykes with the dykes of the Dharwar Craton (Karimnagar, Penukonda, Chennekottapalle) indicate they are members of the same giant radiating dyke swarm. Moreover, our results suggest that the Bastar and Dharwar Cratons were adjacent but likely had a different configuration at 2.37 Ga than the present day. It is possible that the 2.37Ga dyke swarm was related to a mantle plume that assisted in the break-up of an unknown or poorly constrained supercontinent.     

Mesoarchean accretionary mélange and tectonic erosion in the Archean Dharwar Craton,southern India: Plate tectonics in the early Earth

Accretionary orogens are hallmarks of subduction tectonics along convergent plate margins. Here we report a sequence of low-grade metasediments carrying exhumed blocks of ultramafic, mafic and felsic rocks from Sargur in the Western Dharwar Craton in India. These rocks occur along the southern domain of the Chitradurga Suture Zone, which marks the boundary between the Western and Central Dharwar Cratons and thus provide a window to explore Archean convergent margin processes. We present zircon U-Pb and Lu-Hf data from Sargur metasediments including quartz mica schist, fine-grained quartzite, and pelitic schist, as well as from blocks/layers of trondhjemite, garnet amphibolite, and chromite-bearing serpentinite occurring within the metasedimentary accretionary belt. The detrital zircon grains from the metasediments show multiple age groups, with the oldest age as 3482 Ma and an age peak at 2862 Ma. Magmatic zircons in trondhjemite show ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb weighted mean age of ca. 2972 Ma, whereas those in the chromite-bearing serpentinite display multiple age populations of ca. 2896, 2750, 2648, 2566 and 2463 Ma, tracing zircon crystallization in an evolving mantle wedge adjacent to a subducting oceanic plate. Metamorphism is dated as ca. 2444 Ma from zircon grains in the garnet amphibolite. Zircon εHf(t) in the mafic-ultramafic rocks and trondhjemite are mostly positive, suggesting a juvenile (depleted mantle) source. The detrital zircon Lu-Hf data suggest that the sediment source involved Paleoarchean juvenile and reworked components. Based on our findings, we propose that the Sargur sequence represents an accretionary mélange which forms part of a major Mesoarchean accretionary orogen that witnessed multiple stages of tectonic erosion at least during three periods at ca. 3200–3000 Ma, 3000–2800 Ma and 2800–2500 Ma removing a large part of the accretionary prism along the convergent margin. We correlate the processes with prolonged subduction-accretion cycle culminating in the final collision between the Western and Central Dharwar cratonic blocks.     

Petrology, geochemistry and genesis of newly discovered Mesoproterozoic highly magnesian, calcite-rich kimberlites from Siddanpalli, Eastern Dharwar Craton, Southern India: products of subduction-related magmatic sources?

The Siddanpalli kimberlites constitute a newly discovered cluster (SKC) of Mesoproterozoic (1090 Ma) dykes occurring in the granite-greenstone terrain of the Gadwal area in the Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC), Southern India. They belong to coherent facies and contain serpentinized olivines (two generations), phlogopite, spinel, perovskite, ilmenite, apatite, carbonate and garnet xenocrysts. A peculiar feature of these kimberlites is the abundance of carbonate and limestone xenoliths of the eroded platformal Proterozoic (Purana) sedimentary cover of Kurnool/Bhima age. Chemically, the Siddanpalli dykes are the most magnesium-rich (up to 35 wt.% MgO) and silica-undersaturated (SiO₂?<?35 wt.%) of all kimberlites described so far from the Eastern Dharwar Craton. The La/Yb ratio in the Siddanpalli kimberlites (64–105) is considerably lower than that in the other EDC kimberlites (108–145), primarily owing to their much higher HREE abundances. Since there is no evidence of any crustal contamination by granitic rocks we infer this to be a specific character of the magmatic source. A comparison of the REE geochemistry of the Siddanpalli kimberlites with petrogenetic models for southern African kimberlites suggests that they display involvement of a wide range in the degree of melting in their genesis. The different geochemical signatures of the SKC compared to the other known kimberlites in the EDC can be explained by a combination of factors involving: (i) higher degrees of partial melting; (ii) relatively shallower depths of derivation; (iii) possible involvement of subducted component in their mantle source region; and (iv) previous extraction of boninitic magmas from their geological domain.     

Tourmaline from the Archean G.R.Halli gold deposit,Chitradurga greenstone belt,Dharwar craton （India）： Implications for the gold metallogeny

Tourmaline occurs as a minor but important mineral in the alteration zc,ne of the Archean orogenic gold deposit of Guddadarangavanahalli （G.R.Halli） in the Chitradurga greenst~ne belt of the western Dharwar craton, southern India. It occurs in the distal alteration halo of the G.R.Halli golcl deposit as （a） clusters of very fine grained aggregates which form a minor constituent in the natrix of the altered metabasalt （AMB tourmaline） and （b） in quartz-carbonate veins （vein tourmaline）. ~[＇he vein tourmaline, based upon the association of specific carbonate minerals, is further grouped as （i） albite-tourmaline-ankerite-quartz veins （vein-1 tourmaline） and （ii） albite-tourmaline-calcite-quartz veins （vein-2 tourmaline）. Both the AMB tourmaline and the vein tourmalines （vein-I and vein-2） belong to the alkali group and are clas- sified under schorl-dravite series. Tourmalines occurring in the veins are zoned while the AMB tour- malines are unzoned. Mineral chemistry and discrimination diagrams 1eveal that cores and rims of the vein tourmalines are distinctly different. Core composition of the ve：n tourmalines is similar to the composition of the AMB tourmaline. The formation of the AMB tourmaline and cores of the vein tour- malines are proposed to be related to the regional D1 deformational event associated with the emplacement of the adjoining ca. 2.61 Ga Chitradurga granite whilst rims of the vein tourmalines vis-a- vis gold mineralization is spatially linked to the juvenile magmatic accretion （2.56-2.50 Ga） east of the studied area in the western part of the eastern Dharwar craton.     

Archaean gold mineralization synchronous with late cratonization of the Western Dharwar Craton,India: 2.52 Ga U–Pb ages of hydrothermal monazite and xenotime in gold deposits

New zircon U–Pb ages for a felsic volcanic rock (2,588 ± 10 Ma) and an intrusive granite (≥2,555 ± 6 Ma) in the Gadag greenstone belt in the Western Dharwar Craton, southern India, are similar to dates for equivalent rocks in the Eastern Dharwar Craton and indicates docking of the two cratons prior to this time. The zircons in the intrusive granite are strongly overprinted, and coexisting titanites yielded two different age populations: the dominant group gives an age of 2,566 ± 7 Ma, interpreted as the emplacement age, whereas the minor group gives an age of 2,516 ± 10 Ma, reflecting a hydrothermal overprint. In situ U–Pb dating of monazite and xenotime in gold reefs of the Gadag (2,522 ± 6 Ma) and Ajjanahalli (2,520 ± 9 Ma) gold deposits reveal a previously undated episode of gold mineralization at 2.52 Ga, substantially younger than the 2.55 Ga Hutti deposit in the eastern Dharwar Craton. The new dates confirm that both the younger greenstone belts and lode gold mineralization in the Dharwar Craton are about 100–120 My, younger than in other well-dated Archaean cratons. Although gold mineralization across the craton postdates most of the magmatic activity and metamorphism at upper crustal levels, widespread thermal reworking of the lower-middle crust, involving partial melting, metamorphism, and lower crustal granitoid intrusion, occurred concurrently with gold mineralization. It is likely that the large-scale hydrothermal fluid flow that produced widespread gold deposition was also part of this tectono-thermal event during the final stages of cratonization of the Dharwar Craton in southern India.