Metamorphism and Isotopic Evolution of Granulites of Southern India: Reference to Neoproterozoic Crustal Evolution

Granulites are important component of high-grade metamorphic rocks reflecting intense conditions observed for crustal rocks in terms of temperature, and pressure. This review paper demonstrates how these high-grade granulites are critical to understanding the evolution of the lower continental crust with special reference to southern India. Geothermobarometric traverse across different granulite blocks in southern India shows wide ranging P-T conditions of metamorphism (700–1000 ° C, and 5–10 kbar). The sapphirine-, orthopyroxene-sillimanite, and spinel -bearing quartz-deficient granulites recognised from parts of southern granulite terrain (Ganguvarpatti, Kiranur, and Palani hill ranges etc.) show oriented sillimanite aggregates pseudomorph after course twinned kyanite, staurolite + kyanite assemblages, and corroded blebs of gedrite within orthopyroxene, suggesting a prograde stage of a clockwise P-T evolution. Evidence of ITD history comes from the textures in which an early Mg-rich garnet (X_Mg 52–60) with orthopyroxene (up to 10% Al₂O₃) involving sillimanite breakdown forming variety of symplectites having combinations of orthopyroxene, sapphirine, cordierite, and spinel. These spectacular reaction textures, and mineralogic sensors from the high-grade rocks establish a prograde clockwise P-T-t path with notable decompressive history (ITD) in the southern granulite terrain. The inferred P-T-t paths have been further integrated with the recent geochronological, and isotopic data to constrain the timing, and duration of metamorphism, emplacement of the magmatic protolith for characterising the evolution of the granulites, and their bearing on the geodynamic implications. Based on the emerging evidence for Neoproterozoic tectonothermal imprints in the southern granulite terrain, history of the assembly of dispersed fragments is also addressed within the East Gondwana framework.     

Neoproterozoic Crustal Evolution of Northwestern Indian Shield: Implications on Break up and Assembly of Supercontinents

The Neoproterozoic geological history in western Rajasthan, northwest Indian Shield began with the intrusion of anorogenic bodies of diorites at ca. 1000 Ma. Recently available single zircon dates indicate possible continuity of the “Grenville belt” beyond Eastern Ghats through the Satpura Orogenic Belt into the Aravalli Mountains. Closely following this tectono-thermal event at the Meso-Neoproterozoic boundary, some narrow basins opened west of the Aravalli Mountains. The basin closing related to the tectonic inversion and associated magmatism at ca. 835 Ma completed the cratonisation process of the Precambrian Aravalli crust. Subsequent geological events witnessed over a wide region to the southwest of the Aravalli Mountains, were in the form of “plume-related” magmatism of the Malani Group, which comprises bimodal volcanics (dominantly felsic and minor mafic), minor sediments, and peraluminous and peralkaline granitoids. An unconformity indicating a hiatus is noticed at the base of the Malani Group. The final phase of the Neoproterozoic cratonic history is associated with thick platformal deposits of the Marwar Supergroup. The Marwar basins show a clear sedimentological affiliation with the sub-Himalayan basin of “Saline Series” in Pakistan.The beginning of the Neoproterozoic history in the northwestern Indian Shield is correlated with the events related to the possible break up of the Rodinia Supercontinent. Much of the later phases of the Neoproterozoic geological events witnessed in the Indian Shield are traditionally described as the “Pan-African”. However, the geological events recorded in the northwestern part of Indian Shield are neither strictly coeval nor are tectonically correlatable with the ‘orogeny and fabric-forming contemporary events’ of the East African Orogeny (EAO), which is undoubtedly the type terrane of the Pan-African Tectono-thermal Belt. The evolution of the northwestern Indian Shield during the Neoproterozoic does not appear to be related in any way with the Pan-African events observed in EAO. Further, the most talked about ‘Pan-African’ dates at ca. 500±50 Ma, are manifestations of anorogenic thermal event, which possibly marks an aborted attempt to fragment the ‘Greater Gondwana’ during the early Palaeozoic.     

Geochemistry and Origin of Neoproterozoic Granitoids of Meghalaya, Northeast India: Implications for Linkage with Amalgamation of Gondwana Supercontinent

Many granitic bodies intrude the basement gneisses in Meghalaya Plateau, Northeast India. Rb-Sr whole-rock isotopic ages of the granitoids range from 881 to 479 Ma while the ages of the basement orthogneisses vary from 1714 to 1150 Ma. All the plutons are dominantly metaluminous and show geochemical variation. Oxygen isotopic compositions in the granitoids and gneisses are concordant (d¹⁸O: + 5.78% to + 8.70%). However, the gneisses from high-grade terrain have low d¹⁸O value of +2.52% to +5.31%. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (I_Sr) ratios of the plutons vary from 0.70459 to 0.71487 and tend to increase with progressive younging in age. The geochemical characters suggest derivation of the granites from lower crustal source. The fractionated rare earth patterns observed in the granitoids can be obtained by partial melting of gneisses or diorites. Some gneiss samples have experienced interaction with hydrothermal fluids resulting in lowering d¹⁸O. The isotopic ages of granite plutonism in Meghalaya are similar to the plutonic and tectonothermal events in other parts of India, southwestern Australia and document final amalgamation events of the Gondwana Supercontinent.     

皖赣鄣公山地区新元古代地壳组成及造山过程

皖赣相邻的鄣公山地区位处江南造山带北缘,区内广布一套厚度巨大、低绿片岩相变质的以泥砂质细碎屑岩为主含少量火山物质的复理石建造体,大量高精度同位素测年数据显示,其形成于821～840Ma间的新元古代早期,以景德镇-鄣源-伏川区域断裂带为界,南部为形成于大陆边缘拉张构造环境下的溪口岩群;北部的双桥山群火山-陆缘细碎屑岩系是与岛弧有关盆地中的沉积物。北东—南西向展布于鄣公山北坡的蚀变枕状-块状基性火山熔岩、辉长岩、辉绿岩等基性岩类呈构造碎块或碎片产出于溪口岩群火山-陆缘细碎屑岩组成的复理石基质中,通过对其产出地质特征及岩石地球化学特征等的分析,认为其形成于低速扩张的陆缘小洋盆扩张脊环境,具初始洋壳基性岩特征,属皖南伏川蛇绿岩西延组成部分。呈夹层产出于双桥山群地层中的大量玻屑晶屑凝灰岩及少量变安山岩、变流纹岩等具相似的岩石地球化学特征,属中钾钙碱性岩石系列,形成于大陆边缘火山弧构造环境。综合区内沉积事件、岩浆事件和构造事件等,提出皖赣相邻区新元古代经历了古扬子板块东南缘裂开-陆缘小洋盆有限俯冲-弧陆碰撞造山-造山期后陆壳裂陷沉积的构造演化过程。     

The Neoproterozoic assembly of Gondwana and its relationship to the Ediacaran–Cambrian radiation

The assembly of the Gondwana supercontinent during the waning stages of the Proterozoic provides a tectonic backdrop for the myriad biological, climatological, tectonic and geochemical changes leading up to, and including, the Cambrian radiation. A polyphase assembly of Gondwana during the East Africa, Brasiliano, Kuungan and Damaran orogenies resulted in an extensive mountain chain which delivered nutrients into a shifting oceanic realm. An analysis of key evolutionary events during this time period reveals the following (a) several fauna show well established endemism that may be rooted in a cryptic evolutionary pulse (c). 580 Ma (b) the margins of the Mirovian and Mawson Oceans formed the locus of radiation for the Ediacaran fauna (c) the margins of the Iapetan and Mirovian oceans form the olenellid trilobite realm (d) the margins of the Mawson and Paleo-Asian oceans are the birthplace of the so-called Gondwana Province fauna (e) evolutionary events associated with the Cambrian radiation were likely driven by internal (biological) changes, but radiation was enhanced and ecosystems became more complex because of the geochemical, ecological and tectonic changes occurring during Ediacaran–Cambrian periods.     

皖赣相邻鄣公山地区新元古代地壳组成及造山过程

摘要：皖赣相邻的鄣公山地区位处江南造山带北缘,区内广布一套厚度巨大、低绿片岩相变质的以泥砂质细碎屑岩为主含少量火山物质的复理石建造体,大量高精度同位素测年数据显示,其形成于821-840Ma间的新元古代早期,以景德镇-鄣源-伏川区域断裂带为界,南部为形成于大陆边缘拉张构造环境下的溪口岩群;北部的双桥山群火山-陆缘细碎屑岩系是与岛弧有关盆地中的沉积物。北东-南西向展布于鄣公山北坡的蚀变枕状-块状基性火山熔岩、辉长岩、辉绿岩等基性岩类呈构造碎块或碎片产出于溪口岩群火山-陆缘细碎屑岩组成的复理石基质中,通过对其产出地质特征及岩石地球化学特征等的分析,认为其形成于低速扩张的陆缘小洋盆扩张脊环境,具初始洋壳基性岩特征,属皖南伏川蛇绿岩西延组成部分。呈夹层产出于双桥山群地层中的大量玻屑晶屑凝灰岩及少量安山岩、流纹岩等具相似的岩石地球化学特征,属中钾钙碱性岩石系列,形成于大陆边缘火山弧构造环境。综合区内沉积事件、岩浆事件和构造事件等,提出皖赣相邻区新元古代经历了古扬子板块东南缘裂开－陆缘小洋盆有限俯冲－弧陆碰撞造山－造山期后陆壳裂陷沉积的构造演化过程。     

川甘青复理石盆地地壳结构与演化

本文讨论川甘青复理石盆地的地质概况、地壳属性、形成机制和资源前景.这个地区是中央造山带中未发生陆-陆碰撞的构造单元,包括甘南、青海东及川西北的倒三角形地区,过去称为"松潘甘孜造山带".地壳波速结构的特点包括:①上地壳分两层,上层的波速较低的沉积岩层,厚度可达7km,波速小于6.0km/s;下层为结晶基底,波速6.0～6.2km/s.②中地壳为正常波速,但厚度较大,可达20km以上.③下地壳波速从6.6km/s随深度上升到7.3 km/s,厚度亦增加到20 km以上.上述特点的产生与复理石盆地形成时洋壳的俯冲有关.构造演化可分四个阶段,①洋壳俯冲阶段;②深水浊流沉积及等深流沉积阶段;③陆坡凸起沉积加剧阶段;④古特提斯洋封闭以后,地壳推挤成高原阶段.川甘青复理石盆地也许是中国大陆浅层油气勘探的最后希望.在盆地边部及西秦岭西延余脉,有良好的金矿资源开发前景.     

天山—蒙古—兴安变质地区的变质作用及地壳演化

本区属于西伯利亚地块和塔里木—中朝地块之间的古生代陆间地槽,经历了由活动—稳定—活化解体—再稳定的演化过程,可分为两大变质旋回。在前震旦纪变质旋回中,先后发生了太古期、早元古期和晚元古期变质作用,它们的热流值表现为由高到低的旋回性变化。在古生代变质旋回中,加里东期和华里西期变质作用广泛发育,它们的变质作用类型表现为多样性的特点,变质带则是具有由北部和南部边缘向内部迁移的现象。