Geochemistry and Petrogenesis of the Proterozoic Bandal Mafic Rocks,Himachal Pradesh,NW Himalaya

The Proterozoic Bandal mafic rocks, exposed in Kullu-Rampur window, Lesser Himalaya, Himachal Pradesh, indicate two distinct (high-Ti and low-Ti) magma types. The high-Ti basalts are characterised by high-TiO₂ (> 2 wt%), Ti/Y, Ti/Zr, TiO₂/K₂O and low Rb/Sr ratios. They are enriched in high field strength (HFS) elements (Nb, Zr, Ti) relative to low field strength (LFS) incompatible elements (K, Rb). The low-Ti basalts are charactersied by low TiO₂ (< 2 wt%), Ti/Y, Ti/Zr and high Rb/Sr and Rb/Ba ratios. Quartz-normative composition, continental tholeiite characteristics with Nb/La less than 1 are some of the common factors of the two groups of the Bandal mafic rocks. The trace element concentrations and their ratios of the two groups of the basalts indicate that they have been derived from the asthenosphere at different depths, low-Ti at shallow and high-Ti at deeper levels. Some of the chemical features like low Mg #, Cr, Ni, high incompatible element concentrations (especially Ba), light rare earth element (LREE) enriched patterns point towards assimilation and fractional crystallisation (AFC) process which may have played a significant role in the generation of these basalts.Furthermore, the Bandal mafic rocks, apart from field settings, are geochemically similar to other Proterozoic mafic bodies like the Rampur volcanics, Mandi-Darla volcanics, Garhwal volcanics and Bhimtal-Bhowlai volcanics of the Lesser Himalaya. This widespread Proterozoic continental tholeiitic magmatism over an area of 170,000 km² in the Lesser Himalaya provides an evidence of plume activity in the region.