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Geochemistry and petrogenesis of the Palampur metavolcanics, Lesser Himachal Himalaya, India

Geochemie und Petrogenese der Palampur Metavulkanite, Lesser Himachal Himalaya, Indien

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Summary

The Palampur metavolcanics (PV) in the northwest Himalaya are part of the Late Archaean (2.5 Ga) Rampur flood basalt province (RFBP) which represents one of the oldest manifestation of worldwide mafic magmatism. The volcanics occur as mafic lava flows with evidence of two phases of deformation. The first phase resulted in recrystallisation which almost completely obliterated the primary mineralogy, and the second phase was of weak cataclasis. Immobile trace element ratios as well as cation percent Al - (Fe - Ti) - Mg indicate that the volcanics are tholeiitic in composition. The chemical characteristics, such as the decoupling between HFS and LIL elements i.e., distinct negative Sr, Nb and Ti anomalies in the double normalisation ratios spiderdiagram together with low Ti/Y and Zr/Y ratios, testify the rocks as low-Ti continental flood basalts. The chemical variations in the volcanics can be related to varying extents of partial melting of the mantle source(s), followed by fractional crystallisation (predominantly olivine and clinopyroxene over plagioclase). Positive correlation between LREE and Fe abundances, Ce-Nd and Y/Nd-Zr/Y data preclude any significant role of crustal contamination in the evolution of their bulk chemistry. The REE data and [Mg]-[Fe] relations rather suggest that the parental magma of the PV derived from non-pyrolitic source(s) which was heterogeneous with respect to enrichment in Zr, LREE and Fe/Mg ratios. Mantle metasomatism appears to be the main process of such source enrichment, possibly caused by the addition of a volatilerich silicate melt phase.[/ p]

Zusammenfassung

Die Palampur Metavulkanite (PV), im nordwestlichen Himalaya, gehören zur spätarchaiischen (2.5 Ga) Rampur Plateau-Basalt-Provinz (RFBP), die einen der ältesten, weltweiten Phasen von mafischem Magmatismus manifestiert. Die Vulkanite treten als mafische Lavaströme auf und zeigen zwei Phasen von Deformation. Die erste resultierte in einer Rekristallisation, die nahezu den gesamten primären Mineralbestand überprägt hat. Die zweite Phase ist durch schwache Kataklase repräsentiert. Immobile Spurenelementverhältnisse, wie auch die Kationenprozent von Al- (Fe- (-Ti) -Mg, deuten eine tholeiitische Zusammensetzung der Vulkanite an. Die chemischen Charakteristika, die im unterschiedlichen Verhalten der HFS und LIL Elemente deutlich werden, deutlich negative Sr, Nb und Ti Anomalien in den zweifach normalisierten Spiderdiagrammen, niedrige Ti/Y und Zr/Y Verhältnisse, bezeugen, dass es sich um Ti-arme, kontinentale Plateaubasalte handelt. Die chemischen Unterschiede innerhalb der Vulkanite können auf unterschiedliche Grade von Aufschmelzung des (der) Mantelmaterials(e), gefolgt von fraktionierter Kristallisation (vor allem Olivin und Klinopyroxen, untergeordnet Plagioklas), zurückgeführt werden. Positive Korrelation der LREE mit Fe, wie auch die Ce-Nd und Y/Nd-Zr/Y Daten schließen eine signifikante Rolle von Krustenkontamination in der Evolution der Gesteinschemie aus. Die REE Daten und die /Mg/-/Fe/ Verhältnisse lassen eher vermuten, dass das Ausgangsmagma der PV von einem nicht-pyrolitischen Material stammt, welches bezüglich Anreicherung an Zr, LREE und Fe/Mg Verhältnis heterogen gewesen ist. Mantelmetasomatose scheint der Hauptprozeß für diese Anreicherng des Ausgangsmaterials gewesen zu sein, die möglicherweise durch Zufuhr einer silikatischen Schmelzphase, reich an flüchtigen Bestandteilen, hervorgerufen wurde.[/ p]

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  1. Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160 014, India

    N. Chaudhri &  B. Joseph

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  1. N. Chaudhri
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Chaudhri, N., Joseph, B. Geochemistry and petrogenesis of the Palampur metavolcanics, Lesser Himachal Himalaya, India. Mineralogy and Petrology 59, 189–205 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01161859

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