Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Insights into the Petrogenesis of Depleted Mantle Dunite from The Central Part of The Nagaland–manipur Ophiolites, North East India


Affiliations
1 Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun 248 001, India
2 National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Goa 403 804, India
3 Department of Geology, Kumaun University, Nainital 263 002, India
4 Department of Geology, Thoubal College, Thoubal 795 138, India
 

This communication presents results of mineral and whole-rock geochemistry of rarely occurred dunites in the central part of the Nagaland–Manipur Ophiolites (NMO), North East India, and discusses their genesis and tectonic evolution. These rocks are characterized by low concentration of average CaO (0.58 wt%), Al2O3 (0.42 wt%) and ΣREE (1.24 ppm), but high Mg# (0.91–0.92) and Cr# (0.61–0.73) values in chromian spinels. They exhibit a U-shaped REE pattern depleted in MREEs, which is equivalent to dunite composition, possibly part of a restite peridotite which underwent through extensive partial melting. The estimated degree of partial melting based on chromian spinel Cr# ranged from 20.04% to 20.70%. Low concentration of TiO2 (0.10–0.16 wt%) in chromian spinel in these dunites confirms no evidence of metasomatism. Therefore, we propose that dunites in the NMO represent the remnants of residual mantle wedge which underwent extensive partial melting in a subduction zone. Absence of metasomatism indicates no melt–wall rock interaction during the process of mantle melting and final obduction on the surface.

Keywords

Geochemistry, Dunite, Forearc, Ophiolite, Petrogenesis, Supra-Subduction.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Miyashiro, A., The Troodos ophiolitic complex was probably formed in island arc. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 1973, 19, 218–224.

  • Pearce, J. A., Alabaster, T., Shelton, A. W. and Searle, M. P., The Oman ophiolite as a Cretaceous arc-basin complex: evidence and implications. In Extensional Tectonics Associated with Convergent Plate Boundaries: A Royal Society Discussion (eds Vine, F. J. and Smith, A. G.), Royal Society of London, UK, 1981, pp. 299–317.

  • Portnyagin, M. V., Danyushevsky, L. V. and Kemenetsky, V. S., Coexistence of two distinct mantle sources during formation of ophiolites: a case study of primitive pillow-lavas from the lowest part of the volcanic section of the Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., 1997, 128, 287–301.

  • Saccani, E., Beccaluva, L., Coltorti, M. and Siena, F., Petrogenesis and tectono-magmatic significance of the Albanide–Hellenide ophiolites. Ofioliti, 2004, 29, 77–95.

  • Aldanmaz, E., Schmidt, M. W., Gourgaud, A. and Meisel, T., Mid-ocean ridge and suprasubduction geochemical signatures in spinel-peridotites from the Neotethyan ophiolites in SW Turkey: implications for upper mantle melting processes. Lithos, 2007, 113, 691–708.

  • Bedard, E., Hebert, R., Guilmette, C., Lesage, G., Wang, C. S. and Dostal, J., Petrology and geochemistry of the Saga and Sangsang ophiolitic massifs, Yarlung Zangbo Suture Zone, Southern Tibet: evidence for an arc-back-arc origin. Lithos, 2009, 113, 48–67.

  • Dilek, Y. and Furnes, H., Ophiolite genesis and global tectonics: geochemical and tectonic finger printing of ancient oceanic lithosphere. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 2011, 123, 387–411.

  • Sengupta, S., Acharyya, S. K., Vandenhul, H. J. and Chattopadhyay, B., Geochemistry of volcanic rocks from the Naga Hills Ophiolites, northeast India and their inferred tectonic setting. J. Geol. Soc. London, 1998, 146, 491–498.

  • Acharyya, S. K., Collisional emplacement history of the Naga– Andaman ophiolites and the position of the eastern Indian suture. J. Asian Earth Sci., 2007, 29, 229–242.

  • Singh, A. K., High-Al chromian spinel in peridotites of Manipur Ophiolite Complex, Indo-Myanmar Orogenic Belt: implication for petrogenesis and geotectonic setting. Curr. Sci., 2009, 96, 973– 978.

  • Singh, A. K., Petrology and geochemistry of abyssal peridotites from the Manipur ophiolite complex, Indo-Myanmar orogenic belt, Northeast India: implication for melt generation in midoceanic ridge environment. J. Asian Earth Sci., 2013, 66, 258–276.

  • Singh, A. K., Devi, L. D., Singh, N. I., Subramanyam, K. S. V., Bikramaditya, R. K. and Satyanarayanan, M., Platinum-group elements and gold distributions in peridotites and associated podiform chromitites of the Manipur Ophiolitic Complex, Indo-Myanmar Orogenic Belt, Northeast India. Chem. Erde – Geochem., 2013, 73, 147–161.

  • Ao, A. and Bhowmik, S. K., Cold subduction of the Neotethys: the metamorphic record from finely banded lawsonite and epidote blueschists and associated metabasalts of the Nagaland Ophiolite Complex, India. J. Metamorph. Geol., 2014, 32, 829–860.

  • Singh, A. K., Khogenkumar, S., Singh, L. R., Bikramaditya, R. K., Khuman Ch. M. and Thakur, S. S., Evidence of mid-ocean ridge and shallow subduction forearc magmatism in the Nagaland– Manipur ophiolites, northeast India: constraints from mineralogy and geochemistry of gabbros and associated mafic dykes. Chem. Erde – Geochem., 2016, 76, 605–620.

  • Khogenkumar, S., Singh, A. K., Bikramaditya Singh, R. K., Khanna, P. P., Singh, N. I. and Singh, W. I., Coexistence of MORB and OIB-type mafic volcanics in the Manipur Ophiolite Complex, Indo-Myanmar Orogenic Belt, northeast India: implication for heterogeneous mantle source at the spreading zone. J. Asian Earth Sci., 2016, 116, 42–58.

  • Zaccarini, F., Singh, A. K. and Garuti, G., Platinum Group Minerals and silicate inclusions in chromitite from the Naga–Manipur Ophiolite Complex, Indo-Myanmar Orogenic Belt, Northeast India. Can. Mineral., 2016, 54(2), 409–427.

  • Rajkakati, M., Bhowmik, S. K., Ao, A., Ireland, T. R., Avila, J., Clarke, G. L., Bhandari, A. and Aitchison, J. C., Thermal history of Early Jurassic eclogite facies metamorphism in the Nagaland Ophiolite Complex, NE India: new insights into pre-Cretaceous subduction channel tectonics within the Neo-Tethys. Lithos, 2019, 346–347, 105166.

  • Mitchell, A. H. G., Phanerozoic plate boundaries in mainland SE Asia, the Himalayas and Tibet. J. Geol. Soc. London, 1981, 138, 109–122.

  • Bhattacharjee, C. C., The ophiolites of northeast India – a subduction zone ophiolite complex of the Indo-Myanmar Orogenic belt. Tectonophysics, 1991, 191, 213–222.

  • Ghose, N. C., Agrawal, O. P. and Chatterjee, N., Geological and mineralogical study of eclogite and glaucophane schists in the Naga Hills Ophiolite, Northeast India. Island Arc, 2010, 19, 336– 356.

  • Singh, A. K., Singh, N. I., Devi, L. D. and Singh, R. K. B., Geochemistry of Mid-Ocean Ridge mafic intrusives from the Manipur Ophiolitic Complex, Indo-Myanmar Orogenic Belt, NE India. J. Geol. Soc. India, 2012, 80, 231–240.

  • Singh, A. K., Singh, N. I., Devi, L. D. and Singh, R. K. B., Pillow basalts from the Manipur Ophiolitic Complex (MOC), Indo-Myanmar Range, Northeast India. J. Geol. Soc., 2008, 72, 168–174.

  • Droop, G. T. R., A general equation for estimating Fe3+ concentrations in ferromagnesian silicates and oxides from microprobe analyses, using stoichiometric criteria. Mineral. Mag., 1987, 51, 431–435.

  • Batanova, V. G., Belousov, I. A., Savelieva, G. N. and Sobolev, A. V., Consequences of channelized and diffuse melt transport in supra-subduction zone mantle: evidence from the Voykar Ophiolite (Polar Urals). J. Petrol., 2011, 52(12), 2483–2521.

  • Wu, W., Yang, J., Dilek, Y., Milushi, I. and Lian, D., Multiple episodes of melting, depletion, and enrichment of the Tethyan mantle: petrogenesis of the peridotites and chromitites in the Jurassic Skenderbeu massif, Mirdita ophiolite, Albania. Lithosphere, 2017, 10(1), 54–78.

  • Tartarothi, P., Supini, S., Nimis, P. and Ottolini, L., Melt migration in the upper mantle along the Romanche fracture zone (Equatorial Atlantic). Lithos, 2002, 63, 125–149.

  • Cocomazzi, G., Grieco, G., Tartarotti, P., Bussolesi, M., Zaccarini, F., Crispini, L. and Oman Drilling Project Science Team, The formation of dunite channels within Harzburgite in the Wadi Tayin Massif, Oman Ophiolite: insights from compositional variability of Cr-spinel and olivine in holes BA1B and BA3A, Oman Drilling Project. Minerals, 2020, 10(2), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/min10020167.

  • Dick, H. J. B. and Bullen, T., Chromian spinel as a petrogenetic indicator in abyssal and alpine type peridotites and spatially associated lavas. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., 1984, 86, 54–76.

  • Michael, P. J. and Bonatti, E., Peridotite composition from the North Atlantic: regional and tectonic variations and implications for partial melting, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 1985, 73, 91–104.

  • Arai, S., Characterization of spinel peridotites by olivine–spinel compositional relationships: review and interpretation. Chem. Geol., 1994, 113, 191–204.

  • Hellebrand, E., Show, J. E., Dick, H. J. B. and Hofmann, A. W., Coupled major and trace elements as indicators of the extent of melting in the midocean-ridge peridotites. Nature, 2001, 410, 677–681.

  • Ozawa, K., Ultramafic tectonite of the Miyamori ophiolitic complex in the Kitakami Mountains, northeast Japan: hydrous upper mantle in an island arc. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., 1988, 99, 159– 175.

  • Arai, S., Chemistry of chromian spinel in volcanic rocks as a potential guide to magma chemistry. Mineral. Mag., 1992, 56, 173–184.

  • Maurel, C. and Maurel, P., E’tude expe’rimental de la distribution de l’aluminium entre bain silicate basique et spinelle chromife’re. Implications pe’trogenetiques: teneur en chrome des spinelles. Bull. Mineral., 1982, 105, 197–202.

  • Wilson, M., Igneous Petrogenesis: A Global Tectonic Approach, Unwin Hyman, London, UK, 1989, p. 446.

  • Rollinson, H., The geochemistry of mantle chromitites from the northern part of the Oman ophiolite: inferred parental melt compositions. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., 2008, 156, 273–288.

  • Kamenetsky, V. S., Crawford, A. J. and Meffre, S., Factors controlling chemistry of magmatic spinel: an empirical study of associated olivine, Cr-spinel and melt inclusions from primitive rocks. J. Petrol., 2001, 42, 655–671.

  • Ravikant, V., Pal, T. and Das, D., Chromites from the Nidar ophiolite and Karzok complex, Trans Himalaya, eastern Ladakh: their magmatic evolution. J. Asian Earth Sci., 2004, 24, 177–184.

  • Ghosh, B., Pal, T., Bhattacharya, A. and Das, D., Petrogenetic implications of ophiolitic chromite from Rutland Island, Andaman – a boninitic parentage in supra-subduction setting. Mineral. Petrol., 2009, 96, 59–70.

  • Singh, A. K., Chung, S. L., Bikramaditya, R. K. and Lee, H. Y., New U–Pb zircon ages of plagiogranites from the Nagaland– Manipur Ophiolites, Indo-Myanmar Orogenic Belt, NE India. J. Geol. Soc., London, 2017, 174, 170–179.

  • Azimzadeh, A. M., Zaccarini, F., Moayyed, M., Garuti, G., Thalhammer, O. A. R., Uysal, I. and Mirmohammadi, M., Magmatic and post-magmatic significance of chromitite and associated platinumgroup minerals (PGM) in the Eastern Khoy ophiolitic complex (NW Iran). Ofioliti, 2011, 36, 157–173.

  • González-Jiménez, J. M., Proenza, J. A., Gervilla, F., Melgarejo, J. C., Blanco-Moreno, J. A., Ruiz-Sánchez, R. and Griffin, W. L., High-Cr and high-Al chromitites from the Sagua de Tánamo district, Mayarí-Cristal Ophiolitic Massif (eastern Cuba): constraints on their origin from mineralogy and geochemistry of chromian spinel and platinum-group elements. Lithos, 2011, 125, 101–121.

  • Vidyadharan, K. T., Joshi, A., Ghose, S., Gaur, M. P. and Sukla, R., Manipur Ophiolites. Its geology, tectonic setting and metallogeny. In Phanerozoic Ophiolites of India (ed. Ghose, N. C.), Sumna Publication, Patna, 1989, pp. 197–212.

  • Pearce, J. A., Barker, P. F., Edwards, S. J., Parkinson, I. J. and Leat, P. T., Geochemistry and tectonic significance of peridotites from the South Sandwich arc-basin system, South Atlantic. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., 2000, 139, 36–53.


Abstract Views: 288

PDF Views: 124




  • Insights into the Petrogenesis of Depleted Mantle Dunite from The Central Part of The Nagaland–manipur Ophiolites, North East India

Abstract Views: 288  |  PDF Views: 124

Authors

A. Krishnakanta Singh
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun 248 001, India
S. Khogenkumar
National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Goa 403 804, India
Santosh Kumar
Department of Geology, Kumaun University, Nainital 263 002, India
L. Romendro Singh
Department of Geology, Thoubal College, Thoubal 795 138, India
S. S. Thakur
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun 248 001, India

Abstract


This communication presents results of mineral and whole-rock geochemistry of rarely occurred dunites in the central part of the Nagaland–Manipur Ophiolites (NMO), North East India, and discusses their genesis and tectonic evolution. These rocks are characterized by low concentration of average CaO (0.58 wt%), Al2O3 (0.42 wt%) and ΣREE (1.24 ppm), but high Mg# (0.91–0.92) and Cr# (0.61–0.73) values in chromian spinels. They exhibit a U-shaped REE pattern depleted in MREEs, which is equivalent to dunite composition, possibly part of a restite peridotite which underwent through extensive partial melting. The estimated degree of partial melting based on chromian spinel Cr# ranged from 20.04% to 20.70%. Low concentration of TiO2 (0.10–0.16 wt%) in chromian spinel in these dunites confirms no evidence of metasomatism. Therefore, we propose that dunites in the NMO represent the remnants of residual mantle wedge which underwent extensive partial melting in a subduction zone. Absence of metasomatism indicates no melt–wall rock interaction during the process of mantle melting and final obduction on the surface.

Keywords


Geochemistry, Dunite, Forearc, Ophiolite, Petrogenesis, Supra-Subduction.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv120%2Fi8%2F1381-1388