Cancrinite-Tinguaite and K-Rich Trachyte in the Nongcharam-Darugiri Area of East Garo Hills District, Meghalaya : A Preliminary Study

Rocks of alkaline affinity, namely cancrinite-tinguaite and K-rich trachyte occur as dykes in the Plecambrian gneissic and migmatitic country rocks in the Nongcharam. Darugiri area of the East Garo Hills district Meghalaya Cancrinite-tinguaite is characterized mineralogically by the presence of phenocrysts of high temperature K-feldspar cancrinite nepheline aegirine-augite aeggitine, diopside, biotite and occasional barkevikite in a groundmass consisting of K-feldspar albite anorthoclase, aegirinec aegirinec-augite, nepheline, cancrinite, sodalite and chlorite and chemically by an agpaitic index' of about 1 2 K-rich trachyte exhibits porphytitic texture, and is chemically characterized by low NaO(0 45 wt %), high K₂O(13 25 wt %) resulting to high K ₄O/Na₂O ratio of nearly 3.

This occurrence of alkaline and related rocks together With the earlier reported occurence of an alkaline-carbonatite complex from the nearby Wah Sung valley, Meghalaya points to an alkaline phase of magmatic activity in this part of the Indian subcontinent.