Petrology of Palaeoarchaean mafic-ultramafic rock suites of the western Iron Ore Group, Singhbhum Craton, eastern India, using the chemistry of minerals

Author(s)
Madhuparna Paul, Jyotisankar Ray, Christian Koeberl, Suresh C. Patel, Janisar M. Sheikh, C. Manikyamba, Moumita Gayen, Nibedita Bhattacharjee
Abstract

The petrogenesis of Palaeoarchaean mafic-ultramafic rock suites from the western Iron Ore Group, Singhbhum Craton, eastern India, has been evaluated based on the chemistry of constituent mineral phases. The rock suites include basaltic rocks and mafic (gabbro) to ultramafic (serpentinized peridotite) intrusive rocks, which occur in host rocks covering phyllite, ferruginous shale, banded haematite quartzite and jasper. The constituent clinopyroxene shows dominant uralitization, whereas plagioclase grains are generally saussuritized, being marked by relatively tiny granular aggregates of albite, chlorite, epidote and K-feldspar. The ultramafic intrusive rocks are overwhelmingly serpentinized. Clinopyroxene compositions are augitic, whereas relict plagioclase is typically bytownite. Amphiboles of the investigated rock suites are divisible into the 'uralite' type (occurring peripherally to clinopyroxene) and the 'completely changed-over amphibole' type (with no traces of initial clinopyroxene). Both the amphibole types belong to the 'calcic group', showing a compositional spectrum from actinolite-magnesiohornblende-ferrohornblende-ferroactinolite. Opaque minerals include magnetite (both Cr-magnetite and Al-magnetite), chromite (Al-chromite) and ilmenite, whereas serpentine (belonging to the ultramafic intrusive rocks) corresponds to lizardite. Looking at the mineral compositions of the pyroxene, glass and amphibole, the studied rock suites show a wide equilibration temperature-pressure domain range (∼750 °C to ∼1400 °C at ∼0.26 kbar to ∼21 kbar), which corresponds to an ascending magma that underwent a 'hydration event' at a shallow level. The assessment of the clinopyroxene and spinel chemistry characteristically suggests an arc setting for the parent magma that has undergone both equilibrium and fractional crystallization in the course of magmatic evolution. During differentiation, the magmatic density remains almost constant, with variable oxygen fugacity.

Organisation(s)
Department of Lithospheric Research
External organisation(s)
University of Calcutta, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Pondicherry University, National Geophysical Research Institute India
Journal
Geological Magazine
Volume
160
Pages
667-684
No. of pages
18
ISSN
0016-7568
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016756822001170
Publication date
04-2023
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
105105 Geochemistry
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Geology
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/e51dbcc2-f795-44e5-b067-b75469143b74