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Geochemistry and petrogenesis of tholeiitic dykes from the Chotanagpur Gneissic Complex, eastern India

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In this study, we present the geochemical analysis on 14 samples from seven distinct E–W trending mafic dykes from the Chotanagpur Gneissic Complex. These dykes have not been studied previously and highlight the importance of igneous and tectonic processes in the Chotanagpur Gneissic Complex. The dykes, in terms of modal mineralogy, do not show notable variations, but textural variations are well noticed. These dykes are characterised as basalt and basaltic andesite (SiO2 = 45.48–54.03 wt.%; Mg# = 21–68.5), and comparable with E-MORB type tholeiitic magma series. The dykes are classified into two groups, low Mg# and high Mg# dykes, based on their Mg# and silica content. The major fractionating mineral phases are olivine, plagioclase, and pyroxene. The dykes are variably contaminated with crustal input, as shown by Nb/U vs. (Th/Nb)PM, Th/Nb vs. La/Nb, and Th/Yb vs. Nb/Yb. The dykes also underwent post-magmatic hydrothermal alteration after their emplacement. Semi-quantitative trace element modelling suggests that these dykes are derived by partial melting within spinel peridotite-rich mantle and spinel–garnet peridotite-rich mantle source in the transition zone. The low Mg# dykes are consistent with 3–15% partial melting curves, whereas high Mg# dykes are comparable with 15% melting curve. Finally, we present a conceptual and simplified model for the E–W trending mafic dykes of the CGC, based on the geochemical data of the present study and the available information.

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Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5

taken from Sun and McDonough (1989).

Figure 6

taken from Sun and McDonough (1989).

Figure 7
Figure 8

taken from shellnutt et al. (2018).

Figure 9

source diagrams for CGC dykes: (a) (Gd/Yb)M vs. (La/Sm)M variation diagram discriminate between spinel and garnet mantle source (Rogers et al. 2018) (M= Primitive normalised); (b) Th/Ta vs. La/Yb variation plot (Condie 1989) showing E-MORB affinity of CGC dykes. Primitive mantle (PM), E-MORB, and OIB values are taken from Sun and McDonough (1989).

Figure 10
Figure 11

modified by hydrothermal alteration once they were exposed to the surface.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dr V M Tiwari, Director, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad for his permission to publish these results. The UGC-JRF supported in the form of Fellowship to RP and AP, and the GEOMET project funds were utilised to conduct fieldwork. Dr M Ram Mohan is thanked for suggestions and fruitful discussions during the preparation of the MS. Drs M Satyanarayanan and A Keshav Krishna are acknowledged for their guidance in the geochemical analytical work. We sincerely acknowledge the constructive comments by the Journal reviwers which improved the quality of the manuscript. Editorial handling by Prof N V C Rao is gratefully acknowledged. This study forms a part of the doctoral thesis of RP. This is CSIR-NGRI contribution no. NGRI/Lib/2020/ Pub-185.

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Rahul Patel: Carried out the fieldwork; sample preparation for geochemistry; data interpretation and initial and final draft preparation. Ravi Shankar: Contributed in fieldwork; data interpretation and write-up of the initial and final version. D Srinivasa Sarma: Designed the study; guided the analytical work, contributed in the write-up of the final version, and overall supervision of the work. Aurovinda Panda: Contributed in fieldwork; data interpretation and write-up of the initial and final version.

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Correspondence to D Srinivasa Sarma.

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Patel, R., Shankar, R., Sarma, D.S. et al. Geochemistry and petrogenesis of tholeiitic dykes from the Chotanagpur Gneissic Complex, eastern India. J Earth Syst Sci 130, 160 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-021-01646-7

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