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High-Ti type N-MORB parentage of basalts from the south Andaman ophiolite suite, India

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Abstract

A complete dismembered sequence of ophiolite is well exposed in the south Andaman region that mainly comprises ultramafic cumulates, serpentinite mafic plutonic and dyke rocks, pillow lava, radiolarian chert, and plagiogranite. Pillow lavas of basaltic composition occupy a major part of the Andaman ophiolite suite (AOS). These basalts are well exposed all along the east coast of southern part of the south AOS. Although these basalts are altered due to low-grade metamorphism and late hydrothermal processes, their igneous textures are still preserved. These basalts are mostly either aphyric or phyric in nature. Aphyric type exhibits intersertal or variolitic textures, whereas phyric variety shows porphyritic or sub-ophitic textures. The content of alkalies and silica classify these basalts as sub-alkaline basalts and alkaline basalts. A few samples show basaltic andesite, trachy-basalt, or basanitic chemical composition. High-field strength element (HFSE) geochemistry suggests that studied basalt samples are probably derived from similar parental magmas. Al2O3/TiO2 and CaO/TiO2 ratios classify these basalts as high-Ti type basalt. On the basis of these ratios and many discriminant functions and diagrams, it is suggested that the studied basalts, associated with Andaman ophiolite suite, were derived from magma similar to N-MORB and emplaced in the mid-oceanic ridge tectonic setting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Igneous Petrology Laboratory, Department of Geology, Banaras Hindu University, 221 005, Varanasi, India

    Rajesh K. Srivastava & Anant Shastry

  2. Department of Geology, Bundelkhand University, 284 128, Jhansi, India

    R. Chandra

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  1. Rajesh K. Srivastava
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  2. R. Chandra
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  3. Anant Shastry
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Srivastava, R.K., Chandra, R. & Shastry, A. High-Ti type N-MORB parentage of basalts from the south Andaman ophiolite suite, India. J Earth Syst Sci 113, 605–618 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02704025

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