The petrology and geochemistry of massif anorthosites and gabbros of the Bavali fault zone, North Kerala

Abstract

The massif anorthosites and gabbros occurring in the north Kerala region are localised along the Bavali fault. Several other bodies of granophyres and syeites also occupy this fault. All these bodies are considered to be a continuous graduating igneous series. This paper aims at delineating the field relations, petrochemistry and origin of massif anorthosites and gabbros occurring in the vicinity of the fault.

Anorthosites (An 70-55) are nonlayered and highly deformed with no igneous structure present. Gabbros show relict poikilitic texture with a mineralogy of plagioclase, clinopyroxene, hornblende and biotite. Geochemical study suggests dominantly calc-alkaline characteristics for both anorthosites and gabbros. However, their chemical variation is not transitional to indicate evolution by continuous differentiation from a single parent magma. The rock types seem to be chemically unrelated and appear to have evolved independently from discreet magma sources and the magma migration might have only been promoted by the Bavali lineament.