Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Clinopyroxene composition of volcanics from the Manipur Ophiolite, Northeastern India: implications to geodynamic setting

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The volcanic section of the Manipur Ophiolite (MO), representing the crustal portion of the Neo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere occurs as basalt, basaltic trachyandesite, and dacite in the Gamnom-Phangrei sector, Manipur, at 25°01′N–25°09′N and 94°24′E–94°27′E. They associate with cherts and ultramafics. The clinopyroxene compositions of basalt and basaltic trachyandesite, obtained through electron microprobe analyzer, were used as a petrogenetic indicator to identify the parent magma-types and their tectonic settings. Based on the variable content of major oxides, they are classified as high- and low-Ti clinopyroxenes. High Ti and Al contents with relatively lower silica saturation are observed in the former group and vice versa in the latter. The TiDCpx/rock values in low- and high-Ti clinopyroxene are comparable with island-arc basaltic andesite and MORB, respectively, which confirms that the clinopyroxene composition is primarily related to the host magma-type and its tectonic setting. Clinopyroxene thermometry (ranging 1150–605 °C) suggests progressive differentiation of the parent magmas. Several bivariate and tectonic discrimination diagrams depict MORB (non-orogenic setting) and island-arc boninitic magma affinities (orogenic setting) for the high- and low-Ti clinopyroxenes, respectively. The coexistence of both MORB and island-arc boninitic magma-types in the volcanic section of Manipur Ophiolite as characterized by their varying Ti, Al, and Si contents may indicate either juxtaposition of rocks formed in diverse tectonic settings (i.e., due to transformation of tectonic setting from mid-ocean ridge to supra-subduction zone) or, a change in magma composition in a subduction zone setting. However, field relationships coupled with the mineral–chemical signatures implies a supra-subduction zone setting for the evolution of the crustal section of MO.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acharya SK, Ray KK, Roy DK (1989) Tectono-stratigraphy and emplacement history of the ophiolite assemblage from the Naga Hills and Andaman Island arc India. J Geol Soc India 33:4–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Acharyya SK (2010) Tectonic evolution of Indo-Burma Range with special reference to Naga-Manipur Hills. Mem Geol Soc India 75:25–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Acharyya SK, Roy DK, Mitra ND (1986) Stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Naga Hills Ophiolite belt. Mem Geol Surv India 119:64–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Arndt NT, Fleet ME (1979) Stable and metastable pyroxene crystallization in layered komatite lava flows. Am Mineral 64:856–864

    Google Scholar 

  • Barberi F, Bizouard H, Varet J (1971) Nature of the clinopyroxene and iron enrichment in alkalic and transitional basaltic magmas. Contrib Mineral Petrol 33:93–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bébien J, Dimo-Lahitte A, Vergély P, Insergueix-Filippi D, Dupeyrat L (2000) Albanian ophiolites. I—magmatic and metamorphic processes associated with the initiation of a subduction. Ofioliti 25:39–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Beccaluva L, Piccardo GB, Serri G (1980) Petrology of the northern Apennine ophiolites and comparison with other Tethyan ophiolites. In: Panayiotou A (eds) Ophiolites. Proc Int Ophiolite Symp, Cyprus, 1979, Dep Geol Surv Cyprus, Nicosia, pp 314–331

  • Beccaluva L, Macciotta G, Piccardo GB, Zeda O (1989) Clinopyroxene composition of ophiolite basalts as petrogenetic indicator. Chem Geol 77:165–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beccaluva L, Coltorti M, Premti I, Saccani E, Siena F, Zeda O (1994) Mid-ocean ridge and supra-subduction affinities in ophiolitic belts from Albania. In: Beccaluva L (eds) Albanian ophiolites: state of the art and perspectives. Ofioliti 19:77–96

  • Beccaluva L, Coltorti M, Saccani E, Siena F (2005) Magma generation and crustal accretion as evidenced by supra-subduction ophiolites of the Albanide–Hellenide Subpelagonian zone. In: DilekY, OgawaY, BortolottiV, Spadea P (eds) Evolution of Ophiolites in Convergent and Divergent Plate Boundaries. The Island Arc Spec Issue 14:551–563

  • Bortolotti V, Marroni M, Pandolfi L, Principi G, Saccani E (2002) Interaction between mid-oceanic ridge and subduction magmatism in Albanian ophiolites. J Geol 110:561–576

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown GM (1967) Mineralogy of the basaltic rocks. In: Hess HH, Poldervaart A (eds) Basalts. Interscience, New York, pp 103–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron M, Papike JJ (1981) Structural and chemical variations in pyroxenes. Am Mineral 66:1–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Capedri S, Venturelli G (1979) Clinopyroxene composition of ophiolitic metabasalts in the Mediterranean area. Earth Planet Sci Lett 43:61–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chattyopadhyay B, Venkataramana P, Roy DK, Bhattacharyya S, Ghosh S (1983) Geology of Naga Hills Ophiolites. Rec Geol SurvIndia 112(2):59–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Coish RA, Taylor LA (1979) The effects of cooling rate on texture and pyroxene chemistry in DSDP Leg 34 basalt: a microprobe study. Earth Planet Sci Lett 42:389–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Curray JR, Moore DG, Lawver LA, Emmel FJ, Raitt EW, Henry M, Kieckhefer R (1979) Tectonics of the Andaman Sea and Burma. In: Watkins J, Montadert L, Dickinson P (eds) Geological and Geophysical Investigation of Continental Slopes and Rises. Mem Am Assoc of Petrol Geologists 29:189–198

  • Deer WA, Howie RA, Zussmann J (1978) Rock-forming minerals, 2A. Single-chain silicates. Wiley, New York, p 528p

    Google Scholar 

  • Dilek Y (2003) Ophiolite concept and its evolution. In: Dilek Y and Newcomb S (eds) Ophiolite concept and the evolution of geological thought. Boulder, Colorado. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap 373:1–16

  • Dilek Y, Furnes H (2009) Structure and geochemistry of Tethyan ophiolites and their petrogenesis in subduction rollback system. Lithos 113:1–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dilek Y, Furnes H (2011) Ophiolite genesis and global tectonics: geochemical and tectonic fingerprinting of ancient oceanic lithosphere. Geol Soc Am Bull 123:387–411

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dilek Y, Furnes H, Shallo M (2007) Suprasubduction zone ophiolite formation along the periphery of Mesozoic Gondwana. Gond Res 11:453–475

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwart A, Bryan WB, Gill JB (1973) Mineralogy and geochemistry of the younger volcanic islands of Tonga, SW Pacific. J Petrol 14:429–465

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fodor RV, Thiede J (1977) Volcanic breccias from DSDP site 357: implications for the composition and origin of the Rio Grande rise. In: Supko K, Perch-Nielson et al. Initial reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project 39:537-543

  • Furnes H, de Wit M, Dilek Y (2014) Four billion years of ophiolites reveal secular trends in oceanic crust formation. Geosci Front 5:571–603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gamble RP, Taylor LA (1980) Crystal/liquid partitioning in augite: effects of cooling rate. Earth and Planet Sci Lett 47:21–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gansser A (1980) The significance of the Himalayan suture zone. Tectonophysics 62:37–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia M (1975) Clinopyroxene composition, an indicator of magma type in altered volcanic rocks. Geol Soc Am Abstracts with program 7(7):1082–1083

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghose NC, Agarwal OP (1989) Geological framework of the central part of Naga Hills. In: Ghose NC (ed) Phanerozoic ophiolites of India and associated mineral resources. Sumna Publications, Patna, pp 165–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghose NC, Chatterjee N, Fareeduddin (2014) Sturcture and tectonics of the Naga Hills. In: Ghose NC, Chatterjee N, Fareeduddin (eds) A Petrographic atlas of ophiolite: an example from the Eastern India collision zone. Springer, pp 49–55

  • Ghosh B, Morishita T, Bhatta K (2013) Significance of chromian spinels from the mantle sequence of the Andaman ophiolite, India: paleogeodynamic implications. Lithos 164–167:86–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghosh B, Morishita T, Ray J, Tamura A, Mizukami T, Soda Y, Ovung TN (2017) A new occurrence of titanian (hydro) andradite from the Nagaland ophiolite, India: implications for element mobility in hydrothermal environments. Chem Geol 457:47–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoeck V, Koller F, Meisel T, Onuzi K, Kneringer E (2002) The Jurassic South Albanian ophiolites: MOR- vs SSZ-type ophiolites. Lithos 65:143–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hynes AJ (1974) Notes on the petrology of some ophiolites, Othris mountains, Greece. Contrib Mineral Petrol 46:233–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Imchen W, Patil SK, Rino V, Glenn TT, Pongen T, Rao BV (2015) Geochemistry, petrography and rockmagnetism of the basalts of Phek district, Nagaland. Curr Sci 108(12):2240–2249

    Google Scholar 

  • Koeberl C (1993) Instrumental neutron activation analysis of geochemical and cosmochemical samples: a fast and reliable method for small sample analysis. J Radio-Anal Nucl Chem 168:47–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kushiro I (1960) Si-Al relation in clinopyroxenes from igneous rocks. Am J Sci 258:548–554

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Bas MJ (1962) The role of aluminium in igneous clinopyroxenes with relation to their parentage. Am J Sci 260:267–288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leterrier J, Maury RC, Thonon P, Girard D, Marchal M (1982) Clinopyroxene composition as a method of identification of the magmatic affinities of paleo-volcanic series. Earth Planet Sci Lett 59:139–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lindsley DH (1983) Pyroxene thermometry. Am Mineral 68:477–493

    Google Scholar 

  • Lofgren G, Donaldson CH, Williams RJ, Mullins O, Usselman TM (1974) Experimentally produced textures and mineral chemistry of Apollo 15 quartz normative basalts. Geochim Cosmochim Acta Suppl 5(1):549–567

    Google Scholar 

  • Mader D, Koeberl C (2009) Using instrumental neutron activation analysis for geochemical analyses of terrestrial impact structures: current analytical procedures at the University of Vienna Geochemistry Activation Analysis Laboratory. Appl Radiat Isot 67:2100–2103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mevel C, Velde D (1976) Clinopyroxenes in Mesozoic pillow lavas from the French Alps: influence of cooling rate on compositional trends. Earth Planet Sci Lett 32:158–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell AHG (1981) Phanerozoic plate boundaries in mainland SE Asia, the Himalayas and Tibet. J Geol Soc London 138:109–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell AHG (1993) Cretaceous-Cenozoic tectonic events in the western Myanmar (Burma)–Assam region. J Geol Soc London 150:1089–1102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morimoto N (1988) Nomenclature of pyroxenes. Mineral Petrol 39:55–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nandy DR (1981) Tectonic pattern of northern India and adjoining region. Indian J Earth Sci 7(1):103–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Nisbet EG (1974) The geology of Neraida area, Othris mountains, Greece. Dissertation, University of Cambridge

  • Nisbet EG, Pearce JA (1977) Clinopyroxene composition in mafic lavas from different tectonic settings. Contrib Mineral Petrol 63:149–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oldham RD (1883) Report on the geology of parts of Manipur and Naga Hills. Mem Geol Surv India 19(4):216–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Ovung TN, Ray J, Teng X, Ghosh B, Paul M, Ganguly P, Sengupta S, Das S (2017a) Mineralogy of the Manipur Ophiolite Belt, North East India: implications for mid-oceanic ridge and supra-subduction zone origin. Curr Sci 112(10):2122–2129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ovung TN, Ray J, Ghosh B, Mandal D, Dasgupta P, Paul M (2017b) Occurrence of népouite in the serpentinite of the Manipur Ophiolite Belt, Northeastern India: implication for melt-rock interaction in a supra-subduction zone. J Geol Soc India (in press)

  • Papike JJ, White C (1979) Pyroxenes from the planetry basalts: characterization of “other” than quadrilateral components. Geophys Res Lett 6:913–916

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parlak O, Hock V, Delaloye M (2000) Suprasubduction zone origin of the Pozanti-Karsanti ophiolite (Southern Turkey) deduced from whole-rock and mineral chemistry of gabbroic cumulates. Geol Soc London Spec Publ 173:219–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearce JA (2003) Supra-subduction zone ophiolites: the search for modern analogues. In: Dilek Y, Newcomb S (eds) Ophiolite Concept and the Evolution of Geological Thought. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap 373: 269–293

  • Pearce JA, Lippard SJ, Robert S (1984) Characteristics and tectonic significance of supra-subduction zone ophiolite. In: Kokelaar BP, Howells MF (eds) Marginal Basin Geology. Geol Soc London Spec Publ 16:77–94

  • Saccani E, Photiades A (2004) Mid-ocean ridge and supra-subduction affinities in the Pindos Massif ophiolites (Greece): implications for magma genesis in a protoforearc setting. Lithos 73:229–253

  • Shervais JW (1982) Ti-V plots and the petrogenesis of modern and ophiolitic lavas. Earth Planet Sci Lett 59:101–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shervais JW (2001) Birth, death, and resurrection: The life cycle of suprasubduction zone ophiolites. Geochem, Geophys, Geosyst2:paper number 2000GC000080

  • Singh AK, Singh NI, Devi LD, Singh RKB (2008) Pillow basalts from the Manipur Ophiolite Complex (MOC) Indo-Myanmar Range. Northeast India. J Geol Soc India 72(2):168–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith D, Lindsley DH (1971) Stable and metastable augite crystallization trends in a single basalt flow. Am Mineral 56:225–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Son TH, Koeberl C (2005) Chemical variation within fragments of Australasian tektites. Meteorite Planet Sci 40:805–815

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun SS, McDonough WF (1989) Chemical and isotopic systematic of oceanic basalts: implications for mantle composition and processes. In: Saunders AD, Norray MJ (eds) Magmatism in the Ocean Basins. Geol Soc London Spec Publ 42:313–345

  • Tatsumi Y, Hamilton DL, Nesbitt RW (1986) Chemical characteristics of fluid phase released from a subducted lithosphere and origin of arc magmas: evidence from high-pressure experiments and natural rocks. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 29:293–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vallance TJ (1974) Pyroxenes and the basalt-spilite relation. In: Amstutz GC (ed) Spilites and spilitic rocks. Springer, Berlin, pp 59–68

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Verhoogen J (1962) Distribution of titanium between silicates and oxides in igneous rocks. Am J Sci 260:211–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

TNO thanks University of Vienna, Austria, for the Research invitation. She also acknowledges University Grants Commission (UGC), India for providing the Travel Grant for her Research visit to Vienna, Austria (NO.UGC/46/UPE/TRAVEL). Sincere gratitude is extended to Natural History Museum-Vienna, Austria, for the excellent facilities and warm hospitalities received during the Electron Probe Micro Analyses of the rock samples. This research work was financially supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi (Grant No: SR/S4/ES-389/2008). TNO, JR, BG, and MP carried out the fieldwork. TNO, JR, and BG conceived the idea and prepared the manuscript. CK, DT, and TNO performed the probe analyses. Dieter Mader and Peter Nagl are thanked for performing the whole rock analyses. Authors are grateful to T. Sarkar and one anonymous reviewer for their critical and constructive reviews that upgraded the quality of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Calcutta, 35 B.C. Road, Kolkata, 700 019, India

    Thungyani N. Ovung, Jyotisankar Ray, Biswajit Ghosh & Madhuparna Paul

  2. Department of Lithospheric Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Christian Koeberl

  3. Natural History Museum-Vienna, Burgring 7, 1010, Vienna, Austria

    Christian Koeberl & Dan Topa

Authors
  1. Thungyani N. Ovung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jyotisankar Ray
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Biswajit Ghosh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Christian Koeberl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Dan Topa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Madhuparna Paul
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thungyani N. Ovung.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 14 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ovung, T.N., Ray, J., Ghosh, B. et al. Clinopyroxene composition of volcanics from the Manipur Ophiolite, Northeastern India: implications to geodynamic setting. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 107, 1215–1229 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-017-1529-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-017-1529-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation