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Petrography and geochemistry of carbonatite breccia from Amba Dongar carbonatite complex, Gujarat in the Deccan Large Igneous Province suggest mantle origin

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Abstract

Abstract

This study reports petrography, geochemistry, and δ13C and δ18O composition of carbonatite clasts in carbonatite breccias from the Amba Dongar carbonatite (ADC) complex in the Deccan Large Igneous Province. Petrography reveals early-emplacement of calcio- and ferro-carbonatite. The mineralogy and elemental abundances of calcio- and ferro-carbonatite clasts in breccias are similar to those of the later-formed ring dyke carbonatites, indicating a common source. In the δ13C–δ18O space, calciocarbonatite clasts and carbonatites of main ring dyke of Amba Dongar plot within the extended primary carbonatite field, indicating its mantle origin. Positive δ18O (>+10‰) values of clasts show the role of recycled crust and hydrothermal alteration. We propose a model for the origin of carbonatite breccia and later-formed ring dyke of ADC, in which a parental carbonated silicate melt forms carbonatite melt and silicate melt through liquid immiscibility at crustal depths, and intrusion of these melts forming dykes causes up-doming (stages I–III). In stages IV–VI, episodic evacuation of the carbonatite magma chamber initiates caldera subsidence leading to extensive brecciation of early-formed carbonatites. Later, the lateral spread of the magma chamber leads to the formation of the carbonatite ring dyke.

Research highlights

  • The δ13C and δ18O compositions of Amba Dongar carbonatite breccias and carbonatites of the ring dyke lie within the primary carbonatite field indicating its mantle origin.

  • Mineralogy and geochemistry of carbonatite clasts and carbonatites reveal a common source.

  • Evacuation of melt from magma chamber and regeneration of carbonatite melt initiates caldera subsidence and extensive brecciation of the subsurface carbonatite dykes.

  • Genesis of Amba Dongar complex is similar to that of the Alnö carbonatite complex.

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source for compositional fields for Amba Dongar calciocarbonatites and ferrocarbonatites are the same as figure 7. Data for calciocarbonatite (n = 5) from calciocarbonatite plugs and ankeritic carbonatite groundmass (n = 1) of carbonatite breccia from Siriwasan carbonatite complex are taken from Viladkar and Gittins (2016).

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Acknowledgements

JC and AU are grateful to Shri D U Vyas (General Manager), Mr S K Joshi (Dy General Manager), and Mr Shailesh R Patel (Survey Manager) of Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) for their kind assistance and hospitality during the fieldwork in Amba Dongar. JC thanks the Director of NGRI, and Dr C Manikyamba for granting permission to carry out the trace element analysis in the Geochemistry Division of NGRI, and Dr S S Sawant for assistance during trace element analysis using HR-ICPMS. We sincerely thank Jyotiranjan Ray and N V Chalapathi Rao for thoughtful and thorough reviews, which have significantly improved the clarity of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208 016, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Jyoti Chandra, Debajyoti Paul & Abhinav Uniyal

  2. CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500 007, Telangana, India

    Jyoti Chandra

  3. Geological Survey of India, Gandhinagar, 382 010, Gujarat, India

    Abhinav Uniyal

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Contributions

Debajyoti Paul and Jyoti Chandra conceived the idea, methodology and wrote the MS. Jyoti Chandra and Abhinav Uniyal did the petrographic, geochemical (major oxides), and stable C and O isotope analysis at IIT Kanpur. Jyoti Chandra carried out the literature review, data compilation, figure preparation, data interpretation and analyzed the trace element composition of carbonatite clasts. Abhinav Uniyal collected the samples, performed the measurements, prepared figures, and compiled data. All authors have contributed to the preparation of MS.

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Communicated by N V Chalapathi Rao

This article is part of the Topical Collection: Deccan Traps and other Flood Basalt Provinces – Recent Research Trends.

Supplementary materials pertaining to this article are available on the Journal of Earth System Science website (http://www.ias.ac.in/Journals/Journal_of_Earth_System_Science).

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Chandra, J., Paul, D. & Uniyal, A. Petrography and geochemistry of carbonatite breccia from Amba Dongar carbonatite complex, Gujarat in the Deccan Large Igneous Province suggest mantle origin. J Earth Syst Sci 131, 116 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-022-01861-w

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