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Ubiquitous Chemical Signature in Khondalites of Eastern Ghats Granulite Belt, a Possible Explanation

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Journal of the Geological Society of India

Abstract

Khondalite, iteratively entangled with granitic leucosome, overwhelmingly represent a suprasolidus assemblage and a gross restitic signature, with negative K, Rb and Sr spikes, positive Cr spike, moderately enriched REE pattern and strong negative Eu anomaly. Moderate K/Rb ratio and weak or no HREE depletion of khondalite are ascribed to high grade metamorphism with dehydration melting signature, keeping aside feldspar and garnet as peritectic phase. Pristine geochemical sedimentary character of khondalite signifies a sand-shale alternation deposited in a passive margin basin, with large degree of reworking, and felsic igneous provenance. Age of sedimentation of khondalite is close to 1400 Ma. Anomalously high iron content of the khondalites could be attributed to the fact that pristine sediments of khondalite represent an anaerobic sediment above the chemocline, between oxic and anoxic sediments, originated in passive margin setting with a moderate to weak supply of detritus, in gradual proliferation of multicellular organism during Meso-Proterozoic time.

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Acknowledgement

The present work is the outcome of the DST project SR/S4/ES-381/2008. Financial support from the DST is thankfully acknowledged. Geochemical data are obtained from EPMA laboratory of GSI, CHQ, Kolkata, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun and University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Help from these laboratories are thankfully acknowledged. Valuable suggestion by Prof. S. Bhattacharya of Geological Studies Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, on an earlier version of the manuscript is thankfully acknowledged. J. K. College, Purulia and Department of Geology, University of Calcutta provided the fundamental infrastructure to complete the work. Editorial help and assistance during field work by Research Scholars of Calcutta University, namely, Anwesha Ghosh, Kiranjit Singh, Sanchari Chatterjee and Sandip Choudhuri are thankfully acknowledged. Fruitful comments from anonymous reviewers helped a lot to upgrade the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Geology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, 700 019, India

    Rajib Kar

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Kar, R. Ubiquitous Chemical Signature in Khondalites of Eastern Ghats Granulite Belt, a Possible Explanation. J Geol Soc India 99, 397–405 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-023-2323-z

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