Enriched and depleted arc basalts, with Mg-andesites and adakites: A potential paired arc–back-arc of the 2.6 Ga Hutti greenstone terrane, India

Abstract

The ∼2.6 Ga Hutti greenstone belt is one of several Neoarchean greenstone terranes of the eastern Dharwar Craton. There are prevalent mafic volcanic flows with subordinate felsic volcanic units and siliciclastic sedimentary rocks. All lithologies show variable intensities of submarine hydrothermal alteration, polyphase deformation and greenschist to amphibolite grade metamorphism, yet pillow, cumulus, and other primary volcanic features are locally preserved. Well exposed interlayered metabasalts, Mg-andesites (MA), and felsic flows outcrop along an 11 km sector in the SE of the terrane. Based on combined petrographic and geochemical characteristics, two tholeiitic basalt populations have been identified within the metabasalts: (1) those with enriched LREE at 20–50 times chondrite, and (2) an depleted LREE population at 12–20 times chondrite. The former has fractionated LREE, where (La/Sm) N = 1.2–1.7, but flat HREE, and negative anomalies at Nb, P, and Ti relative to neighbouring REE. The latter has lower absolute abundances of compatible and incompatible elements, mildly fractionated LREE, smaller anomalies at Nb, P, and Ti, with (Gd/Yb) N = 1.1–1.6. Several samples have the “N-MORB” signature of LREE depletion coupled with positive Nb anomalies. On the Th/Yb vs. Nb/Yb discrimination diagram depleted basalts plot near the MORB field whereas enriched basalts overlap the backarc and arc fields, consistent with a paired arc–back-arc. Mg-andesites feature SiO 2 57–61 wt.%, multielement pattens similar to enriched basalts, coupled with Cr, Co, Ni contents greater than “normal” andesites. Felsic volcanic rocks are characterized by low Y, high (La/Yb) N , and Zr/Sm, but low Nb/Ta, with zero to positive Eu anomalies, thus conforming to most of the compositional criteria of Archean and Phanerozoic adakites. Similar associations of enriched and depleted arc basalts, with adakites, are known from Neoarchean greenstone terranes of the Superior Province. During intraoceanic subduction, slab dehydration-wedge melting generated arc basalts whereas slab melting-wedge hybridization, generated adakites and Mg-andesites.