Petrogenetic evolution of Lichi volcanics from Arunachal Himalaya, Northeast India: Insights from geochemical modelling

Abstract

The Lichi volcanic rocks crop out along the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) of the Arunachal Himalaya, northeast India are comprised primarily of sub‐alkaline basalt (SiO2 ranges from 48.66 to 50.62 wt%), with minor trachy‐andesite (SiO2 ranges from 57% to 61.42 wt%). The distribution of incompatible trace elements, low concentrations of large‐ion lithophile elements, and REE behaviour suggests an enriched nature of the studied rocks and limited influence of the crustal contamination during their evolution. Linear distribution trends of major oxide, consistent patterns of trace elements, and REEs on primitive mantle‐ and chondrite‐normalized diagrams suggest the cogenetic nature of mafic basaltic rocks and intermediate trachy‐andesite. The variation in Ti/Y (256.00–469.95) and Zr/Y (7.65–36.96) ratios indicates that garnet was present in the source. The well‐defined geochemical trends on variation diagram and the sub‐parallel trends on the chondrite‐normalized REE patterns suggest that fractional crystallization processes have played a major role in the evolution of parental magma. Petrogenetic modelling implies that the sub‐alkaline basalts and intermediate rocks were derived from low‐degree partial melting (1%–5%) of a garnet bearing peridotite source. The melt further evolved by fractional crystallization. We conclude that the geochemical attributes of the Lichi volcanics of the Arunachal Himalaya imply their emplacement in a continental extensional regime and possibly resulted from the Cretaceous Kerguelen plume activities.