The Dir-Utror metavolcanic sequence, Kohistan arc terrane, northern Pakistan

Abstract

The Dir-Utror volcanic series forms a NE–SW trending belt within the northwestern portion of the Kohistan island arc terrane in the western Himalayas of northern Pakistan. The Kohistan arc terrane comprises a diverse suite of volcanic, plutonic, and subordinate sedimentary rocks of late Mesozoic to Tertiary age, developed prior to and after suturing of the Indo-Pakistan and Asiatic continental blocks. The Dir-Utror volcanic series near Dir is dominated by basaltic-andesite and andesite, with subordinate basalt, high-MgO basalt, dacite, and rhyolite. Porphyritic textures are dominant, with less common aphyric and seriate textures. Plagioclase is the dominant phenocryst in mafic to intermediate rocks, K-feldspar and quartz phenocrysts predominate in the dacites and rhyolites. Chlorite, epidote, albite, and actinolite are the most common metamorphic phases; blue-green amphibole, andesine, muscovite, biotite, kaolinite, sericite, carbonate, and opaques are widespread but less abundant. Phase assemblages and chemistry suggest predominant greenschist facies metamorphism with epidote-amphibolite facies conditions attained locally. Whole rock major element compositions define a calc-alkaline trend: CaO, FeO, MgO, TiO 2, Al 2O 3, V, Cr, Ni, and Sc all decrease with increasing silica, whereas alkalis, Rb, Ba, and Y increase. MORB-normalized trace element concentrations show enrichment of the low-field strength incompatible elements (Ce, La, Ba, Rb, K) and deep negative Nb, P, and Ti anomalies—patterns typical of subduction related magmas. Mafic volcanic rocks plot in fields for calc-alkaline volcanics on trace element discrimination diagrams, showing that pre-existing oceanic crust is not preserved here. All rocks are LREE-enriched, with La=16–112×chondrite, La/Lu=2.6–9.8×chondrite, and Eu/Eu*=0.5–0.9. Dacites and rhyolites have the lowest La/Lu and Eu/Eu* ratios, reflecting the dominant role of plagioclase fractionation in their formation. Some andesites have La/Lu ratios which are too high to result from fractionation of the more mafic lavas; chondrite-normalized REE patterns for these andesites cross those of the basaltic andesites, indicating that these lavas cannot be related to a common parent. The high proportion of mafic lavas rules out older continental crust as the main source of the volcanic rocks. The scarcity of more evolved felsic volcanics (dacite, rhyolite) can be explained by the nature of the underlying crust, which consists of accreted intra-oceanic arc volcanic and plutonic rocks, and is mafic relative to normal continental margins. Andesites with high La, La/Lu, K 2O, and Rb may be crustal melts; we suggest that garnet-rich high-pressure granulites similar to those exposed in the Jijal complex may be restites formed during partial melting of the crust.