The Jugsaipatna Anorthosite Complex, Eastern Ghats Belt, India: Magmatic lineage and petrogenetic implications

Abstract

The Jugsaipatna Anorthosite Complex (JAC) in the Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt (India) comprises a central anorthosite – leuconorite – troctolitic norite core mantled by a rim of high-Al gabbronorite (HAG). Small dykes of ferrodiorite occur in the core region of the JAC. A lensoidal body of eucritic gabbronorite occurs in contact with leuconorite and outer gabbronorite rim. Baring ferrodiorites, the mafic members such as HAG, troctolitic norite and eucritic gabbronorite are not known in other anorthosite complexes of this high grade belt. The HAG is characterised by high Al 2O 3 content (17 wt.%), enriched ΣREE and LREE, absence of ‘Eu-anomaly’ and negative Sr anomaly and is, therefore inferred to be the source melt for the JAC suite of rocks. The eucritic gabbronorite comprising An-rich plagioclase and high-Al pyroxenes has a komatiitic affinity with high Cr–Ni contents and primitive REE patterns. Troctolitic norite, leuconorite and anorthosite are interpreted to be cumulate rocks fractionated from the HAG. The ferrodiorite with enriched Fe, Ti, P, Zr and REE abundances and a prominent ‘negative Eu’ anomaly corresponds to the residual melt of the plagioclase (+pyroxene) dominated fractionates that comprise anorthosite-leuconorite.