3.35Ga komatiite volcanism in the western Dharwar craton, southern India: constraints from Nd isotopes and whole-rock geochemistry

Abstract

We present field, petrographic, Sm–Nd whole-rock isochron and whole-rock geochemical data for komatiites from Sargur Group greenstone belts of the western Dharwar craton. Field evidence such as pillow structure indicates their eruption in a marine environment. Petrographic data reveal that the igneous mineralogy has been altered during post-magmatic hydrothermal alteration processes corresponding to greenschist- to lower amphibolite facies conditions with rarely preserved primary olivine and orthopyroxene. A 16-point Sm–Nd whole-rock isochron gives an age of 3352 ± 110 Ma for the timing of eruption of komatiite lavas. About 60% of the studied komatiite samples show Al-depletion whilst the remaining are Al-undepleted. The Al-depleted komatiites are characterised by high CaO/Al₂O₃ ratios (1.01–1.34) and low Al₂O₃/TiO₂ (5–16) whereas Al-undepleted komatiites show lower CaO/Al₂O₃ ratios (0.59–0.99) and higher Al₂O₃/TiO₂ (17–26). Trace element distribution patterns of komatiites suggest that most of the primary geochemical and Nd isotopic compositions are preserved with only minor influence of post-magmatic alteration processes and negligible crustal contamination. The chemical characteristics of Al-depleted komatiites, such as high (Gd/Yb)N together with lower HREE, Y, Zr and Hf, imply their derivation from deeper upper mantle with garnet (majorite?) involvement, whereas lower (Gd/Yb)N slightly higher HREE, Y, Zr and Hf suggest derivation from shallower upper mantle without garnet involvement. The observed chemical characteristics (CaO/Al₂O₃, Al₂O₃/TiO₂, MgO, Ni, Cr, Nb, Zr, Y, Hf, REE) indicate derivation of the komatiite magmas from different depths in a plume setting, whereas sub-contemporaneous felsic volcanism and TTG accretion can be attributed to an arc setting. In order to explain the spatial association of komatiite volcanism with contemporaneous mafic-felsic volcanism and TTG accretion we propose a combined plume-arc setting. Nd isotope data of the studied komatiites indicate depleted mantle reservoirs which may have evolved by early (>4.53 Ga) global differentiation of the silicate Earth as suggested by Boyet and Carlson [Boyet, M., Carlson, R.W., 2005. ¹⁴²Nd evidence for early (>4.53 Ga) global differentiation of silicate Earth. Science 309, 577–581] or extraction of continental crust during the early Archaean.