Geochemistry and Tectonic Significance of Mafic Volcanic Rocks of the Hindoli Belt, Southeastern Rajasthan: Implications for Continent Assembly

Mafic volcanic rocks that occur within the sedimentary pile of the Hindoli Group were analyzed for major and trace elements (including REE) to establish tectonic setting of volcanism during the early Proterozoic history of the North Indian Craton. The mafic volcanics are sub-alkaline showing compositional variation from picrobasalt to basalt. They are LREE enriched with (La/Yb)(N) ratio ranging from 4.67-6.19 (avg. 5.27) and exhibit slightly concave REE patterns relative to chondrite. The multi-element patterns of these mafic volcanic rocks display relative enrichment in Th and LREE and negative anomalies of Nb and P. These geochemical characteristics are consistent with a subduction related origin. Various variation diagrams, involving immobile trace elements, distinguish the Hindoli lavas as arc basalt. However, their Ti and Nb contents are higher than those of subduction related magmas. Probably the wedge melting, along with mixing of rising asthenosphere might have produced these characteristics. It is suggested that the Hindoli basin originated by rifting of island-arc lithosphere, caused by rising plume in an extensional back arc region. Based on the results of the present geochemical study, it is proposed that in the early Proterozoic the Mewar block had an active-type continental margin on its present eastern side. The continental magmatic arcs and intra-arc basins developed on this margin were subsequently incorporated into the Mewar protocontinent. Possibly, the plate carrying the Bundelkhand block subducted beneath the eastern margin of the Mewar block, resulting in the final amalgamation of the two blocks along Great Boundary Fault zone or Banas Dislocation Zone. The arc related volcanism of north Indian shield at about 1850-1832 Ma, appears to represent the global subduction event, which resulted in the amalgamation and formation of Columbia supercontinent.