TITLE:
Mineral Chemistry and Geochemistry as Proxy for Petrogenetic Evaluation of Charnockites: Evidences from Marandahalli, Salem Block of Southern India
AUTHORS:
Sunki Amarendhar, Valluri Sai Krishna Priya, Malintee Vittal, Madabhhoshi Srinivas
KEYWORDS:
Charnockite, Salem Block, Fractional Crystallization, Amphibolite, Marandahalli, Peninsular Gneissic Complex (PGC)
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Geology,
Vol.14 No.11,
November
27,
2024
ABSTRACT: The charnockites of Marandahalli, Dharmapuri District, Tamil Nadu India, form a part of the southern granulitic terrain in the Salem Block (SB). The charnockites are medium to coarse grained, inequigranular, with porphyroblastic and granophyric textures. They are composed of plagioclase feldspars (49 - 66 vol.%), K-feldspar (1 - 5 vol.%) and quartz (21 - 34 vol.%). The mafic minerals include pyroxene (2 - 7 vol.%) and biotite (1 - 12 vol.%). The accessory minerals include magnetite and apatite. Orthopyroxene compositions (MgO 16 - 22 wt.%) fall within the hypersthene series (En55.03Fs43.57Wo1.4) and yield peak metamorphic temperatures of 800˚C - 1000˚C. Biotites show K2O, MgO, FeO, TiO2, and Al2O3 concentrations consistent with magmatic formation, and Ti-in-biotite thermometry suggests temperatures of ~740˚C - 800˚C. Plagioclase compositions (An26-33) plot in the oligoclase field, while K-feldspar (Or93-99) plots in the orthoclase/microcline field. A ternary feldspar geothermometer indicates a retrograde temperature of 2 (65 - 68 wt.%), Na2O > K2O, high CaO (3 - 5 wt.%), MgO (2.5 - 4 wt.%) and Fe2O3 (2 - 6 wt.%). The concentration of V, Rb and Ni, and LREE-rich and HREE-depleted patterns of the rocks indicate low degree of partial melting.