Geochemistry of late Archaean Jhiri Granite in the North Delhi Fold Belt: Petrogenesis and implications for crustal growth in Aravalli Craton of the Indian shield

The Neoarchaean Jhiri Granite (2.53 Ga) occurs as a small pluton in the North Delhi Fold Belt (NDFB) of Aravalli Craton. This pluton is made up of dark grey porphyritic granites with abundant mafic enclaves and shows a quartz monzonite composition. In the present contribution new geochemical data comprising major, and trace elements (including REE) of Jhiri Granite are reported and discussed to draw meaningful interpretations regarding its origin and crustal evolution in the northern part of the Indian shield. Most of the whole rock major and trace-element compositions suggest that the Jhiri Granite belongs to sanukitoid rock series, as well as show close affinities with 'high-Ti' sanukitoids. The origin of Jhiri Granite magma may be explained through a two-stage petrogenetic model: (1) melts and fluids derived from subducted oceanic slab and clay-rich terrigeneous sediments acted as metasomatic agents to react with overlying mantle wedge peridotite and were consumed to produce an enriched (metasomatized) assemblage and (2) subsequent melting of this metasomatised mantle source generated the high-Ti sanukitoid magma. The heat for melting of enriched (metasomatized) mantle source could be derived from upwelling mantle as a result of slab break-off and delamination. The wide distribution of sanukitoids in Aravalli and Bundelkhand cratons and similar petrogenetic conditions for their emplacement suggest the major role of subduction-accretion processes in building the ancient cratonic blocks of the Indian shield.

Automated summary

This study presents new geochemical data of the Neoarchaean Jhiri Granite in the North Delhi Fold Belt, along with a discussion on its origin and crustal evolution. The data suggests that the granite belongs to the sanukitoid rock series and has close affinities with 'high-Ti' sanukitoids. The two-stage petrogenetic model proposed explains the formation of the granite through the interaction of melts and fluids derived from subducted oceanic slab and clay-rich terrigeneous sediments with the overlying mantle wedge peridotite.