Geochemistry and petrogenesis of ophiolitic rocks from the Indus Suture Zone (ISZ), Ladakh Himalaya: insights for depleted mantle beneath an intra-oceanic island arc complex

The Indus Suture Zone preserves the ophiolitic remnants of the eastern part of the Neo-Tethys Ocean. Parts of these ophiolitic remnants are exposed along the Khangral-Chiktan and Dras-Kargil road sections of western Ladakh. The observed rock types include ultramafic-mafic cumulates, gabbros, and volcanics emplaced as faulted blocks over the Mesozoic Dras arc complex. Geochemically, these rocks show sub-alkaline tholeiitic characteristics with basalt to basaltic-andesite compositional variation. Based on modal mineralogy, the ultramafic cumulates classify as olivine-websterite, the mafic cumulates as olivine-norite, and the gabbros as norite to hornblende-gabbro. The ultramafic cumulates depict depleted chondrite normalized REE patterns [(La/Yb)(N) = 0.6-1.1] while the mafic cumulates display depleted to enriched REE patterns [(La/Yb)(N) = 0.6-3.2]. Fractionated patterns are observed in gabbros [(La/Yb)(N) = 1.6-4.1], while flat and enriched chondrite normalized REE-patterns in volcanics [(La/Yb)(N) = 1.0-12.3] similar to NMORB, and EMORB. The multi-element patterns depict subduction-related geochemical characteristics such as enriched LILE and depleted HFSE compared to the primitive mantle. Presence of Mg-rich olivines, orthopyroxenes, and clinopyroxenes while Ti-poor clinopyroxenes in ultramafic-mafic cumulates reflect their derivation from previously depleted mantle sources at high-pressure and temperature comparable to the base of modern intra-oceanic island arc tholeiitic sequences. The studied rocks exhibit close similarity to an intra-oceanic subduction system contemporaneous to the Dras-Shergol-Suru-Thasgam ophiolitic slices of western Ladakh.

Automated summary

The Indus Suture Zone contains ophiolitic remnants of the Neo-Tethys Ocean in eastern part. These remnants are exposed in western Ladakh along the Khangral-Chiktan and Dras-Kargil road sections. The rocks observed include ultramafic-mafic cumulates, gabbros, and faulted volcanic blocks. Geochemically, these rocks exhibit sub-alkaline tholeiitic characteristics. They also show subduction-related geochemical features such as enriched LILE and depleted HFSE compared to the primitive mantle. The presence of Mg-rich olivines, orthopyroxenes, and clinopyroxenes in the ultramafic-mafic cumulates indicates their derivation from previously depleted mantle sources.