International Research Journal of Geology and Mining (IRJGM) (2276-6618) Vol. 3(6) pp. 213-223, July, 2013 Available online http://www.interesjournals.org/IRJGM Copyright©2013 International Research Journals Full Length Research Paper A subduction zone geochemical characteristic of the newer dolerite dykes in the singhbhum craton, Eastern India *1Akhtar R Mir, 2Shabber H Alvi, 3V. Balaram, 1Fayaz A. Bhat, 1Sumira Z. and 2Shamim A. Dar 1 Department of Earth Sciences,University of Kashmir, Srinagar, 19006, India 2 Department of Geology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, India 3 National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, 500007, India Abstract Newer Dolerite Dykes (NDD) traverses the Singhbhum Granitoid Complex (SGC) in distinct orientations viz., NNE-SSW, NNW-SSE and E-W, among which the NNE-SSW trend is the most dominant. These dykes are subalkaline in nature and show compositional variation from basalt through basaltic andesite to andesite. The relationship shown by various oxides against MgO is consistent with fractional crystallization of a mafic magma. Variations in major elements, particularly SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, TiO2 contents, and CaO/TiO2 and Al2O3/TiO2 ratios in the studied dykes indicates that their Ca and Al are held in the residual mantle phases such as clinopyroxene, plagioclase, spinel and garnet. Low Ni and highly variable Cr values suggest that olivine and clinopyroxene fractionation controlled the abundances of Ni and Cr in these rocks. The high (La/Yb)N and (Gd/Yb)N in combination with relatively low HREE abundance of the Newer Dolerites dykes suggest that they may have formed by low degrees of partial melting of a garnet bearing source. The higher Th/Zr, Rb/Y, Ba/Nb and Ba/Th ratios of these dykes suggest that their mantle source was enriched/ metasomatised by slab derived fluids. Their geochemical characteristics particularly Ti/Y, Zr/Y, Th/Nb, Ba/Nb, La/Nb, (La/Sm)PM are similar to subduction zone basalts that occur along the plate margin. The enriched LREE-LILE and depletion of high-field strength elements (HFSE) especially Nb, P and Ti and detectable slab-derived components of the studied dykes are all features typical for subduction zone-related petrogenesis. Keywords: Newer dolerite dykes, singhbhum craton, basalt geochemistry, back-arc basalts. INTRODUCTION Precambrian mafic dykes occur in a wide variety of geological and tectonic settings (Hall and Hughes, (1987), Le Cheminant and Heaman, (1989), Parker et al., (1990), Baer and Heimann, (1995), Ernst and Buchan, (2001), Hanski et al., (2006), Bleeker and Ernst, (2006), Subba Rao et al., (2008), Srivastava, (2011)) and their detailed study through space and time is imperative for an understanding of global geodynamic processes and they provide a constructive window to monitor mantle evolution and changing magmatic style (Tarney, (1992; Hall and Hughes, 1993; Srivastava, 2011). Dykes and dyke swarms, having different orientations, are conspicuous and important features in all of the *Corresponding Author Email: mirakhtar.r@gmail.com Proterozoic protocontinents of the Indian Shield, viz. Aravalli-Bundelkhand, Dharwar, Bastar-Bhandara, and the Singhbhum Protocontinents (Naqvi, 2005; Srivastava et al., 2008; Hou et al., 2008; Mir et al., 2011). The Singhbhum Craton (SC) contains several types of granitoids, metasedimentary rocks including banded iron formations (BIF), and mafic volcanic and intrusive rocks. It is a classic region for the study of different stages of Precambrian crust-mantle evolution. Proterozoic magmatism in the SC is manifested mainly as mafic metavolcanic suites and dyke swarms. Various dykes of mafic to felsic composition intrude the Singhbhum Granitoid Complex, and are collectively referred to as the Newer Dolerite Dykes in the geological literature (Dunn, 1940; Saha, 1994; Mahadevan, 2002). The most common trend of these dykes is NNE-SSW and NW-SE. They traverse a number of rock types, including the 214 Int. Res. J. Geo. Min. Table 1. Magmatic event stratigraphy of the eastern Indian shield (after, Alvin and Raza,1992) Age Middle Proterozoic Early Proterozoic Late Archaean Formation Dolerite dyke across Chakradpur Granite; Phase II Dalma metavolcanic rocks (unconformably overlying the meta- Sedimentary rocks of Singhbhum orogenic belt) Dhanjori/Ongarbira/Jagannathpur volcanic rocks and dolerite dykes across Singhbhum Granite; Phase I Bonai range metavolcanic rocks (occurring at the base of the Koira-Noamundi BIF sequence) Gorumahisani-Ukampahar metabasic rocks (intrusive into and extrusive onto the GorumahisaniBadampahar BIF sequence). Gorumahisani-Badampahar BIF, Gorumahisani greenstones, and the Bonai Granite, but do not cut across Paleoproterozoic rock suites on the periphery of the Singhbhum Granitoid Complex (SGC) — specifically the Noamundi-Koira BIF, Dhanjori, Ongarbira and Jagannathpur metavolcanic suites (Banerjee, 1982). Geochemical data on these dykes are a prerequisite for a better understanding of the tectono-magmatic evolution of the Singhbhum Craton. The magmatic event stratigraphy of the eastern Indian Shield (Banerjee, 1982; Alvi and Raza, 1992) is presented in Table 1. Geology of the area The eastern Indian shield comprises the Chotanagpur Granite-Gneiss Complex (CGGC) in the north, the Singhbhum Craton (SC) in the south and the E-W trending Singhbhum Mobile Belt (SMB) between the two. The SC is roughly a triangular shaped region, bounded by the arcuate shaped Singhbhum Shear Zone (SSZ) on the north, the Sukinda thrust on the south, and Tertiary sediments of the Bengal Basin to the east. A major part of the craton is occupied by the 3.2 Ga to 2.8 Ga Singhbhum Granitoid Complex (Moorbath et al., 1986; Figure 1). The complex is made up of at least twelve separate magmatic bodies that are considered to have been emplaced during two major phases of magmatism (Saha, 1994). The early granitoid phase has an age of 3.25 ± 0.05 Ga based on an eight point Pb/Pb whole rock isochron (Moorbath et al., 1986). Available ages for the later phase of the Singhbhum granitoids are 3.06 Ga (Pb/Pb whole rock) and 2.9 Ga (Rb/Sr whole rock) compiled by Saha (1994). The SGC is bordered by BIF belts such as the Gorumahisani-Badamphar in the east, the Tomka-Daiteri in the south and southwest and the Noamundi-Koira in the west. Metavolcanic and metasedimentry rocks of the 3.3 Ga Older Metamorphic Group (OMG), the oldest recognized unit in this craton (Sharma et al., 1994) occur as enclaves ranging in size from a few square meters to several hundred square km. The Dhanjori metavolcanic suite (the Dhanjori Group of Dunn and Dey, 1942) is present along the eastern margin of the Singhbhum shear zone. The metavolcanic rocks were originally considered to be 2072 ± 106 Ma old (Sm/Nd isochron; Roy et al., 2002), but a later study has shown them to be older —ca. 2858 ± 17 Ma old by whole rock Pb/Pb dating and 2787 ± 270 Ma by Sm-Nd (CHUR) model (Misra and Johnson, 2005). A younger suite of volcanic rocks, the calc-alkaline Jagannathpur suite, is a remarkably fresh or little metamorphosed volcanic assemblage that is well exposed in the vicinity of Noamundi and Jagannathpur (Figure 1). These rocks are younger than the BIF Noamundi-Koira sequence occurring farther east (Banerjee, 1982). Geochemical studies of Jagannathpur lava flows have suggested that they are calc-alkaline basalts and represent an early arc volcanism (Alvi and Raza, 1991). The Jagannathpur lavas have been dated around 1629 ± 30 Ma by (K/Ar; Saha, 1994) and 2250 ± 81 Ma by Pb/Pb whole rock isochron method (Misra and Johnson, 2005). Newer Dolerite dykes have not been observed to intrude the Jagannathpur suite. It, therefore, appears that it is either equivalent in age or younger than the Newer Dolerite dykes (NDD). NDD traverses within the Singhbhum Granitoid Complex having a NNE-SSW to NE-SW as dominant trend and NW-SE and E-W as subsidiary trends (Mallick and Sarkar, 1994; Saha, 1994; Mir et al., 2011). The most common rock types are quartz dolerites and norites, however Granophyre, microgranite, syenodiorite are rarely found with the Newer dolerites and minor ultramafic intrusions are much subordinate to the Newer dolerites. Most significant of the ultramafic intrusions are those of Keshargaria. The NDD marks the termination of cratonization in the Singhbhum crustal province. However, consistent geochronological data of these dykes are lacking (K–Ar ages range from 923 to 2144 Ma; Saha 1994). According to Mallick and Sarkar (1994), the available data (mostly K–Ar ages) apparently indicate three pulses of mafic intrusive activity, viz. 2100+100, 1500+100 and 1100+200 Ma. However, Roy et al. (2004) suggested that the associated ultramafic members are 2613+177 Ma (Rb–Sr isochron age) and claimed that these ultramafic members of the NDD swarm attest to the oldest stabilization event of all of the cratonic blocks of India. Nevertheless, the genetic relation of mafic and ultramafic dykes is not clear. Whether these two compositionally different (mafic and Mir et al. 215 Figure 1. Simplified geological map of the Singhbhum Craton after (Iyengar and Murthy, 1982) ultramafic) sets of dykes represent two independent, temporally distinct magma sources and had different emplacement histories. Petrography The NDD are characterized by ophitic to sub-ophitic textures. The essential mafic minerals are pyroxenes (20% to 77%) and plagioclase of labradorite composition (30% to 76%). Euhedral to subhedral tabular plagioclase phenocrysts display lamellar twinning, and saussuritization in some samples. The clinopyroxene is mainly augite in the form of euhedral to subhedral prismatic phenocrysts. It is colourless to pale brown and occasionally shows Carlsbad twining. Quartz (0.5% to 3%) is present as subhedral to anhedral crystals. Accessory minerals are opaques, apatite, and rutile. Micropegmatitic material is observed along some grain boundaries of feldspars. Analytical techniques Newer Dolerite Dyke samples collected from Rairangpur (Latitude 22º15′N: Longitude 86º10′E), Haludphukur (Latitude 22º36′ N: Longitude 86º08′E), Jashipur (Latitude 21º58′N: Longitude 86º4′E) and Chaibasa (Latitude 22º34′N: Longitude 85º49′E), Rairangpur, Chaibasa and Haludpukhor areas lie near the border region of the Singhbhum Granitoid Complex, while Jashipur area lies towards the interior of the Singhbhum Granitoid Complex (Figure1 done at), the least altered samples were selected for whole-rock major and trace element analyses. Whole rock geochemical analysis was National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad. Major elements were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) using fused pellets. The pellets were backed with boric acid. Trace elements including REE were determined by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS; Perkin Elmer, Sciex ELAN DRC II). All of the available data were standardized against the international reference rock standard JB-2. The procedure, precision and detection limits are the same as given by Balaram and Gnaneshwara Rao (2003). 216 Int. Res. J. Geo. Min. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Geochemical characteristics The major element and trace element (including REE) data of the studied dykes is given in Table 2. Major element data is given in wt. % and trace element data in parts per million.These samples have SiO2, TiO2, MgO, Al2O3, Fe2O3, CaO, K2O and Na2O in the range of (45.8858.79), (0.27-2.24) , (6.61-21.91), (9.55-12.32), (8.2517.23), (5.86-8.78), (0.29-0.84) and (0.83-2.75) respectively. They show compositional variation from basalt through basaltic andesite to andesite (Figure 2; Le Bas, 2000) and their tholeiitic nature is shown by AFM (A=Na2O+K2O, F=FeO*, M=MgO) diagram (Figure 3). In addition, Nb/Y ratios (< 0.7) indicate that the magma of these rocks had subalkaline affinity (Pearce and Gale, 1977). However, some samples such as J4B, J4C, C2, C16 and C17 have geochemical characters such as, high-SiO2 (>52%), high MgO (>8%) and low-TiO2 (<0.5%), similar to those found in boninitic rocks (Crawford et al., 1989; Hall and Hughes, 1990; Le Bas, 2000; Smithies, 2002; Srivastava, 2006, 2008). Crustal contamination and fractional crystallization Generally in dykes the degree of crustal contamination is negligible or absent in comparison to volcanic rocks (Tarney and Weaver, 1987), though, prior to the interpretation of geochemical data of the studied dykes it is necessary to identify the effects of post-igneous alteration processes on the rock chemistry. The low values of Na2O and K2O (Table 2) and least scattering of these oxides against MgO (Figure 4) preclude major element mobility in the studied rocks. Large ion lithophile elements (LILE) are generally considered as mobile during secondary processes like metamorphism, metasomatism and hydrothermal alterations (Pearce and Cann, 1973; Seewald and Seyfried, 1990; Verma, 1992; Condie and Sinha, 1996), however, Th is believed to be either immobile or less mobile even during high degrees of alteration (Lafleche et al., 1992). High field strength elements (HFSE; such as Ti, Zr, Y, Nb, P, REE etc.) are thought to be relatively immobile during hydrothermal alteration and mid-amphibolite facies metamorphic conditions (Pearce and Cann, 1973; Winchester and Floyd, 1976; Floyd and Winchester, 1978; Rollinson, 1993; Jochum and Verma, 1996). Here, the effect of alteration on LILE concentrations is verified by using Rb/Sr ratio. Since Rb/Sr ratio is very low (0.007) in least altered mafic rocks and very high (8) in highly altered mafic rocks (Lafleche et al., 1992), hence, low Rb/Sr ratio (0.05 to 0.48) in investigated ND dykes do not specify any major effects of post-igneous processes on primary concentrations of LILE. SiO2 abundances cover a wide compositional range in the studied dykes from 45.88 to 58.79 wt. %. MgO contents range from 6.61 to 21.91 wt. % in these dykes. Variations in geochemical analyses are generally examined with respect to MgO content or total Mg number (Mg # = molar 100 Mg / Mg + Fe ). Decreasing values of MgO or Mg# (Table 2) in the Newer Dolerites reflect fractionation of liquidus or near liquidus ferromagnesian phases (Wilson, 1989). Various binary diagrams (Figure 4) have been plotted to assess the evolution of the NDD mafic magmas. MgO has been taken as the reference oxide because of its wide range of values and important behavior during fractional crystallization of mafic melts. The studied dykes show systematic increases in SiO2, Na2O, Fe2O3, Al2O3 and TiO2, with decreasing MgO. Whereas, CaO and K2O shows decreasing trends with the decrease of MgO (Figure 4). These variations are consistent with fractional crystallization of a mafic magma wherein major mineral constituents had fractionated and minor minerals like apatite, titanite, ilmenite had crystallized at later stages. Ni (9–125 ppm) and Cr (31–733 ppm) concentrations do not meet requirements for primary mantle melts (Ni > 200 ppm, Cr > 400 ppm), which together with the range of Mg no. (80–43) in the studied dykes implies processes of fractional crystallization of olivine and pyroxenes. Trends shown by Al2O3 and CaO against MgO may be suggestive of plagioclase crystallization. Variation of high field strength elements such as Zr, Hf, Nb, Nd, Ce and Y against MgO is shown in Figure 5. All these elements show negative correlation with MgO which is consistent with crystallization of minor minerals at advanced stages of crystallization (Srivastava, 2012). Source characteristics Studied NDD samples except J4G and R6 show enriched chondrite-normalized light rare earth element patterns (LREE; (La/Sm)n = 0.88 to 3.00) and fractionated heavy rare earth element (HREE; (La/Yb)n = 1.06 to 4.80) profiles (Figure 6a). The higher than Chondrite (La/Yb)n, (Gd/Yb)n values and lower than Chondrite Al2O3/TiO2 values, in combination with relatively low HREE abundance of the studied dykes, suggest that they may have been formed by low degrees of partial melting of a garnet-bearing source (Mir et al., 2010). Magmas that erupted at destructive plate boundaries are commonly considered to be derived from mantle sources previously more depleted than the sources of mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB), and are subsequently enriched by a subduction component in island arcs (Knittel and Oles 1995). Magmas erupted in supra-subduction related environments are predominantly enriched in LILEs (Rb, Mir et al. 217 Table 2. Major and trace element data of the Newer Dolerite Dykes from the Singhbhum-Orissa Craton, Eastern India Sample SiO2 TiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 MgO CaO Na2O K2O MnO P2O5 Total Mg #. Ni Cr Co V Sc Pb Zn Cu Ga Rb Sr Ba Zr Nb Ta Y U Th Hf Cs La Ce Pr Nd Ce Sm Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Lu Ti P CaO/Al2O3 Zr/Y La/Nb Th/Ta Th/Yb Ta/Yb Ti/Y (Ce/Yb)N J4B 53.29 0.5 9.65 12.59 15.25 6.48 1.31 0.72 0.17 0.03 100 71 44 389 58 176 28 4 68 75 13 42 103 186 59 3.55 0.22 18 0.43 3.67 1.51 4.15 10.99 24.34 2.48 12.14 24.34 2.60 3.09 0.49 2.71 0.57 1.85 0.31 0.26 2998 131 0.67 3.28 3.10 16.68 2.16 0.13 167 3.71 J4C 58.79 0.44 11.66 10.04 9.39 6.81 2.11 0.58 0.14 0.03 100 65 30 147 46 146 24 4 67 61 15 26 244 273 49 3.60 0.23 19 0.25 2.68 1.26 1.59 12.52 28.12 2.88 14.84 28.12 2.97 3.43 0.55 2.86 0.62 1.98 0.34 0.26 2638 131 0.58 2.58 3.48 11.65 1.46 0.13 139 3.96 C2 55.86 0.29 12.32 8.56 12.16 7.75 2.2 0.7 0.13 0.02 100 74 39 115 43 125 24 7.63 59 76 13 28 193 174 42 2.66 0.17 14 0.15 1.63 1.08 0.75 7.98 17.46 1.71 8.58 17.46 1.82 2.27 0.39 2.11 0.47 1.47 0.24 0.20 1739 87 0.63 3.00 3.00 9.59 1.23 0.13 124 3.40 C16 53.87 0.27 10.35 8.25 16.51 8.78 1.34 0.48 0.14 0.02 100 80 43 225 49 128 27 6.64 57 22 9 20 126 117 43 1.86 0.12 13 0.09 1.06 1.10 0.52 5.38 12.27 1.26 6.53 12.27 1.53 1.93 0.34 1.95 0.42 1.33 0.24 0.19 1619 87 0.85 3.31 2.89 8.83 0.85 0.10 125 2.56 C17 57.61 0.47 10.42 10.94 10.35 7.21 2.04 0.79 0.15 0.03 100 65 31 186 50 157 27 8.02 80 66 13 39 112 143 52 7.33 0.46 26 0.33 3.85 1.33 0.84 17.56 38.69 3.70 17.52 38.69 3.68 4.45 0.72 3.91 0.85 2.72 0.48 0.38 2818 131 0.69 2.00 2.40 8.37 1.52 0.18 108 3.95 J4A 53.08 1.4 10 17.23 8.54 7.42 1.75 0.29 0.21 0.07 100 50 18 83 54 271 37 4 118 85 15 21 116 59 90 5.26 0.33 36 0.09 1.73 2.31 1.99 7.05 18.49 2.25 13.77 18.49 3.88 5.35 0.98 5.52 1.20 3.81 0.65 0.52 8393 306 0.74 2.50 1.34 5.24 0.49 0.09 233 1.36 J4E 52.84 1.55 11.43 15.71 7.82 7.60 2.33 0.43 0.18 0.12 100 50 24 92 59 304 32 4 118 147 17 20 133 159 101 6.84 0.43 43 0.16 1.74 2.59 1.55 12.53 31.84 3.71 21.35 31.84 5.50 6.89 1.21 6.66 1.42 4.44 0.74 0.61 9292 524 0.66 2.35 1.83 4.05 0.43 0.11 216 2.02 J4F 53.59 1.6 11.4 15.52 6.99 7.69 2.48 0.42 0.18 0.13 100 47 22 81 62 309 32 4 106 149 18 20 136 72 103 7.25 0.45 44 0.16 1.86 2.64 1.71 13.06 33.34 3.89 22.33 33.34 5.81 7.11 1.25 6.87 1.48 4.56 0.79 0.64 9592 567 0.67 2.34 1.80 4.13 0.44 0.11 218 2.02 J4G 52.37 1.3 11.79 14.23 8.59 8.08 2.75 0.48 0.15 0.26 100 54 9 31 44 326 16 4 97 71 18 45 483 37 109 1.84 0.12 18 0.02 0.16 2.79 2.81 7.86 23.00 3.00 18.95 23.00 4.44 4.98 0.68 3.29 0.64 1.82 0.26 0.18 7794 1135 0.69 6.06 4.27 1.33 0.13 0.10 433 4.73 R4 53.09 2.24 10.64 17.05 6.61 6.72 2.33 0.74 0.19 0.39 100 43 18 42 59 399 32 4 123 101 19 49 158 228 133 10.91 0.68 62 0.25 2.87 3.41 2.95 22.43 56.38 6.48 37.12 56.38 8.97 10.83 1.80 9.53 2.02 6.27 1.04 0.82 13429 1702 0.63 2.15 2.06 4.22 0.52 0.12 217 2.63 R6 51.89 1.33 10.84 16.17 9.65 7.21 2.27 0.39 0.2 0.05 100 54 25 105 59 288 33 4 120 106 16 21 147 79 96 3.36 0.21 33 0.05 0.52 2.46 0.75 4.81 13.64 1.77 11.46 13.64 3.46 4.66 0.87 5.05 1.10 3.46 0.59 0.46 7973 218 0.67 2.91 1.43 2.48 0.17 0.07 242 1.15 R7 45.88 0.31 9.55 13.22 21.91 7.52 0.83 0.58 0.18 0.02 100 77 125 733 74 141 33 3 59 50 9 27 219 179 47 0.92 0.06 13 0.05 0.49 1.21 0.78 3.13 7.02 0.73 3.88 7.02 0.87 1.27 0.25 1.65 0.41 1.48 0.27 0.25 1858 87 0.79 3.62 3.40 8.17 0.31 0.04 143 1.14 R10 54.61 0.92 10.70 14.12 9.03 7.69 2.29 0.44 0.17 0.04 100 56 32 74 63 250 32 4 78 130 15 24 181 108 83 2.47 0.15 18 0.08 0.95 2.13 1.60 5.96 14.55 1.63 9.54 14.55 2.33 3.08 0.52 2.85 0.59 1.89 0.31 0.24 5515 175 0.72 4.61 2.41 6.33 0.56 0.09 306 2.22 R12 52.13 1.46 10.41 14.25 12.82 5.86 2.43 0.43 0.17 0.05 100 64 69 255 57 298 23 5 80 123 21 29 547 130 99 6.17 0.39 27 0.31 3.68 2.54 0.71 15.27 36.70 4.21 23.60 36.70 5.60 6.18 0.95 4.71 0.92 2.66 0.42 0.31 8753 218 0.56 3.67 2.47 9.44 1.71 0.18 324 4.42 H1 51.54 0.5 10.71 12.34 15.41 6.98 1.48 0.84 0.17 0.03 100 71 67 462 60 171 27 4 65 78 13 36 149 151 57 2.74 0.17 19 0.10 1.36 1.46 0.81 8.56 19.55 2.03 10.80 19.55 2.54 3.10 0.54 2.94 0.64 1.90 0.34 0.25 2998 131 0.65 3.00 3.12 8.00 0.77 0.10 158 2.88 218 Int. Res. J. Geo. Min. Figure 2. Total Alkali Silica (TAS) diagram after (Le Bas, 2000) for the classification of the Newer Dolerite Dykes Figure 3. Na2O+K2O-FeO*-MgO (AFM) triangular diagram showing Fe-enrichment (tholeiitic) trend in the Newer Dolerite Dykes. Boundary line between calc-alkaline and tholeiitic fields is after Irvine and Baragar, 1971 Ba, Th, K,) relative to HFSEs (Nb, Zr, Ti) because of mobile and immobile nature of LILEs and HFSEs respectively. The studied ND dykes show sharp negative Nb and Ti anomalies relative to Th, La and Ce (Figure 6b). Most conspicuous features of this diagram are the positive anomaly of Th and negative anomaly of Nb; these features are considered to represent a subduction zone component (Wood 1980; Pearce 1983). The troughs at Sr, P, and Ti could be related to residual plagioclase, apatite, and Fe–Ti oxides or the earlier removal of Fe–Ti phases. In addition to these features, studied dykes are characterized by relatively higher Zr/Y (2.00–6.06), Th/Ta (1.33–16.68), Th/Yb (0.13–2.16) and Ta/Yb (0.04–0.18) ratios than normal mid-ocean ridge basalts (2.64, 0.75, 0.04 and 0.052, respectively; Sun and McDonough, 1989). These features are similar to some subduction-related basalt, back-arc basalts and the more enriched type of mid-ocean ridge basalts (Saunders and Tarney, 1984; Sun and McDonough, 1989). The enriched LREE and LILE and depleted HFSE geochemical signatures of majority of studied dykes is due to subduction-induced mantle metasomatism (Mir et al., 2010). The fluid released from the dehydrating slab + sediment is normally hydrous with CO2 and chloride. Such acidic medium will readily carry LILE like Rb, Sr and Ba at the expense of HFSE like Zr, Hf and Nb (Downes, 2001). But Rb is much less acidic and will thereby, under normal conditions, have higher concentration compared Mir et al. 219 Figure 4. MgO vs. various major element oxide plots for the Newer Dolerite Dykes Figure 5. MgO vs. various high field strength element plots for the Newer Dolerite Dykes 220 Int. Res. J. Geo. Min. Figure 6a. Chondrite Normalized pattern of the Newer Dolerite Dykes. Normalizing values are after Taylor and McLennan (1985) Figure 6b. Primitive mantle normalized patterns for the Newer Dolerite Dykes. Normalizing values are after Sun and McDonough (1989) to Ba. Therefore, a preferential Ba enrichment over Rb has to be explained by Ba-enriched components in the subducted sediments. Therefore, effect of subducting dehydrating sediments over the mantle wedge appears to be the most plausible explanation for the observed incompatible trace element patterns (Figure 6b). From the foregoing discussion, melting of a hybridized subcontinental lithospheric mantle wedge (with inputs from dehydrating / partially melting sediments from subducting plate) appears to be the most convenient source for the studied dykes. On Zr/Y–Ti/Y diagram of Pearce and Gale (1977), the studied dykes plot in the plate-margin basalt tectonic setting field (Figure 7a). Zr/Y vs Zr tectonic discrimination diagram given by Pearce and Norry (1979) provides an effective discrimination between the basalts from ocean-island arcs, mid-ocean basalts, within-plate basalts and back-arc basalts. As such, the studied NDD plot in the field of back-arc basalts on Zr/Y vs Zr diagram (Figure 7b). Such characteristics may suggest their supra-subduction zone emplacement settings. CONCLUSIONS Present Newer Dolerite Dykes intruding the Singhbhum Granitoid complex are subalkaline in nature and show Mir et al. 221 Figure 7. (a) Ti/Y vs. Zr/Y discrimination diagram after Pearce and Gale (1977) and (b) Zr vs. Zr/Y tectonic discrimination diagram after Pearce and Norry (1979) for the Newer Dolerite Dykes. Back-arc basalts discrimination field is taken from Floyd et al. (1991) compositional variation from basalt to andesite. Their chemistry shows no involvement of crustal contamination. Their geochemical characteristics such as enrichment of LILEs (Rb, Ba, Th, K,) relative to HFSEs (Nb, Zr, Ti), significant negative Nb anomaly and higher Zr/Y, Th/Ta, Th/Yb and Ta/Yb ratios than normal mid-ocean ridge basalts suggests melting of a hybridized sub-continental lithospheric mantle wedge (with inputs from dehydrating / partially melting sediments from subducting plate) to be the proper source for them. Discrimination diagrams for distinguishing tectonic environments indicated studied dykes have supra-subduction zone geochemical characteristics. 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