M. Ram Mohan

U–Pb dating of metamorphic monazite establishes a Pan-African age for tectonism in the Nallamalai Fold Belt, India

The Nallamalai Fold Belt comprises late Palaeoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic sedimentary rocks deformed into a fold-and-thrust belt along the eastern side of Peninsular India. The age of thin-skinned thrusting, folding and low- to medium-grade metamorphism in the belt is unclear, with estimates ranging from Palaeoproterozoic to early Palaeozoic. A possible Pan-African age for thrusting has previously been inferred from Rb–Sr dating of muscovite in shear zones from the adjacent Krishna Province (501 – 474 Ma) but these structures are separated from the Nallamalai Fold Belt by a major thrust. Here, we present in situ U–Pb dating of metamorphic monazite within a low-grade metasedimentary rock in the Nallamalai Fold Belt at the Mangampeta barite mine. Our date of 531 ± 7 Ma for the monazite is the first direct evidence that west- to NW-directed nappe stacking, folding and low-grade metamorphism in the fold belt are related to Pan-African incorporation of India into the Gondwana supercontinent.

Interaction of coeval felsic and mafic magmas from the Kanker granite, Pithora region, Bastar Craton, Central India

Field and petrographic studies are carried out to characterize the interactions of mafic and felsic magmas from Pithora region of the northeastern part of the Bastar Craton. The MMEs, syn-plutonic mafic dykes, cuspate contacts, magmatic flow textures, mingling and hybridization suggest the coeval emplacement of end member magmas. Petrographic evidences such as disequilibrium assemblages, resorption textures, quartz ocelli, rapakivi and poikilitic textures suggest magma mingling and mixing phenomena. Such features of mingling and mixing of the felsic and mafic magma manifest the magma chamber processes. Introduction of mafic magmas into the felsic magmas before initiation of crystallization of the latter, results in hybrid magmas under the influence of thermal and chemical exchange. The mechanical exchange occurs between the coexisting magmas due to viscosity contrast, if the mafic magma enters slightly later into the magma chamber, then the felsic magma starts to crystallize. Blobs of mafic magma form as MMEs in the felsic magma and they scatter throughout the pluton due to convection. At a later stage, if mafic magma enters the system after partial crystallization of felsic phase, mechanical interaction between the magmas leads to the formation of fragmented dyke or syn-plutonic mafic dyke. All these features are well-documented in the study area. Field and petrographic evidences suggest that the textural variations from Pithora region of Bastar Craton are the outcome of magma mingling, mixing and hybridization processes.

Granitoids of the Magba shear zone, West Cameroon, Central Africa: Evidences for emplacement under transpressive tectonic regime

The Magba Shear Zone is made up of granites, migmatites, orthogneiss, metagabbro, mafic dyke and mylonites with coarse grained texture, porphyroblastic, granoblastic, cataclastic and mylonitic texture respectively. Structural features and kinematic indicators testify the syntectonic emplacement of Magba granitoids and also provide detailed information on the relative timing of deformation as follows: (1) D1 of tangential movement immediately followed by (2) the D2 phase which is heterogeneous simple shear in dextral transpressive context with a NW-SE direction (3) D3 tectonic phase is marked by sinistral transpressive tectonic and superposed folding with a NE-SW kinematic direction. Combined ductile NE-SW shear movements and NWSE compressional movements defined a transpressional tectonic regime during the D3 deformation (4) A brittle stage D4 is controlled by transcurrent tectonics and responsible for the emplacement of faults, and joints. The Magba granites would have intruded along sub-vertical mid-crustal feeder channels and were emplaced as a sheet or sheets along the shear zone during the early stage of the C3 shearing, followed by gabbro and mafic dyke at the late stage. Strike-slip dilatancy pumping under transpressive tectonic is suggested as a possible mechanism for the emplacement of the Magba granites.