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Xenolith Petrology

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The Lithosphere Beneath the Indian Shield

Part of the book series: Modern Approaches in Solid Earth Sciences ((MASE,volume 20))

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Abstract

The xenoliths can be classified into two groups: (a) mantle xenoliths and (b) crustal xenoliths. On the basis of tectonic considerations, they belong to two geotectonic environments: (a) the circum-cratonic and (b) the cratonic. The former group is represented by xenoliths primarily in lamprophyre dykes and nephelinite plugs intrusive into the Deccan Traps along the margins and dislocation zones within the WDC, Bundelkhand, Aravalli, and Singhbhum cratons. The cratonic xenoliths are mainly hosted by kimberlites from the EDC, Bastar, and Bundelkhand cratons.

The circum-cratonic xenoliths can be classified into three broad petrographic groups, namely ultramafic, mafic, and felsic types. The ultramafic xenoliths are represented by spinel lherzolites, wehrlites, and rare harzburgites/dunites. The mineralogy of peridotite xenoliths is dominated by four phases, namely olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and aluminous spinel in order of abundance. The peridotites are protogranular/porphyroclastic to mosaic equigranular and invariably exhibit layering defined by idiomorphic grains of chromite. Most mafic and felsic xenoliths are granulites and display compositional layering on a scale of mm to cm.

The cratonic xenoliths in kimberlites from the Bundelkhand Craton are rare and contain macrocrysts of olivine pseudomorphs in a fine grain groundmass. The pyroxenite xenoliths from the lamprophyres exhibit cumulate textures and have significant volume percent of magnetite and titanomagnetite (up to 30 vol.%). The mafic xenoliths predominate and consist of plagioclase-poor, two pyroxene granulites with or without garnet along with eclogitic granulites. The peridotite xenoliths from the EDC are represented by garnet harzburgites, garnet lherzolites, garnet wehrlites, olivine clinopyroxenites, and eclogites. Those from the Bastar Craton consist mainly of garnet lherzolites along with felsic types. The lamproites from the Singhbhum Craton host rare harzburgite xenoliths along with xenocrystic olivine.

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  1. Department of Earth Science, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa, India

    Ashoka G. Dessai

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Dessai, A.G. (2021). Xenolith Petrology. In: The Lithosphere Beneath the Indian Shield. Modern Approaches in Solid Earth Sciences, vol 20. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52942-0_3

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