Major, trace and platinum-group element geochemistry of mesoarchean komatiites from the banasandra greenstone belt, Western Dharwar craton (southern India): implications for multi-stage plume magmatism in generating compositionally diverse komatiites

The early Archean Al-undepleted komatiites (AUK) from two locations (Kunikenahalli, Kodihalli) of the Banasandra greenstone belt in the Western Dharwar Craton are studied for understanding their petrogenesis. The field distribution, mineralogy and geochemistry indicate their cogenetic nature. The samples are mainly cumulates (MgO: 37–45 wt%), now completely serpentinized, while the spinifex zone is obscure. Using geochemical modelling, the MgO content of the primary undifferentiated magma is estimated to be nearly 25 wt%. The depleted LREE values from this study, and the positive ε_Nd values from previous studies suggest that the komatiites are derived from a depleted mantle source. Trace-element and PGE geochemistry eliminate the possibility of crustal contamination and sulphide-saturation in these komatiites after emplacement. Modelling results estimated in this study suggest ~45% melting of a deeper mantle (~6 GPa) to generate the komatiites. Fractionation of olivine (Fo₉₄) from the parental melt and their accumulation formed the mesocumulates in Kodihalli, and the more fractionated orthocumulates in Kunikenahalli. The compositional spectrum from AUK through Al-depleted (ADK) to Al-enriched (AEK) varieties in the Banasandra greenstone belt reported in this study and others, are proposed to be a product of melting of a single mantle plume at different depths.