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Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

Thermo-tectonic evolution of the North Singhbhum Mobile Belt

(eastern India): A view from the western part of the belt
S. Mahato a,1 , S. Goon a,2 , A. Bhattacharya a,∗ , B. Mishra a , Heinz-J. Bernhardt b
a Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology,
Kharagpur 721302, West Bengal, India
b Institute für Mineralogie, Ruhr Universität,

D-44780 Bochum, Germany

Received 9 June 2006; received in revised form 20 March 2007; accepted 4 July 2007

Abstract
The arcuate North Singhbhum Mobile Belt (NSMB) comprises multiply-deformed greenschist–amphibolite facies phyllites and schists flanking
the centrally-located belt of the Dalma meta-igneous suite of rocks. The NSMB is separated from the Archaean Singhbhum Craton in the south, and
the suite of granulite–amphibolite facies gneisses and foliated granites of the Chotanagpur Gneissic Complex to the north, by ductile shear zones.
Three fabrics (S1S , S2S , and S3S ) formed due to D1S , D2S and D3S deformation events and three metamorphic stages (M1S : pre-S2S ; M2S : syn-S2S ;
and M3S : syn/post-S3S ) were identified in phyllites and schists to the south of the Dalma meta-igneous in the NSMB. Reverse-sense transport along
north-dipping imbricate thrusts (S3S ) emplaced the high-grade garnet–kyanite–staurolite schists centrally located in the orogen over low-grade
muscovite–biotite–chlorite schists in the foreland. The M1S stage (∼1.5 Ga; EPMA monazite date) in the high-grade gneisses characterized by high
P/T prograde metamorphism (P > 10 kbar) was followed sequentially by post-loading prograde heating (Tmax ∼650 ◦ C) and exhumation – cooling
at amphibolite facies (M2S ) and greenschist facies (M3S : ∼1.3 Ga; EPMA monazite date) conditions.
In the northern part of the NSMB, mica schists fringing the CGC document a northward increase in strain (sequential cleavage formation)
and temperature (greenschist to amphibolite facies). The strain–temperature spatial gradient is correlated with crustal shortening and heating (T
∼620 ◦ C, P ∼7 kbar) synchronously with reverse-sense transport of schists along southerly-dipping thrust planes.
The structural framework and thermal structure across the mobile belt is correlated with (a) collisional thickening of the orogen (>1.5 Ga), followed
by convective removal of the lithospheric root resulting in post-burial heating and (b) syn-collision and exhumation of the orogen (∼1.3 Ga). The
exhumation was caused by outward-directed extrusion of the crustal slices along imbricate foreland-vergent thrusts dipping towards the centre of
the orogen.
© 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: North Singhbhum Mobile Belt; Syn-collision exhumation; Mesoproterozoic; Lithospheric thickening; Mantle convection

1. Introduction of sedimentation, magmatism, deformation and metamorphism,

Orogenic processes in mobile belts (Condie, 1997) operate in
cycles beginning with basin formation, progressing to collisional
thickening of the crust, and culminating with tectonic exhuma-
tion (Dewey, 1988; Nelson, 1992; Platt, 1993; Grujic et al., 1996;
Ernst et al., 1997; Knapp et al., 1998; Leech, 2001; Beaumont et
al., 2001). Consequently, mobile belts inherit a complex history
∗ Corresponding author.
E-mail address: abbhat55@yahoo.com (A. Bhattacharya).
1 Present address: Department of Geological Sciences, Jadavpur University,
Kolkata 700032, India.
2 Present address: Purbachal, Sripalli, Burdwan 713103, India.
the details of which vary depending on the tectonic setting of the
geologic area. Typically, mobile belts bear evidence of multiple
metamorphic episodes that may relate to a single orogeny or mul-
tiple orogenies (cf. Goscombe and Hand, 2000; Willner et al.,
2000; Regnier et al., 2003; Vogl, 2003; Raith and Harley, 1998;
Jamieson et al., 1992; Begin, 1992; Dusel-Bacon et al., 1995;
Nishimura, 1998) that may vary in thrust bound longitudinal
sections. The time–space evolutionary histories of metamorphic
rocks in mobile belts are, therefore, important tools for decoding
syn- and post-orogenic processes.
The North Singhbhum Mobile Belt (NSMB) is a geological
term specific to the ensemble of multiply folded, low to medium
grade meta-sedimentary and meta-igneous rocks of Proterozoic

0301-9268/$ – see front matter © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2007.07.015
 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127 103

Fig. 1. Geological map of the North Singhbhum Mobile Belt (NSMB). The NSMB is separated from the Archaean Singhbhum Craton (SC) in the south and the
Chottanagpur Gneissic Complex (CGC) in the north by two north-dipping shear zones (bold line with filled triangles). The boxes with numbers correspond to the
location and extent of the areas studied by earlier workers. (1) Bhattacharya et al. (1976); (2) Chakrabarty and Sen (1967); (3) Lal and Singh (1978); Lal and
Ackermand (1979); (4) Roy (1966); (5) Bhattacharya (1966); (6) Sarkar and Bhattacharya (1978); (7) Pasayat and Bhattacharya (1977); (8) Sanyal (1985); (9)
Bose (1954); (10) Gangopadhyay (1959); (11) Banerji (1985); (12) Bhattacharya (1992); (13) Bhattacharya and Chatterjee (1992); (14) Bhattacharya (1989); (15)
Bhattacharya (1978); (16) Bhattacharya and Sarkar (1970); (17) Mukhopadhyay et al. (2004). Naha (1965) and Mukhopadhyay and Sengupta (1971) studied the
superposed fold structures in mica schists/quartzites and metamorphic mineral paragenesis in and around the town of Ghatsila. Located in the western part of the
NSMB, Kolomda, Hesadi, Tebo and Nakti constitute the areas investigated in this study.

age (1.0–2.4 Ga) sandwiched between the Archaean (>2.4 Ga)
Singhbhum Craton in the south, and the Meso/Neo-Proterozoic
(0.9–1.7 Ga) Chotanagpur Gneissic Complex (CGC) in the north
by north-dipping ductile shear zones (Fig. 1). The NSMB and
the CGC are separated by the Tamar–Porapahar–Khatra–Fault
(TPKF), sometimes referred to as the Northern Shear Zone
(NSZ; adopted in this study). Further to the south, the NSMB and
the Singhbhum Craton is separated by the Copper Belt Thrust
(CBT), sometimes referred as the Southern Shear Zone (SSZ;
adopted in this study).
Various tectonic models have been proposed for the mobile
belt; e.g. intraplate subduction (Sarkar and Saha, 1977), micro-
continental subduction (Sarkar, 1982), back-arc marginal setting
(Bose and Chakrabarty, 1981; Bose et al., 1989), intra-cratonic
extension, rifting and ensialic orogenesis (Gupta et al., 1980;
Mukhopadhyay, 1984; Sarkar et al., 1992). The proposed
tectonic models are based on stratigraphic correlation, sedi-
mentological information, available data on magma genesis,
and chronologic information available from rocks within and
flanking the NSMB. However, the input of metamorphic P–T
evolutionary history to the models is totally lacking. This study
addresses the gap based on a critical appraisal of the structural
setting and time–space evolution of metamorphic variables (e.g.
P and T) in meta-sedimentary phyllites, schists and gneisses in
two corridors transverse to the NSMB in the western part of the
belt (corridors A and B; Fig. 2).
2. The northern corridor: results and discussion
2.1. The structural setting
The spatial variations in mesoscopic structural elements
and metamorphic minerals in muscovite schists (muscovite,
biotite, quartz, ilmenite, tourmaline ± garnet ± staurolite, and
rare plagioclase) from the northern corridor around Kolomda
are depicted in Fig. 3. Mineral abbreviations used subse-
quently are adopted from Kretz (1983). In the mapped area,
garnet and staurolite porphyroblasts are absent in the mus-
covite > biotite ± chlorite schists from the southern part of
the corridor. Garnet porphyroblasts start to appear ∼1000 m
south of the NSZ. Staurolite porphyroblasts begin to appear
from ∼200 m south of the NSZ. The sizes of staurolite
and garnet porphyroblasts increase northwards. Proximal to
the CGC, garnet porphyroblasts measure in excess of 1 cm
in diameter; the largest of the staurolite porphyroblasts is
smaller (<500 ␮m). Chlorite is rare in the porphyroblast bear-
ing zone; the modal abundance of biotite decreases dramatically
northwards.
104 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

Fig. 2. Lithologic map (simplified after Dunn, 1929) between Kolomda (in the north) and Nakti (in the south) in the western part of the NSMB. The National
Highway is shown by gray line for reference. The northern corridor (designated A) lies to the south of Kolomda. The southern corridor (designated B) extends from
Hesadi, along the road through Tebo, to Nakti. The areas within boxes designated A (see Fig. 3) and B (see Fig. 9) were geologically mapped during the course
of this study. The three domains 1, 2 and 3 in the southern corridor are separated by four north-dipping ductile shear zones indicated by filled triangles secured to
thick lines. The chlorite-out zone in muscovite–biotite schists in the southern corridor is also shown. Southern hemisphere projections of structural elements (see
text for discussion) for domains 1 and 2 are shown. Domain 1: ␲S2S girdle (n = 190) contoured at intervals of 1%, 2%, 4% and 8% (in increasing shades of gray;
max 16.32%). The calculated β-axis corresponding to the girdle is 03◦ → 070N. ␲S3S (n = 40) are shown as filled circles; the dip of the mean orientation of S3S is
73◦ /166N. Filled triangles are measured F3S fold axis (n = 68). Domain 2: Southern hemispheric plots showing the ␲S2S girdle (n = 126) contoured at intervals of
1%, 2%, 4%, 8% and 16% (in increasing shades of gray; max 22.22%). The calculated β-axis corresponding to the girdle is 10◦ → 072N. ␲S3S (n = 70) are shown
as filled circles; the mean dip orientation of S3S is 84◦ /158N. Filled triangles are measured F3S fold axis (n = 18). The southern hemispheric plots of the orientations
of F2S (open triangle) fold axes (n = 9) are shown.

The prominent schistosity in mica schists is a crenulation
cleavage (S2N ; subscript N refers to the northern corridor) of
alternate muscovite > biotite rich layers (M-domain) and quartz-
rich layers (Q-domain). With increasing grade of metamorphism
northwards, the spacing between adjacent S2N M-domains
decreases. The increase in intensity of deformation is associ-
ated with northward tightening of F3N folds, and a correlated
prominence of axial planar S3N fabric associated with top-to-
the-north thrusting (Fig. 4a). The F3N folds are asymmetric,
northerly overturned and characterized by curved easterly plung-
ing axes (Fig. 3) that are steeper at the NSMB–CGC contact. The
F3N fold axes and the stretching lineations in the L > S granite
mylonites in the CGC are broadly coincident. The F2N fold axes
broadly straddle the average orientation of the S3N cleavage.
The variable orientation of the F2N fold axes lying on near-
constant orientation of S3N is attributed to top-to-the-north slip
and shearing (Fig. 4a) during D3N deformation, apparently in a
transpressive regime.
2.2. Porphyroblast–matrix relationship
In zones neighboring their first appearance, garnet porphy-
roblasts are typically post-S2N , but pre-S3N . However, garnet
in most parts of the staurolite and garnet-bearing zones is pre-
S2N . In zones proximal to the NSZ, post-S3N overgrowths on
pre-S2N garnet nuclei commonly protrude into and truncate the
wrapping M-domains. The protrusions are lacking in garnet at its
first appearance. At their first appearances, garnet and staurolite
are restricted to M-domains, but at the highest-grade and most
intensely-deformed schists neighboring the NSZ, both minerals,
 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127 105

Fig. 3. Structural-metamorphic map of the northern corridor (box A; Fig. 2) showing the planar and linear structural elements in the NSMB muscovite schists at the
southern fringe of the CGC (gray colour). First appearances of garnet and staurolite in muscovite schists are shown. Stereographic projections of ␲S2N (contoured),
␲S3N (filled circle) and F2N (open triangle) and F3N (filled triangle) fold axes for zones 1, 2 and 3 are shown. Contour intervals for ␲S2N are in multiples of 2.
Number (n) of measured ␲S2N data are 23 for Zone 1, 91 for Zone 2 and 47 for Zone 3.

wrapped by M-domains, are restricted exclusively to quartz-rich
domains. Staurolite occurs as inclusions within garnet (staurolite
hosted garnet was not observed), but staurolites also occur exclu-
sive of garnet in garnet-bearing mica schists (Fig. 5). Garnet and
staurolite do not share a reaction relationship, i.e. both miner-
als formed independent of each other from muscovite, biotite,
ilmenite ± chlorite ± plagioclase assemblage.
Shapes, sizes and Si–Se relationships (‘Si’ stands for mineral
inclusion trails within porphyroblasts, and ‘Se’ is designated for
schistosity external to the porphyroblasts) in garnet porphyrob-

Fig. 4. (a) Top to the north sense of shearing in zone 3 mica schists in the northern corridor (corridor A in Fig. 2). Width of the photograph = 18 cm. (b) S–C fabric
in granite mylonite in the southernmost shear zone in the southern corridor (corridor B in Fig. 2). Length of pencil = 15 cm. Photomicrographs (c) plane polar and
(d) crossed polars images of sheared mica schists showing S–C fabric in quartz-rich domains in the northernmost shear zone in the southern corridor.
106 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

Fig. 5. Line drawing (top set) and plane polarized light image (bottom set) showing the relationship between garnet (light gray in drawings) and staurolite (deeper
gray shade in drawing) in mica schists from the northern corridor. White and dark lines within porphyroblasts correspond to quartz and ilmenite inclusion trails. In
(a) and (b), staurolite occurs wholly within muscovite-rich layers (S2N ) both as inclusions within garnet as well as discrete grains exclusive of garnet. Garnets, on
the other hand, occur in quartz rich portions, and are wrapped by micaceous layers. The marginal parts in garnet (PPL image of b) are dark because of extensive
leaching. Note the closed loop nature of quartz inclusion trails in garnet in b.

lasts in muscovite schists varied systematically from south to (2) sub-vertical section (‘ZY’ plan) parallel to the cleavage and
north. The spatial variations summarized in Fig. 6 were based on the fold axis, and (3) sub-horizontal section (‘XZ’ plan) perpen-
examination of oriented thin sections in (1) sub-vertical section dicular to the cleavage and parallel to the fold axis. The X, Y and
(‘XY’ plane) perpendicular to S3N cleavage and F3N fold-axis, Z directions do not correspond to the axes of the strain ellipsoid.

Fig. 6. Three-dimensional line sketches of garnet shapes and inclusion trail patterns in muscovite schists (drawn from transmitted plane polarized light images) from
muscovite schists in the northern corridor in YZ, XZ and XY sections. X, Y and Z do not correspond with the axes with the strain ellipsoid. In (c), the garnet grains are
schematically drawn. The block diagram at the top shows the geographic orientation of the YZ, XZ and XY sections (see text for discussion). Garnet porphyroblasts
are in light gray, staurolite in darker shades of gray, ilmenite inclusions are in black, and quartz inclusions are in white. The external schistosity in each case is S2N .
(a) Fringe of the CGC; (b) within the staurolite/garnet porphyroblast bearing zone; and (c) at to the first appearance of garnet further to the south.
 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127
The length of garnet porphyroblasts in XY sections decreases
from ∼9 mm neighboring the NSZ to <400 ␮m where garnet
first appears (a distance of ∼1000 m), with a correlated decrease
in the aspect ratio from >8 to ∼1. Garnet porphyroblasts are
disc-shaped close to the CGC (flattened parallel to the S3N schis-
tosity; Fig. 6a), kidney-shaped for most of the staurolite and
garnet-bearing zones; Fig. 6b), and of dodecahedral shape with
well-developed rational faces neighboring the zone where gar-
net first appears (Fig. 6c). Disc-shaped garnets contain straight
to mildly curved Si in XY and XZ sections (radial Si in YZ
section); kidney-shaped garnets contain sigmoidal Si trails in
XY and XZ sections (closed loop Si trails in YZ section). Fur-
ther towards the hinterland, in zones where garnet first appears,
garnet porphyroblasts are inclusion-free.
2.3. Metamorphic P–T conditions
The mineralogy of muscovite schists provides limited options
to estimate pressure, because plagioclase and biotite were lack-
ing in most garnet-bearing schists. Only one sample (GO-286)
with plagioclase was found suitable for P–T estimation. Temper-
atures were obtained using the biotite-garnet Fe–Mg exchange
thermometric formulation (Bhattacharya et al., 1992; Ferry and
Spear, 1978; Hodges and Spear, 1982; Perchuk and Lavrent’eva,
1983; Thompson, 1976 and Holdaway and Lee, 1977). Tem-
peratures were also estimated using the muscovite-biotite
thermometers of Wu et al. (2000, cited in the GTB program of
Spear and Kohn; http://ees2.geo.rpi.edu/MetaPetaRen/Frame-
software.html/) and Hoisch (1989) based on Tschermak’s
substitution. The garnet-plagioclase-muscovite-biotite equilib-
rium (Ghent and Stout, 1981; Hodges and Crowley, 1985; Powell
and Holland, 1988; Hoisch, 1990) and garnet-plagioclase-
muscovite-quartz equilibrium (Hodges and Crowley, 1985;
Hoisch, 1990) were used as geobarometer.
P–T conditions for the sample were estimated using the rim
composition of garnet and the nearest neighbor muscovite, pla-
gioclase and biotite, but with biotite not in grain contact with
garnet (Table 1). The thermometric estimate form the different
biotite-garnet formulations converge at 620 ± 20 ◦ C. Intersec-
tions of the P–T locations of the thermobarometers yield the
mean equilibrium T and P value ∼620 ± 20 ◦ C and 7 ± 1 kbar,
within the kyanite field (Fig. 7). The P–T loci of the muscovite-
biotite thermometers after Hoisch (1989) and Wu et al. (2000;
cited in the GTB program) pass through the P–T box. Although
kyanite was not observed in the northern sector, kyanite has been
reported from the highest-grade NSMB schists at the fringes of
the CGC, e.g. near Beldi (Ray and Gangopadhyay, 1971) and
Barabhum-Banduan (Bose, 1954). Sillimanite and andalusite
have not been reported from the NSMB schists fringing the CGC.
The garnet porphyroblasts are typically zoned (Fig. 8a).
While almandine and pyrope components increase towards the
porphyroblast margin, grossular and spessartine components in
garnet show a complementary decrease (Fig. 8b; left) and XGrt
(= Fe/Fe + Mg) decreases rim ward (Fig. 8b; right). A P–T pseu-
dosection was constructed using the whole rock composition of
the muscovite schist, GO-284 (Fig. 8c). The mole-proportion
of the bulk rock (Al2 O3 = 53.80, CaO = 0.76, MgO = 2.83,
107
Fig. 7. Estimate of metamorphic P–T conditions (shaded box) for the sample
GO-286 (analytical data provided in Table 1). The P–T locations of thermo-
barometric formulations (see text for discussion) applied to the assemblage
garnet–plagioclase–muscovite–biotite in mica schists from the northern cor-
ridor are shown. Continuous lines sub-parallel to the pressure axis correspond
to the P–T loci of biotite-garnet thermometric formulations; broken lines are the
P–T loci for muscovite–biotite thermometers. Other set of lines refers to the P–T
loci for the barometric formulations discussed in the text. The Al2 SiO5 phase
relations (gray broken lines) shown for reference are computed using thermo-
dynamic data in Thermocalc program (version 3.21) after Holland and Powell
(1998). Mineral abbreviations are after Kretz (1983).
FeO(total) = 25.69, K2 O = 13.31, Na2 O = 3.27, MnO = 0.33) was
calculated on a H2 O-free, silica-free and FeO(total) basis. Mus-
covite, quartz and H2 O were considered to be in excess for
constructing the pseudosection for a six-component KFMASH
system using the thermodynamic data set of THERMO-
CALC program (version 3.21) of Holland and Powell (1998).
The fields for stable mineral assemblages in the P–T win-
dow between 4 and 10 kbar and 500–700 ◦ C are shown
in Fig. 8c. The XGrt (= Fe/Fe + Mg) isopleths are shown
for the garnet-bearing assemblages. For the assemblage
garnet + staurolite + muscovite + biotite + quartz, XGrt decreases
with increasing temperature. This, combined with the core to rim
decrease in XGrt (Fig. 8b, right), suggests that garnet growth syn-
kinematic with sequential cleavage re-generation in the northern
corridor was prograde in nature involving heating, with or with-
out loading.
3. The southern corridor: Results and discussion
3.1. The structural setting
The 40 km long southern corridor extending from Hesadi in
the NW to within 6 km from Nakti in the SE is composed of
several lithologic units, e.g. phyllites, mica schists, quartzites,
mafic schists/amphibolites, quartzofeldspathic gneisses, and
gabbroic rocks (Fig. 2). The area was divided into three domains
on the basis of four bounding northerly-dipping ductile shear
zones (Fig. 2). The southernmost part of the corridor (domain 1)
is dominated by muscovite–biotite–chlorite bearing phyllites;
 108
Table 1
Electronprobe microanalysis and structural formulae (computed using the a-X program of Holland and Powell, 1998) of minerals in Grt-bearing St-Ky gneiss from domain 3 in the southern corridor and Grt-St
bearing muscovite schist of the northern corridor
Sample no. Biotite Muscovite

South North South North

M1 M2 Matrix M1 M2 M3 Matrix

GO-462a GO-159a GO-588a GO-462 GO-159 GO-588 GO-286a GO-286 GO-462a GO-159a GO-588a GO-462 GO-159 GO-159 GO-286a GO-286

S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

Weight percent
SiO2 34.56 34.64 33.69 35.51 35.02 34.27 35.67 36.10 45.83 45.23 46.23 45.50 46.00 44.57 46.37 46.08
TiO2 1.68 1.74 1.65 1.69 1.85 1.68 1.74 1.59 0.30 0.32 0.56 0.57 0.44 0.51 0.54 0.53
Al2 O3 18.40 17.98 17.56 18.46 18.32 17.89 18.62 18.36 35.53 35.42 35.22 34.37 35.49 37.23 35.72 35.37
Cr2 O3 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fe2 O3 b 0.00 1.46 3.92 0.00 0.43 1.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
FeO 19.64 22.19 20.00 19.20 20.39 22.66 18.98 19.28 2.03 2.23 2.05 2.33 2.23 1.55 1.24 1.13
MnO 0.05 0.02 0.05 0.01 0.05 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.03
MgO 10.18 9.77 8.50 10.33 9.87 8.50 7.54 7.52 0.52 0.41 0.55 0.64 0.54 0.38 0.59 0.67
CaO 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.04 0.06 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.96 0.00 0.01
Na2 O 0.27 0.00 0.12 0.12 0.11 0.05 0.16 0.29 0.96 1.76 1.27 1.50 1.73 0.38 0.94 1.01
K2 O 9.60 8.67 8.51 9.91 9.52 9.15 9.00 9.00 10.30 8.97 8.94 9.56 9.05 9.37 9.92 9.79
Totals 94.39 96.50 94.01 95.24 95.58 95.23 91.77 92.23 95.48 94.42 94.83 94.50 95.49 94.96 95.38 94.63
Cations
Si 2.67 2.65 2.64 2.71 2.68 2.67 2.80 2.83 3.06 3.04 3.08 3.07 3.06 2.97 3.07 3.08
Ti 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.11 0.10 0.10 0.09 0.02 0.02 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.03 0.03 0.03
Al 1.68 1.62 1.62 1.66 1.65 1.64 1.73 1.70 2.79 2.81 2.77 2.73 2.78 2.93 2.79 2.79
Cr 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fe3 0.00 0.08 0.23 0.00 0.03 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fe2 1.27 1.42 1.31 1.23 1.31 1.48 1.25 1.26 0.11 0.13 0.11 0.13 0.12 0.09 0.07 0.06
Mn 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Mg 1.17 1.11 0.99 1.18 1.13 0.99 0.88 0.88 0.05 0.04 0.06 0.06 0.05 0.04 0.06 0.07
Ca 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.07 0.00 0.00
Na 0.04 0.00 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.04 0.12 0.23 0.16 0.20 0.22 0.05 0.12 0.13
K 0.95 0.85 0.85 0.97 0.93 0.91 0.90 0.90 0.88 0.77 0.76 0.82 0.77 0.80 0.84 0.84

Cation 7.89 7.83 7.77 7.85 7.85 7.84 7.70 7.71 7.03 7.04 6.97 7.05 7.03 6.96 6.98 6.99
Table 1 (Continued)
Sample no. Garnet Chlorite

South North South

M1 (rim) M1 (core) Rim Core M3 M1

GO-462a GO-159a GO-588a GO-462 GO-159 GO-588 GO-286a GO-286 GO-286 GO-286 GO-462a GO-588a GO-159a

Weight percent

S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

SiO2 37.41 37.98 37.51 36.92 36.68 37.18 37.32 36.96 36.99 36.89 24.85 25.17 24.50
TiO2 0.07 0.00 0.03 0.08 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.02 0.08 0.05
Al2 O3 21.39 21.34 20.99 21.00 20.86 20.88 21.13 21.08 20.70 20.70 23.38 23.31 21.50
Cr2 O3 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fe2 O3 b 1.33 0.68 0.00 2.21 2.00 0.23 1.65 3.02 1.56 1.53 0.00 0.00 0.00
FeO 31.54 34.31 34.84 30.37 33.73 34.06 36.37 35.54 34.03 33.78 21.86 22.97 24.62
MnO 0.29 1.17 0.35 1.17 1.34 0.82 0.19 0.18 3.09 2.90 0.00 0.00 0.04
MgO 3.57 2.72 2.65 2.67 2.74 1.76 2.79 2.82 1.45 1.57 17.09 15.14 14.36
CaO 5.15 3.91 3.61 6.00 2.96 5.05 2.10 2.06 3.32 3.38 0.00 0.03 0.21
Na2 O 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.02 0.00 0.06 0.16 0.05 0.05 0.03 0.00 0.09
K2 O 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.02 0.03 0.01 0.00 0.06 0.17
Totals 100.76 102.13 99.98 100.47 100.33 100.04 101.64 101.84 101.32 100.81 87.23 86.76 85.54
Cations
Si 2.96 2.99 3.01 2.95 2.95 3.00 2.97 2.94 2.97 2.97 2.58 2.64 2.65
Ti 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00
Al 1.99 1.98 1.99 1.98 1.98 1.99 1.98 1.97 1.96 1.97 2.86 2.88 2.74
Cr 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fe3 0.08 0.04 0.00 0.13 0.12 0.01 0.10 0.18 0.09 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fe2 2.09 2.26 2.34 2.03 2.27 2.30 2.42 2.36 2.29 2.28 1.90 2.01 2.22
Mn 0.02 0.08 0.02 0.08 0.09 0.06 0.01 0.01 0.21 0.20 0.00 0.00 0.00
Mg 0.42 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.33 0.21 0.33 0.33 0.17 0.19 2.64 2.37 2.31
Ca 0.44 0.33 0.31 0.51 0.26 0.44 0.18 0.18 0.29 0.29 0.00 0.00 0.02
Na 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.03 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.02
K 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.02

Cation 8.00 8.00 7.99 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 9.99 9.92 10.00

109
 110
Table 1 (Continued)
Sample no. Plagioclase Staurolite

South North South North

M1 M2 Core Rim M2 Inc. Grt Matrix

GO-462a GO-159a GO-588a GO-462 GO-159 GO-286 GO-286a GO-462 GO-159 GO-588 GO-286 GO-286 GO-286 GO-286

Weight percent

S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

SiO2 59.64 61.23 61.51 59.67 59.59 62.75 62.89 27.53 27.21 27.97 26.95 27.16 27.03 26.78
TiO2 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.35 0.36 0.46 0.52 0.53 0.50 0.48
Al2 O3 25.17 24.32 24.51 25.18 24.10 23.02 22.85 54.17 53.87 53.91 53.62 53.33 53.81 54.10
Cr2 O3 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fe2 O3 b 0.18 0.20 0.02 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.11 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
FeO 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 13.92 13.37 14.23 14.99 15.01 15.10 15.28
MnO 0.00 0.02 0.07 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.12 0.12 0.02 0.15 0.15 0.01 0.05
MgO 0.02 0.01 0.05 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 1.60 1.36 1.08 1.51 1.52 0.91 0.85
CaO 6.34 5.80 5.70 6.68 5.82 4.41 4.22 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.00
Na2 O 8.36 8.54 8.10 8.16 8.31 9.08 9.14 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.05
K2 O 0.06 0.05 0.04 0.01 0.05 0.25 0.21 0.00 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.01
Totals 99.78 100.17 100.00 99.80 97.90 99.53 99.43 97.69 96.32 97.71 97.77 97.73 97.39 97.60
Cations
Si 2.67 2.72 2.73 2.67 2.71 2.79 2.80 7.65 7.65 7.77 7.54 7.60 7.58 7.51
Ti 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.07 0.08 0.10 0.11 0.11 0.11 0.10
Al 1.33 1.27 1.28 1.33 1.29 1.21 1.20 17.75 17.86 17.66 17.68 17.59 17.80 17.88
Cr 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fe3 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fe2 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.24 3.15 3.31 3.51 3.51 3.54 3.58
Mn 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.03 0.01 0.04 0.04 0.00 0.01
Mg 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.66 0.57 0.45 0.63 0.63 0.38 0.36
Ca 0.30 0.28 0.27 0.32 0.28 0.21 0.20 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00
Na 0.73 0.74 0.70 0.71 0.73 0.78 0.79 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.03
K 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00

Cation 5.03 5.01 4.98 5.02 5.02 5.01 5.00 29.40 29.35 29.30 29.51 29.50 29.42 29.47
Table 1 (Continued)
Sample no Ilmenite

South North

M1 Inc. St Matrix

GO-462a GO-462a GO-588 GO-122 GO-122 GO-122

Weight percent
SiO2 0.00 0.02 0.01 0.03 0.06 0.10

S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

TiO2 50.09 52.20 50.83 51.13 51.59 51.45
Al2 O3 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.09 0.05
Cr2 O3 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fe2 O3 b 4.95 1.94 2.10 1.97 1.34 1.70
FeO 44.30 46.07 45.53 45.52 45.84 45.28
MnO 0.58 0.47 0.10 0.16 0.21 0.20
MgO 0.09 0.08 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.12
CaO 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.03 0.00
Na2 O 0.00 0.06 0.00 0.03 0.03 0.11
K2 O 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.04 0.06
Totals 100.01 100.83 98.62 99.03 99.29 99.07
Cations
Si 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Ti 0.95 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.99 0.98
Al 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Cr 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fe3 0.09 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.03
Fe2 0.94 0.96 0.98 0.97 0.97 0.96
Mn 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00
Mg 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01
Ca 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Na 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01
K 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Cation 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00
a Data used in P–T calculation.
b Re-calculated from stoichiometry.

111
112 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

Fig. 8. (a) EPMA X-ray images (top set photos) of garnet showing Ca and Fe variations in garnet in muscovite schist (GO-284) from the northern corridor. Lighter to
darker shades indicate decrease in element abundance. (b) Core to rim variations in XAlm (Fe/Fe + Mg + Ca + Mn) and similarly for XPrp , XGrs and XSps are shown (b,
left). Also shown are the variations in ZGrt (=Ca/Ca + Mg + Fe) and XGrt (Fe/Fe + Mg). (c) P–T KFMASH pseudosection (left) constructed with quartz, muscovite and
H2 O in excess for the garnet–staurolite-bearing mica schist. Bi-variant fields are in darker shades. The dotted box is the P–T field obtained from the thermobarometers.
The mole proportions of the KFMASH components recalculated to 100 are (K2 O = 13.85; Al2 O3 = 56.00; FeO = 26.67; MgO = 3.40). The broken lines show XGrt
isopleths (=Fe/Fe + Mg) in the garnet-bearing assemblages. The core → rim decrease in XGrt is consistent with increase in T and/or P. The box (dotted line) is the
P–T condition obtained from the thermobarometers using garnet (rim) and nearest-neighbor muscovite, biotite and plagioclase.

muscovite schists are dominant northwards in domains 2 and
3. The northernmost domain (domain 3; Fig. 9) is structurally
and lithologically the most complex. While quartzites and
mica schists/gneisses, with minor proportions of calc-schists,
are by far the most profuse lithologic components, the area
in parts is dominated by mafic and ultramafic rocks, and
quartzofeldspathic gneisses (near Tebo). The mafic/ultramafic
rocks may be grouped into two structural varieties. The
first variety comprises multiply folded hornblende schists
(chlorite–hornblende–clinozoisite–plagioclase ± quartz); the
rocks are characterized by multiple diastrophic fabrics and do
not preserve igneous texture. The second variety comprises
 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127 113

Fig. 9. Lithologic map of domain 3 (between Hesadi and Tebo) in the southern corridor B (Fig. 2) showing the planar and the linear structural elements. Only
representative data are shown in the map; the complete data set is provided in the south hemispheric projections. The bold lines with filled triangles are the bounding
shear zones. Continuous and broken lines are proven and inferred lithologic boundaries, respectively. Short dashes demarcating lithologic margins of the amphibolites
are after Dunn (1929). The highway connecting Hesadi and Tebo is shown in gray line. Numbers in boxes refer to samples analyzed by EPMA and/or XRF. Each
sample number is prefixed by “GO-”. Southern hemispheric plots: left, showing the ␲S2S girdle (n = 319) contoured at intervals of 1%, 2%, 4%, 8% and 16% (in
increasing shades of gray; max 20.69%). The calculated β-axis corresponding to the girdle (broken line) is 02◦ → 078N. Centre, ␲S3S distribution (n = 53) in domain
3 shown as filled circles; the dip of the mean S3S is 77◦ /328N. Filled triangles are measured F3S fold axis (n = 32). Right, orientations of F2S fold axes (unfilled
triangles) in domain 3 (n = 22).

undeformed gabbros and peridotites (clinopyoxene, plagio-
clase ± olivine ± orthopyroxene) that are barely deformed and
typically unmetamorphosed. Apparently, the mafic/ultra-mafic
rocks were emplaced at different time with respect to defor-
mational episodes. The mafic/ultramafic units are aerially
inconspicuous in domains 1 and 2.
Mineral parageneises in metapelites from the three domains
are summarized in Table 2. As in the northern corridor, the
prominent schistosity in metapelitic rocks from the southern
corridor is a crenulation cleavage (S2S ; subscript S refers to the
southern corridor); the earlier S1S schistosity is preserved in
S2S inter-folial domains as rootless hinges or as inclusion trails
in pre-S2S porphyroblasts. The prominent fold form is a set of
gentle to moderate plunging south-vergent folds on S2S (Fig. 9).
The F3S folds are non-planar and non-cylindrical. The associated
S3S axial plane cleavage is either absent or weakly developed.
In zones of high D3S strain, the southerly-overturned F3S folds
evolve into northerly dipping ENE-WSW trending S3S mylonite
zones characterized by top-to-the-south shear sense. The top-to
the-south thrust sense is indicated by stretching lineations at
high angles to the F3S fold axis. In domains 1 and 2, small (pre-
S3S ) garnet porphyroblasts in highly decomposed state occur
in and neighboring the S3S shear zones. In domain 3 com-
prising the highest-grade rocks, including staurolite–kyanite
gneisses and garnet-bearing muscovite schists, S2S schistos-
ity in staurolite–kyanite gneisses and garnet-bearing muscovite
schists describes a domal structure (Fig. 9), although the ori-
entation of the S3S cleavage is identical to those in domains 1
and 2. Since the F2S fold axes lie on the average orientation
of S3S , the domal structure of S2S is correlated with non-plane
non-cylindrical shear-related F3S folding.
3.2. Reaction textures
Mineral assemblages in the lower grade mica schists/phyllites
from domains 1 and 2 (Table 2) are not amenable to
quantitative P–T estimation. In domain 3, metamorphic
P–T conditions were determined by thermobarometry on
garnet-bearing staurolite–kyanite gneisses and garnet-bearing
staurolite–kyanite free mica schists. Chemically, the rocks cor-
respond to high-Al pelites, with staurolite–kyanite gneisses
being the most aluminous group (Fig. 10). In staurolite–kyanite
gneisses, garnet is absent in the most mg-rich varieties (Fig. 10).
This indicates that the appearance of garnet is compositionally
controlled.
In garnet-bearing staurolite–kyanite gneisses (analytical data
provided in Table 1), the earliest assemblage (M1S metamorphic
stage) comprises muscovite, biotite, garnet, kyanite, plagioclase
and chlorite. Garnet and kyanite typically occur as pre-S2S por-
phyroblasts (Fig. 11a, b). Straight and curved quartz inclusion
trails within garnet (and kyanite) are terminated at high angle
to the warping S2S schistosity (Fig. 11b). This implies garnet
and kyanite to be syn–post-S1S , but clearly pre-S2S . In a few
instances (Fig. 11c), pre-S2S garnet appears to be mantled by
staurolite porphyroblasts, but due to subsequent replacement of
staurolite by fine-grained muscovite + chlorite intergrowths the
textural relations are not unequivocal. Some of the pre-S2 gar-
net porphyroblasts are mineralogically and chemically zoned
114 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

Table 2
Mineral paragenesis in the domains 1, 2 and 3 from the Nakti–Hesadi southern corridor (B in Fig. 2)

(Fig. 12a, b). The central parts of garnets are poor in inclusions
(quartz  ilmenite  plagioclase), while the inclusion (quartz)-
rich marginal parts are sieve textured. The inclusion-poor parts
are richer in grossular and poorer in almandine (and pyrope)
compared to the sieve-textured marginal parts (Fig. 12b); the
compositional changes are abrupt across a boundary separating
the central and the sieve-textured parts. However, Fe/(Fe + Mg)
in the garnets across the core–overgrowth interface is constant
(Fig. 12c).
The continuous S2S schistosity is defined by muscovite,
biotite, staurolite and kyanite. The syn-S2S assemblage con-
stitutes the M2S metamorphic stage. The interfaces between
porphyroblasts of garnet, staurolite and kyanite on one hand,
and S2S muscovite-biotite aggregates on the other, are often

Fig. 10. AFM projections of whole rock composition of metapelites from (a) the southern corridor and (b) the northern corridor. The fields for low- and high-Al
pelite are taken from Spear (1993). The metapelites from the northern corridor are richer in Fe/Mg compared to their counterparts in the southern corridor. In the
southern corridor, the staurolite–kyanite ± garnet gneisses are more aluminous than in domains 1 and 2. The garnet-free staurolite–kyanite gneisses are among the
most Mg-rich samples.
 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127 115

Fig. 11. Textural relations in metapelites from the southern corridor. (a, b) In garnet-bearing staurolite–kyanite gneisses, pre-S2S garnet–kyanite–biotite–muscovite
assemblage wrapped by staurolite–muscovite–biotite defines S2S fabric. In both figures, staurolite is absent in pre-S2S assemblage. In (a), the M1S kyanite porphyroblast
overgrows the S2S fabric (within circle). Shape-preferred alignment of pre-S2S kyanite in (a) and pre-S2S garnet-hosted inclusion trails of quartz (in b) defining the
S1S schistosity, are truncated at high angles by the S2S fabric. Image was taken in plane polarized light. (c) In garnet-bearing staurolite–kyanite gneiss neighboring
S3S mylonite zone, a central garnet grain is mantled by optically continuous and physically separated staurolite grains. The staurolite is decomposed to a fine-grained
muscovite + chlorite intergrowth. (d) Staurolite (in higher relief) and garnet porphyroblasts in staurolite–kyanite gneisses neighboring D3 high strain zone are partially
altered (some are pseudomorphed) by chlorite + muscovite intergrowth that overgrow the chlorite–muscovite–biotite-defined S3S mylonite fabric. The earlier S1S
and S2S fabrics are either obliterated or transposed parallel to S3S . (e) In garnet-free staurolite–kyanite gneisses, coarse sieve-textured staurolite porphyroblasts
and coarse plates of kyanite are wrapped by S2S schistosity. Note the pressure shadows (partially shown) around the sieve-textured staurolite porphyroblast. Relict
sigmoidally curved S1S schistosity (broken line) defined by muscovite and biotite, and inclusion trails in staurolite and kyanite can be observed within the pressure
shadow. The quartz inclusions in the staurolite are approximately parallel to the S1S schistosity. Parts of the staurolite and kyanite porphyroblasts extend into and
appear to overgrow the S2S fabric (arrow). Note the persistence of chlorite syn-tectonic with S2S .

blurred by fine-grained intergrowths of muscovite and chlo-
rite (Fig. 11c, d)). The intergrowths typically overgrow the S2S
cleavage. The decomposition of the porphyroblasts to muscovite
and chlorite is most intense within and in zones neighbor-
ing the S3S shears. In the shear zones, the intergrowths are
typically syn- to post-tectonic with respect to S3S mylonite
fabric (Fig. 11d). The textural relations suggest widespread
syn- to post-S3S retrogression (M3S stage) of staurolite-bearing
assemblages that could be related to the reaction stauro-
lite + biotite → chlorite + muscovite.
116 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

Fig. 11. (Continued ).

Fig. 12. (a) PPL image showing two-stage growth of pre-S2S M1S garnet porphyroblast, with an inclusion-poor core mantled by inclusion-rich sieve-textured rim
in a staurolite–kyanite gneiss (GO-462). Staurolite occurs only in the S2S M-domain. (b) EPMA X-ray images show variation of Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn in the part of
garnet shown by box in (a). (c) Compositional variations of XGrt (=Fe/(Fe + Mg) and ZGrt (=Ca/Ca + Fe + Mg) along line A-B (box in (a)) are shown.
 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127
In garnet-free staurolite–kyanite gneisses, with higher mg#
(Fig. 10b), the pre-S2S porphyroblasts are typically staurolite
and kyanite (Fig. 11e). The minerals and muscovite, chlorite and
biotite constitute the M1S metamorphic assemblage. Since the
garnet-free and the garnet-bearing variants of staurolite–kyanite
gneisses are intimately associated in the Tebo-Hesadi area,
the metamorphic P–T conditions for the stabilization of M1S
garnet–kyanite assemblage in mg-poor variety are expected to
be similar to those obtained from M1S staurolite–kyanite assem-
blage in higher mg# gneisses. In other words, the stability of
garnet + kyanite assemblage with respect to staurolite–kyanite
assemblage is extended to higher temperature and pressure
with increasing mg#. In fact, the staurolite–kyanite assem-
blage in mg-richer gneisses continues to persist during S2S ,
i.e. through the M2S stage, and only starts to decompose to
chlorite + muscovite intergrowths post-dating S3S (M3S stage).
Mica schists associated with staurolite–kyanite gneisses
occur as bands of varying width and extent intimately associated
with quartzites. The schists are characterized by a simple miner-
alogy comprising quartz, muscovite, biotite, garnet, ilmenite and
plagioclase, with tourmaline and apatite as the accessory phases.
Chlorite is absent in the rocks, except in zones neighboring the
bounding shear zones. S2S is the regional schistosity in domains
distal from the shear zones. Both S1S and S2S fabrics are defined
by the parallelism of muscovite and biotite (±ilmenite). Gar-
net porphyroblasts are typically wrapped by the S2S schistosity
with prominent pressure shadows, and garnet-hosted inclusion
trails, if present, are generally straight and oriented at high
angles to the schistosity. Post-S2S garnets occurring as dis-
crete grains or overgrowths on pre-existing garnets are absent.
The garnet margins are often corroded and replaced by thin
mantles of randomly-oriented fine-grained muscovite–chlorite
intergrowths post-dating S2S schistosity. The textural relations
suggest that garnet porphyroblasts were pre- to syn-tectonic with
S2S , while its decomposition to muscovite + chlorite was post-
S2S . Proximal to the S3S shear zones, the alteration of garnet to
muscovite + chlorite is prolific.
3.3. Thermobarometry
Temperatures were estimated using biotite garnet ther-
mometer (Thompson, 1976; Holdaway and Lee, 1977; Ferry
and Spear, 1978; Hodges and Spear, 1982; Perchuk and
Lavrent’eva, 1983; Bhattacharya et al., 1992), muscovite–biotite
thermometers based on Mg-Tschermak’s substitution (Wu
et al., 2000, cited in GTB program; Hoisch, 1989),
and the garnet–chlorite thermometer of Dickenson and
Hewitt (1986). The geobarometric equilibria that could be
applied were garnet–plagioclase–quartz–kyanite (Newton and
Haselton, 1981; Hodges and Spear, 1982; Ganguly and
Saxena, 1984; Hodges and Crowley, 1985; Koziol, 1989),
garnet–plagioclase–muscovite–biotite (Ghent and Stout, 1981;
Hodges and Crowley, 1985; Powell and Holland, 1988; Hoisch,
1990) and garnet–plagioclase–muscovite–quartz (Hodges and
Crowley, 1985; Hoisch, 1990). In the thermobarometric reac-
tions that involve garnet, rim composition of garnet rim was
used in combination with the compositions of nearest neigh-
117
bor phases (muscovite, biotite, plagioclase, kyanite). To ensure
that the estimated temperatures were not locked-in on cooling
through diffusive exchange across the garnet–biotite/chlorite
interface, compositions of biotite in contact with garnet were
not considered.
P–T estimate for M1S metamorphic stage were obtained from
three garnet-bearing staurolite–kyanite gneisses from domain 3
(Fig. 13). The P–T conditions obtained from the intersections of
mineralogical thermobarometers varied in the range 8–12 kbar
and 550–700 ◦ C, with the preferred mean at 10 ± 1.5 kbar and
625 ± 50 ◦ C. Thermobarometrically constrained P–T estimates
from the NSMB exist only for three areas, e.g. Surda and
Sini (near Tatanagar; Fig. 1). In the Sini area, the highest P–T
conditions reported by Lal et al. (1987) are 450–580 ◦ C and
4.4–5.3 kbar for M1 metamorphism. Sengupta et al. (2005)
estimated Pmax and Tmax values ∼480 ± 40 ◦ C, 6.4 ± 0.4 kbar
from the Surda mica schists. Ghosh et al. (2006) retrieved a
peak pressure of ∼550 ◦ C and 5.5 kbar for the Ghatsila mica
schists. The mean M1S metamorphic pressure estimated in this
study is, therefore, about twice the known estimates from the
NSMB.
3.4. P–T path for staurolite–garnet–kyanite gneisses
P–T pseudosection (Fig. 14a) was constructed for a
garnet-bearing staurolite–kyanite gneiss (GO-462) using mole-
proportion of oxides in NCKFMASH system calculated on
H2 O-free, silica-free and FeO(total) basis from XRF whole rock
data. Quartz, plagioclase and H2 O were considered to be in
excess in constructing the pseudosection. The P–T pseudo-
section was constructed using the thermodynamic data set of
THERMOCALC program (version 3.21) of Holland and Powell
(1998). Fig. 14b is an amplified portion of Fig. 14a showing the
variation of XGrt (=Fe/Fe + Mg) and ZGrt (=Ca/Ca + Fe + Mg)
isopleths in garnet-bearing phase fields. The XGrt and ZGrt values
were computed for P–T windows of 10 ◦ C and 200 bar. There-
fore, the uncertainties in P and T of the XGrt and ZGrt values are
±100 bar and ±5 ◦ C.
The minerals commonly hosted within M1S garnet are mus-
covite, chlorite, plagioclase and ilmenite. Garnet-hosted kyanite
was not observed. This, coupled with the absence of chlori-
toid and staurolite within garnet, suggests that the prograde
P–T path that produced M1S garnet ± kyanite was for the
most part restricted to chlorite + garnet + muscovite (+plagio-
clase + quartz + H2 O) phase field. In this field, the isopleths
of XGrt and ZGrt are sub-parallel to the pressure axis and
decrease with increasing temperature (Fig. 14b). The theoret-
ically determined composition may be compared with core
to rim compositional variations in GO-462 pre-S2S garnet in
Fig. 12. Since XGrt is constant and ZGrt decreases from core to
rim (Fig. 12), the compositional variations can be explained by
growth of garnet within the garnet + chlorite + muscovite (+pla-
gioclase + quartz + H2 O) field due to decrease in pressure and
increase in temperature (Fig. 14b). Alternatively, if the garnet
formed within the garnet + kyanite + muscovite + biotite (+pla-
gioclase + quartz + H2 O) field, the chemical variations suggest
that garnet growth was promoted by a P–T path parallel to XGrt
118 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

Fig. 13. M1S P–T estimates (shaded boxes) obtained from garnet–kyanite–plagioclase–muscovite–biotite–quartz assemblages in staurolite–kyanite gneisses GO-462,
-159 and -588. The top set of images shows the P–T loci of biotite–garnet thermomteric formulations and barometers involving garnet, plagioclase, kyanite, biotite,
muscovite and quartz (see text for discussion). In the bottom-set figures, the P–T locations for the muscovite–biotite and garnet–chlorite thermometers are shown.
Continuous lines are for Ms–Bt thermometers (M1S assemblage) and the broken lines for Grt–Chl thermometers (M3S assemblage). The shaded boxes are the same
as in the corresponding top-set figures.

contours and in a direction of decreasing ZGrt . Since the XGrt
contours are sub-parallel to the T-axis, and the ZGrt contours
are characterized by high dP/dT slopes in the field, the forma-
tion of garnet was promoted by near-isobaric heating. In both
cases, the estimated M1S temperature was attained following
heating along the prograde arm of a clockwise P–T path. How-
ever, if garnet grew within the chlorite + muscovite + garnet field,
the estimated M1S temperature obtained from the garnet rim
was attained through heating following the attainment of peak
pressure. And, the M1S peak-pressure should lie at P values
higher than the (>8.5 kbar) stability field of Grt–St–Chl–Ms
(+Pl + Qtz + H2 O), because garnet and staurolite are mutu-
ally exclusive in the paragneisses. The available evidence,
when considered together, suggests that the post-peak P–T
path passed through the left of the P/T box (broken line) in
Fig. 14a.
Thermobarometric estimates for M2S and M3S metamorphic
stages could not be determined due to the lack of adequate min-
eral assemblages. Instead, the stability relations shown in the
P–T pseudosection (Fig. 14a) were combined with the syn-S2S
(M2S ) and syn- to post-S3S (M3S ) decomposition reactions to
constrain the retrograde P–T path. The net transfer reaction, gar-
net + kyanite + muscovite → biotite + plagioclase + staurolite,
that led to the formation of M2S staurolite from M1S garnet–
kyanite assemblage occurred at ∼7–8 kbar and 625–650 ◦ C,
while the stabilization of M3S chlorite–muscovite overgrowths
replacing staurolite (staurolite + biotite → chlorite + muscovite)
is likely to have occurred at lower P–T conditions, e.g.
4.5–7.0 kbar and 550–580 ◦ C.
3.5. EPMA monazite dating
EPMA monazite dating by Th–U-total Pb isochron method
(Suzuki et al., 1991) was undertaken to constrain the key events
in the southern corridor. Three samples were analyzed for the
purpose, e.g. a staurolite–kyanite bearing paragneiss (GO-159)
and a staurolite–kyanite free mica schist GO-430) from domain
3, and a chlorite–muscovite–biotite schist (GO-442) contain-
ing unusually large monazite grains from domain 1. GO-159
is a sheared paragneiss located adjacent to a locally developed
S3S shear zone in domain 3, whereas GO-442 lies proximal to
the southernmost shear zone in domain 1. Quantitative micro-
probe analyses of monazites were carried out at the University
of Bochum with a Cameca SX50 Electron probe Micro ana-
lyzer. The operating conditions were 20 kV acceleration voltage,
100 nA beam current, and beam diameter of 6 ␮m. Th, Y, Pb,
P and U were measured in each spot. REE’s were taken to be
Ce as difference to a total of 100. The raw analytical data were
corrected for matrix effects following the procedure outlined in
Armstrong (1995), and the chemical age for each spot analysis
was calculated using the decay equation (Montel et al., 1996) and
the least-square fit model of York (1966) using the MINCALC v.
5 programs. The analytical data and the computed ages are pre-
sented in Table 3. Linear background corrections were employed
for the analytical conditions. However, the curvature of back-
ground particularly under the Pb peak is a significant analytical
consideration (Dahl et al., 2005a,b; and references therein). The
use of linear background correction may have led to somewhat
erroneous and usually anomalously younger computed dates. In
 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127 119

Table 3 Table 3 (Continued )

Concentrations (wt%) of Y, Pb, Th and U and calculated chemical ages of
monazite in mica schists from the southern corridor wY wPb wTh wU Age (Ma)

wY wPb wTh wU Age (Ma) 0.616 0.3245 5.112 0.257 1187

0.641 0.2394 3.591 0.249 1180
GO-159 (monazites in matrix) 0.628 0.3253 4.125 0.284 1385
0.791 0.2738 4.043 0.1923 1272 0.638 0.3134 5.02 0.252 1168
0.872 0.311 4.799 0.2548 1201 0.651 0.3631 5.209 0.269 1293
0.887 0.2738 3.951 0.2614 1235 0.651 0.3871 5.297 0.267 1357
0.913 0.5566 8.457 0.3324 1268 0.621 0.3144 3.952 0.281 1388
0.898 0.5434 8.517 0.3088 1242 0.613 0.3465 4.193 0.262 1473
0.899 0.3649 6.467 0.2369 1103 0.611 0.3225 4.154 0.266 1383
0.955 0.3501 5.421 0.2887 1196 0.594 0.3719 4.886 0.235 1419
0.91 0.2394 4.784 0.2339 948 0.615 0.3044 4.249 0.283 1273
0.911 0.3914 7.06 0.2372 1094 0.622 0.2652 3.93 0.311 1163
0.961 0.4859 8.155 0.2558 1181 0.595 0.2948 4.133 0.255 1284
0.901 0.4352 7.25 0.2431 1181 0.619 0.2536 3.887 0.245 1176
0.91 0.4665 7.82 0.2256 1191 0.958 0.404 5.317 0.292 1390
0.873 0.4326 7.525 0.224 1146 0.945 0.3894 5.578 0.275 1303
0.868 0.5229 8.461 0.2314 1238 1.046 0.527 7.566 0.371 1301
0.916 0.5025 8.221 0.2481 1214 0.617 0.3404 5.776 0.222 1144
0.852 0.5696 8.607 0.2087 1335 0.943 0.4512 6.26 0.34 1324
0.799 0.4988 7.919 0.2375 1251 1.041 0.5091 7.423 0.363 1283
0.905 0.5254 8.877 0.2767 1174 1.031 0.4404 6.239 0.342 1296
0.825 0.4901 7.719 0.2048 1273 1.087 0.3952 5.232 0.331 1350
0.889 0.6309 10.034 0.2906 1252 1.047 0.4011 5.462 0.33 1325
0.771 0.4696 7.407 0.2263 1256 0.962 0.3849 5.382 0.321 1295
0.949 0.5677 9.116 0.319 1218 0.997 0.3432 4.608 0.311 1317
0.819 0.5091 8.432 0.2387 1207 1.04 0.4152 5.645 0.319 1342
0.942 0.4116 5.553 0.396 1298 1.035 0.4833 7.106 0.318 1288
0.795 0.2696 3.999 0.294 1179 0.99 0.3244 4.876 0.282 1215
0.891 0.4939 7.115 0.425 1259 1.268 0.5201 7.08 0.423 1328
0.815 0.3502 4.854 0.325 1280 1.077 0.5883 8.171 0.365 1360
0.781 0.3376 4.844 0.312 1247 0.9 0.6891 12.823 0.351 1082
0.82 0.3343 4.683 0.299 1278 1.062 0.8306 12.114 0.373 1353
0.804 0.4479 6.358 0.391 1270 1.019 0.7725 17.505 0.395 907
0.842 0.4249 6.086 0.334 1283 1.037 0.4493 6.394 0.334 1300
0.845 0.3707 5.26 0.36 1247 0.835 1.5608 23.849 0.565 1323
0.758 0.3369 4.746 0.309 1267 0.959 0.4191 6.114 0.259 1307
0.808 0.4105 5.932 0.291 1293 1.033 0.4583 6.523 0.333 1305
0.788 0.3906 5.591 0.311 1281 0.881 0.3087 4.028 0.263 1362
0.799 0.4393 6.263 0.331 1296 0.911 0.3261 4.603 0.272 1285
0.802 0.5162 7.642 0.354 1274 1.217 0.3436 3.621 0.633 1287
0.819 0.5281 7.9 0.341 1273 0.95 0.3252 4.502 0.308 1276
0.861 0.4748 6.86 0.315 1305 0.92 0.5398 2.838 0.307 2760
0.798 0.5132 7.539 0.362 1277 1.051 0.2997 3.88 0.436 1217
0.831 0.5018 7.556 0.367 1245 0.903 0.1941 2.069 0.326 1320
0.874 0.5742 8.206 0.404 1306 1.298 0.2892 3.012 0.516 1311
0.836 0.5217 7.589 0.376 1283 0.96 0.2652 3.987 0.557 993
0.849 0.5605 8.261 0.392 1275 1.23 0.2945 2.84 0.584 1315
0.669 0.4169 5.566 0.284 1386 1.142 0.3394 4.134 0.912 1029
0.586 0.2699 3.425 0.242 1378 0.954 0.3612 5.195 0.275 1285
0.605 0.3206 4.616 0.26 1271 0.909 0.2972 4.395 0.25 1237
0.664 0.3283 4.437 0.224 1372 0.954 0.1688 1.522 0.408 1253
0.669 0.288 4.332 0.099 1346 0.933 0.3777 5.467 0.248 1305
0.631 0.3071 4.5 0.309 1209 0.947 0.2391 2.833 0.333 1307
0.702 0.3332 5.023 0.337 1182 0.745 0.3445 6.26 0.294 1045
0.61 0.4306 6.025 0.25 1363 1.058 0.3468 4.678 0.348 1288
0.621 0.2566 4.373 0.248 1081 0.936 0.2225 2.729 0.291 1298
0.638 0.2364 3.726 0.25 1132 0.924 0.4087 5.556 0.308 1346
0.642 0.2816 3.723 0.372 1230 0.973 0.3796 5.372 0.348 1262
0.642 0.5318 7.165 0.339 1389 0.99 0.4372 6.063 0.333 1323
0.623 0.5043 7.114 0.283 1359 0.97 0.3137 4.158 0.311 1308
0.611 0.5153 6.84 0.312 1416 0.971 0.3778 5.202 0.296 1324
0.665 0.4548 6.418 0.3 1332 1 0.493 7.082 0.359 1294
0.669 0.4635 6.723 0.35 1278 0.992 0.5022 6.892 0.339 1358
0.646 0.4358 6.336 0.334 1272 0.998 0.4471 6.66 0.333 1253
0.796 0.4667 6.438 0.451 1275
120 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

Table 3 (Continued ) Table 3 (Continued )

wY wPb wTh wU Age (Ma) wY wPb wTh wU Age (Ma)

0.989 0.3514 5.028 0.288 1275 1.321 0.089 0.887 0.097 1564
0.972 0.4546 6.377 0.332 1319 0.745 0.1071 1.189 0.105 1491
0.945 0.3463 4.743 0.28 1323 0.678 0.0286 0.086 0.06 1967
0.97 0.4866 6.993 0.341 1301 0.426 0.0228 0 0.103 1362
1.02 0.4047 5.395 0.309 1364 0.389 0.0167 0 0.039 2316
0.956 0.3851 5.252 0.282 1348 0.466 0.0161 0.171 0.025 1360
0.998 0.3741 5.11 0.319 1314 0.648 0.0203 0.143 0.037 1591
0.971 0.4037 5.302 0.307 1381 0.454 0.0203 0.01 0.057 1944
1.006 0.4219 6.014 0.322 1294 0.678 0.0455 0.279 0.082 1702
1.051 0.4089 5.524 0.341 1331 0.438 0.0187 0.067 0.048 1669
1.062 0.3958 5.482 0.304 1322 1.404 0.0837 0.412 0.271 1336
1.042 0.4321 7.183 0.353 1131 1.483 0.1011 0.594 0.26 1448
0.963 0.4239 6.155 0.296 1291 1.131 0.0897 0.51 0.177 1681
1.011 0.3949 5.676 0.299 1286 1.185 0.0596 0.365 0.177 1318
1.204 0.4108 6.675 0.306 1167 1.354 0.0838 0.382 0.268 1373
1.042 0.5581 7.974 0.364 1320 1.069 0.0501 0.111 0.159 1584
1.03 0.3915 5.61 0.285 1297 1.517 0.1061 0.344 0.372 1390
1.152 0.4617 6.556 0.37 1288 1.363 0.0846 0.353 0.27 1405
1.186 0.5529 7.874 0.424 1293 1.2 0.0712 0.262 0.205 1546
0.921 0.3599 5.503 0.273 1223 1.365 0.0966 0.398 0.251 1603
1.515 0.1161 0.381 0.361 1506
GO-430 (monazites in porphyroblast)
1.546 0.1225 0.529 0.349 1497
0 2.0668 26.052 0.749 1564
1.239 0.0832 0.168 0.275 1557
0.68 1.1326 14.613 0.392 1539
1.442 0.1178 0.252 0.313 1802
0.64 0.8317 10.797 0.291 1530
1.303 0.0989 0.165 0.243 1965
0.308 2.4764 29.708 1.094 1599
1.268 0.0877 0.139 0.246 1802
0.392 2.1472 26.499 0.895 1571
1.245 0.0971 0.127 0.25 1953
0.491 1.7819 21.593 0.966 1547
1.222 0.0896 0.131 0.241 1873
0.346 1.0527 13.428 0.35 1560
1.485 0.1039 0.18 0.326 1646
0.178 0.8566 11.2 0.241 1546
1.385 0.0892 0.167 0.236 1841
0.05 1.0372 13.567 0.274 1552
1.205 0.0761 0.158 0.21 1763
1.142 1.2435 15.9 0.514 1526
0.348 1.4057 18.669 0.359 1534
0.308 1.1237 14.818 0.299 1540
0.422 1.1742 15.153 0.316 1568
view of this, the standard errors of the chemical dates are not
GO-430 (monazites in matrix) presented in Table 3, and the chemical dates may be considered
0.21 0.5843 7.524 0.805 1239
0.003 1.7221 23.591 2.011 1234
to be cursory in nature.
In mica schist of domain 3 (GO-430), monazites were few
GO-442 (monazites in matrix)
in number, but were present both within garnet porphyroblast
1.306 0.0968 0.204 0.271 1742
1.187 0.0735 0.152 0.196 1806 (Fig. 15a) and in the matrix. The garnet-hosted monazites were
1.168 0.0719 0.132 0.19 1847 unzoned, small (25–30 ␮m diameter), elliptical to circular in
1.346 0.0919 0.168 0.278 1681 shape, and contained 0.93–2.61% of PbO, 0.27–1.24% UO2
1.317 0.0986 0.155 0.25 1937 and 12.24–33.81% ThO2 . Monazites in the matrix were also
1.199 0.0772 0.126 0.213 1818
unzoned, somewhat larger (∼100 ␮m in maximum length) and
1.193 0.0734 0.115 0.205 1809
1.193 0.0892 0.454 0.251 1441 contained 0.63–1.86% of PbO, 0.91–2.28% UO2 , 8.56–26.84%
1.406 0.1195 0.543 0.352 1447 ThO2 . In sheared and retrogressed staurolite–kyanite gneiss
1.24 0.0873 0.35 0.228 1609 (GO-159), monazites were rare in the relict porphyroblasts, but
1.389 0.1159 0.452 0.326 1548 were abundant in the matrix (Fig. 15b). The monazites were
1.234 0.0764 0.252 0.221 1579
somewhat irregular in shape and size (max. length: 180 ␮m),
1.367 0.0925 0.39 0.288 1424
1.39 0.1069 0.482 0.299 1497 weakly zoned, and contained 0.25–1.68% of PbO, 0.11–1.03%
1.443 0.1147 0.503 0.333 1474 UO2 , 1.73–27.13% ThO2 . Compositional zoning in the mon-
1.136 0.0755 0.15 0.219 1713 azite grains in the samples GO-430 and GO-159 were checked
1.456 0.1035 0.21 0.316 1648 using BSE imagery, but elemental X-ray imaging was not per-
1.211 0.082 0.15 0.207 1906
formed. Therefore, delicate element zoning unresolved with
0.588 0.0404 0.13 0.082 1976
0.572 0.0486 0.1 0.129 1814 BSE imagery may have escaped attention. However, chemical
0.095 0.02 0.164 0.007 2235 ages determined in single grains did not show systematic core
0.059 0.0337 0.25 0.02 2202 to rim younging trend.
0.504 0.0392 0.089 0.082 2085 The most prominent peak occurs at ∼1280 Ma with consider-
0.694 0.0372 0.145 0.065 2038
able scatter, and a less prominent peak at ∼1520 Ma (Fig. 16a, b).
0.571 0.0398 0.052 0.081 2291
0.902 0.0759 0.715 0.068 1705 The well defined peak at ∼1520 Ma is obtained from monazites
 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127
Fig. 14. (a) NCKFMASH P–T pseudosection showing the stability fields of
mineral assemblages in the range 500–750 ◦ C and 4–16 kbar calculated using
the bulk composition of garnet–staurolite–kyanite gneiss GO-462. Pl, Qtz and
H2 O were in excess. The darkest shade corresponds to low variance fields; pro-
gressively lighter shades are for higher variance fields. The mole proportions
of the system components (recalculated to 100) are Na2 O = 7.54; CaO = 5.80;
K2 O = 7.43; Al2 O3 = 49.98; FeO = 12.97; MgO = 16.27. The box outlined by
broken line highlights the P and T conditions (Fig. 13) obtained for the rock
using rim composition of M1S garnet and neighboring phases. The bold line with
arrowhead shows the reconstructed P–T path. The prograde P increase shown as
broken line is purely conjectural. The question mark between the loading related
P–T path and the exhumation-related P–T path is inserted to suggest a possible
break in the P–T evolutionary history (refer to text). (b) An enlarged portion of
the NCKFMASH P–T pseudosection in A showing XGrt [=Fe/Fe + Mg)] (bro-
ken line) and XGrt [=Ca/(Ca + Mg + Fe)] (dotted line) contours in phase fields
involving garnet (unshaded). The shaded fields are for garnet-free assemblages.
Details of contour construction are discussed in the text. The contour intervals
are not constant.
hosted within M1S garnet porphyroblasts (Fig. 15a), whereas
monazites in the matrix (Fig. 15b) yielded younger dates, with
∼1280 Ma being most prominent (Fig. 16). The older age clus-
ter ∼1520 Ma in M1S garnet-hosted monazites corresponds to
the age of entrapment of monazite in the garnet during M1S
prograde loading and heating of the crustal domain. In other
121
words, the age provides a minimum estimate for M1S garnet
growth. This age coincides with the age of uranium mineral-
ization at the SSZ determined by Rao et al. (1979) based on
U–Pb isotope ratios in uraninite. A somewhat comparable K–Ar
date (∼1550 Ma) in tholeiites was obtained by Saha (1994).
Roy et al. (2002) determined a somewhat older Rb–Sr isochron
age (∼1619 ± 38 Ma) for gabbro–pyroxenite intrusives prox-
imally located to the Dalma metaigneous. The younger age
cluster at ∼1280 Ma was obtained from monazites in sheared
S3S matrix minerals. Two lines of evidence suggest that the age
may correspond to the S3S shearing–exhumation event. First,
the monazites in the sheared matrix are anhedral with mar-
gins that overgrows the S3S fabric (cf. Fig. 15b). Second, the
matrix monazite grains are typically homogeneous with rare
older (∼1.55 Ga) spot ages. This may imply that either the
older ages were largely re-set at 1.3 Ga or the 1.3 Ga monazites
may have grown broadly synchronous with S3S shearing. This
appears to be a reasonable assumption in the absence of subse-
quent amphibolite facies diastrophic events affecting the rocks.
The age data of 1.3 Ga coincides with K–Ar ages reported from
several areas in the NSMB (Misra and Johnson, 2005).
The chlorite–muscovite schist (GO-442) from domain 1 is
unusual in more than one way. First, the schist is unusually rich in
CaO (24.78 wt%) and P2 O5 (25.26 wt%) compared to the schists
and paragneisses from the southern sector. Second, the mon-
azites (>100 ␮m, and up to 300 ␮m in length) are botryoidally
shaped chemically zoned grains, with light gray margins around
darker-shaded interior (Fig. 15c, d). The lighter-shaded margins
are continuous and symmetrically disposed adjacent to grain
boundaries or cracks forming a hexagonal or honeycomb-like
network (Fig. 15c, d). And finally, the cores of monazite grains
(0.02–0.13% of PbO, 0.01–0.42% UO2 , 0.00–0.67% ThO2 ) are
characterized by extremely low thorium contents. The histogram
(Fig. 16c) based on spot age data retrieved from core portions in
monazites in GO-442 shows a wide scatter (1300–2400 Ma), and
the majority of computed dates are older than 1500 Ma. The old-
est dates (2.2–2.4 Ga) coincides with the depositional age of the
Singhbhum Group of metasediments suggested by Sarkar and
Saha (1983) and Saha et al. (1988), and the age of intercalated
Dalma (meta-) volcanics (Misra and Johnson, 2005).
Available evidence (Copeland et al., 1988; Suzuki and
Adachi, 1994; Cherniak et al., 2004) indicates Pb loss in
monazites does not occur at temperature below 600 ◦ C;
higher closure temperature (700 ◦ C) has been indepen-
dently postulated by Dahl (1997). The greenschist facies
chlorite–muscovite ± biotite schist (GO-442) arguably did not
experience metamorphic temperature in excess of 550 ◦ C at
any stage of their evolutionary history. Therefore, the oldest
∼2400 Ma CHIME dates in GO-442 monazites are unlikely to
correspond with the metamorphic recrystallization events sug-
gested in this study. Instead, the chemical age (2.2–2.4 Ga) of the
monazite grains may correspond with the age of deposition of the
sedimentary precursors to para-schists in the southern corridor.
However, as the very low concentrations of Th, U and Pb may
also induce large error in the chemical ages, the assumption that
the 2.2–2.4 Ga represents the age of sedimentation is specula-
tive. It is in-built in the inference that the 2.4 Ga monazites once
122 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127

Fig. 15. Back-scattered-electron image of monazite grains in metpelites from the southern corridor. (a) Occurrence of garnet-hosted monazite in mica schist GO-430A
(domain 3); blown-up image of the monazite to the right shows its unzoned nature. (b) Anhedral monazite grains in mylonitized (D3S ) staurolite–kyanite gneiss
GO-159 (domain 3) apparently overgrowing the S3S fabric. Close-up views in the right show lack of apparent zoning in the monazite grains. (c, d) Back-scattered-
electron images showing the occurrence of monazite in chlorite-muscovite schist GO-442 in domain 1. The botryoidal monazite grains show darker-shaded cores
mantled by lighter-shaded rims symmetrically developed along grain margins. The rims form a continuous network around the cores. (+) marks show the analyzed
spots in the monazite grains.

existed in the higher-grade gneisses of domain 3, but were all
reset at ∼1.5 Ga by either thermally-driven Pb diffusion or fluid-
driven processes of dissolution and recrystallization operating
below the Pb diffusional closure temperature.
3.6. The composite P–T path; the southern corridor
The composite P–T path retrieved from textural-petrogenetic
considerations in the highest-grade para-gneisses (and schists)
from the west-central part of the North Singhbhum Mobile Belt
is shown in Fig. 17a. Earlier estimates (Ghosh et al., 2006;
Sengupta et al., 2005; Lal et al., 1987) of Pmax and Tmax
values are lower than 6 kbar and 550 ◦ C, respectively. These
values were retrieved from the Ghatsila–Sini areas. The high-
est Pmax and Tmax values retrieved in this study indicate that
the more deeply buried parts of the NSMB are located closer
to the Dalma meta-igneous suite and in the centrally-located
domains within the orogen. The Tmax value was attained fol-
lowing loading, and by implication the thermobarometrically
constrained P value is likely to be comparable or lower com-
pared with Pmax experienced by the rocks. Cursory chemical
dates obtained from monazites within M1S garnet indicate the
prograde metamorphism to have occurred >1.5 Ga (Fig. 17).
The near peak P–T minerals experienced exhumation and cool-
ing at amphibolite facies conditions (M2S metamorphic stage;
syn-S2S ) and at greenschist facies conditions corresponding to
the M3S stage (syn- to post-S3S ). The chemical dates in mon-
azites from the matrix of S3S mylonitized staurolite–kyanite
gneisses are inferred to indicate the last exhumation event to
have occurred at ∼1.3 Ga (Fig. 17a). By implication, the Meso-
proterozoic exhumation of the crustal segment occurred over a
protracted time.
The Tmax value in the reconstructed P–T path for the NSMB
high-grade gneisses is considerably higher (>200 ◦ C; Fig. 17b)
compared to the documented peak temperature of subduction
zone settings (Ernst, 1988; Ernst et al., 1997). By implication,
the subducting crust in the North Singhbhum Mobile Belt was
likely to have been characterized by higher geothermal gradient
compared to the cold slab subduction model.
4. Concluding remarks: tectonothermal evolution of the
mobile belt
Summarizing, in the northern corridor, prograde heating syn-
chronous with crustal shortening (syn-tectonic with S2S and S3S )
in highest-grade rocks (T ∼620 ◦ C, P ∼7 kbar) occurs towards
 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127 123

Fig. 16. Frequency plots of CHIME dates obtained from spot analyses in monazites grains in mica-schist from the southern corridor. CHIME dates obtained in
multiple monazite grains from (a) sheared garnet-bearing staurolite–kyanite gneiss GO-159 (domain 3), (b) garnet-bearing mica schist GO-430 (domain 3), and
(c) chlorite–muscovite schist GO-442 in domain 1. ‘n’ indicates total number of spots analyzed. Darker-shaded bars in (b) are for CHIME dates obtained from
garnet-hosted monazite; the lighter-shaded bars in (a) and (b) are for monazites occurring in the matrix.

the foreland and at a deeper structural level with respect to S3N .
By contrast, the highest-grade metamorphic rocks in domain 3
flanked by lower-grade rocks in the southern corridor occur in a
narrow zone towards the hinterland and at shallower structural
(S3S ) levels. The highest-grade rocks evolved along a high P/T
prograde arm of a possible clockwise P–T path (Pmax ≥ 10 kbar;
Tmax ∼650 ◦ C) followed by post-loading heating prior to S2S ,
and finally cooling–exhumation synchronous with S2S and S3S in
the retrograde sector. Cursory chemical dates in monazites sug-
gest that the prograde metamorphism in the southern corridor

Fig. 17. (a) The composite P–T path (bold line with arrowhead) was reconstructed from garnet-bearing staurolite–kyanite gneisses (Fig. 14a) in domain 3. The P–T
boxes are mineral thermobarometric estimates of pre-S2S metamorphic conditions in metapelites from domain 3. The gray lines are metamorphic facies boundaries
after Spear (1993). The P–T boxes in broken lines are for previously inferred P–T estimates. Box A: Ghosh et al. (2006); box B: Sengupta et al. (2005); box C:
Lal et al. (1987). (b) The P–T in (a) (shown in bold line with arrow) is compared with documented P–T paths in subduction zones (after Ernst, 1988), excluding
ultra-high-P rocks (Ernst et al., 1997). The peak temperature of NSMB paragneisses is higher by 200 ◦ C from peak T known for cold slab subduction.
124 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127
Fig. 18. A schematic view of the structural-metamorphic setting along a section transverse to the elongation of the NSMB. The reverse-sense shear zones correspond
to S3 in both the northern and southern corridors. The P–T paths correspond to those reconstructed for staurolite–kyanite gneisses in domain 3 of the southern corridor
and garnet–staurolite-bearing muscovite schists at the fringe of the CGC in the northern corridor.
was ≥1.5 Ga. The S3S exhumation at greenschist facies condi-
tions, on the other hand, possibly occurred later, ∼1.3 Ga. The
depositional age of sedimentary precursors to para-gneisses and
schists in the southern corridor is suggested to be <2.4 Ga. The
hinterland-dipping reverse-sense S3S thrust imbrications in the
southern and northern corridors led to syn-collisional extrusion
of the crustal slices from the central parts of the orogen out-
wards, e.g. syn-contractional expansion of the orogen (Fig. 18).
The deformation plan for the D3 deformation event – associ-
ated with M3S cooling–exhumation in the southern corridor and
prograde heating–loading in the northern sector – was similar,
e.g. the mean trend of S3 and the attitude of axes of the non-
cylindrical non-planar flexural slip shear-related F3 folds are
conformal. Since monazites in the northern corridor could not
be dated, it is unclear if the D3 deformation event in the two
corridors were coeval.
4.1. Convective removal of collision thickened lithospheric
root: the preferred model
Mafic and utramafic rocks comprise key lithological units
within the NSMB. Based on field examination and textu-
ral characterization made in this study (not discussed), the
rocks can be classified into three petrographic varieties, e.g.
(a) multiply-deformed and metamorphosed hornblende schists,
chlorite schists and talc schists (cf. Dunn, 1929; Dunn and
Dey, 1942), (b) undeformed, unmetamorphosed mafic intru-
sives like gabbro and pyroxenites (cf. Dunn, 1929; Gupta et
al., 1977, 1980, 1982; Bhattacharya and Sanyal, 1988) that pre-
serve igneous textures, and (c) tuffs and pyroclastic rocks in the
northern sector (cf. Dunn, 1929). The meta-igneous rocks are
overwhelmingly dominant in the central part of the NSMB (the
Dalma meta-igneous suite; Dunn, 1929), whereas the pyroclas-
tic and tuffaceous rocks are the least dominant. Although field
documentation of the inter-relationship between the intrusives
and fabrics in mafic rocks is lacking, there is little doubt that the
intrusive and extrusive mafic rocks were emplaced at different
stages during the evolution of the NSMB.
The episodic nature of mafic magmatism in the NSMB sug-
gests that the sub-crustal mantle was thermally active during
the early stages of collisional thickening (pre-S2S ) and the ther-
mal anomaly (assuming that T at the base of a normal 40 km
thick crust is <500 ◦ C; Fowler, 1998) outlasted the Pmax stage.
The thermal anomaly is supported by (a) the higher (>200 ◦ C)
Tmax value recorded by the staurolite–kyanite gneisses com-
pared to those known for cold slab subduction, and (b) M1S Tmax
value attained after the Pmax value or even during decompres-
sion. Clearly, a tectonic model applicable for the NSMB should
account for the existence of thermally active sub-continental
mantle prior to and out-lasting collision-related crustal thicken-
ing.
All considered any tectonic model for the NSMB should
account for prograde heating post-dating loading. Convec-
tive removal of lithospheric root beneath a collisional orogen
(England and Houseman, 1989) and consequent crustal exten-
sion induced by surface elevation controlled crustal extrusion
(Vissers et al., 1995) is a plausible mechanism for rapid heating
of the lithosphere. Heating during extension may be accompa-
nied by emplacement of mantle-derived melts (Gans, 1989). This
may explain the observed mafic emplacements post-dating the
collisional fabrics in the NSMB. The mafic emplacements are
expected to be abundant directly above the zone of maximum
thickening (e.g. the Dalma meta-igneous suite). Yet, another
consequence of convective removal of a lithospheric root is that
high temperature is likely to post-date the collisional phase.
However, calculations by Houseman and Molnar (1997) indi-
cate that the onset of heating may be initiated several tens of
millions of years after thickening depending upon the crustal
thickness, the external forces and the viscosity structure of the
crust. Recently, Platt et al. (2003) demonstrated for the Albo-
ran Basin in the Betic Cordillera that the heating phase initiated
∼30 myr after crustal thickening.
The time gap between high-P subduction and heating
due to slab-break-off is of the order of 30–50 Ma. This
value does not account for the >200 Ma time gap inferred
between subduction (>1.5 Ga) and syn-collisional exhumation
 S. Mahato et al. / Precambrian Research 162 (2008) 102–127
(∼1.3 Ga) documented in this study. Seemingly, therefore, the
1.3 Ga collision–exhumation and the >1.5 Ga subduction events
may not constitute a continuum. In other words, the recon-
structed P–T path (Fig. 17) may not represent a single cycle
of subduction-related metamorphism, and instead may be a
composite of two temporally disparate events, e.g. a subduction-
related orogeny older than 1.5 Ga, and a later syn-collisional
exhumation orogenesis at ∼1.3 Ga.
Acknowledgements
This work constitutes a part of the doctoral dissertation of
S.M. in the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, 2007.
The authors acknowledge the financial support (grant-in-aid)
provided by the Department of Science and Technology, New
Delhi (India). Electron probe microanalyses of mineral were car-
ried out in Cameca SX-50 EPMA equipments in laboratories in
Kolkata and Faridabad of the Geological Survey of India, and
in the Ruhr Universitat Bochum, Germany. We thank Dr. N.C.
Pant and Dr. A. Ghosh (GSI, Faridabad) and Mr. B. Chattopad-
hyay, Mr. S. Sanyal and Mr. S. Som (GSI, Kolkata) for helping
us with the EPMA analyses and the X-ray element imaging dur-
ing different stages of the work. The villagers in and adjoining
Chakradharpur, Nakti, Tebo, Hesadi and Kolomda provided us
logistic support during fieldwork under difficult circumstances.
We are especially grateful to Sukhram Bodhra (Tebo), Avinash
Purtu (Kolomda) and Hiralal (Charkradharpur) for their assis-
tance during fieldwork. The authors appreciate the constructive
comments by P.S. Dahl and an anonymous reviewer that led to
substantive modifications in the manuscript. A.B. thanks Prof.
S. Dasgupta (Editor) for inviting to contribute in the special
volume.
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