Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Radioelemental, petrological and geochemical characterization of the Bundelkhand craton, central India: implication in the Archaean geodynamic evolution

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We have carried out radioelemental (232Th, 238U, 40K), petrological and geochemical analyses on granitoids and gneisses covering major rock formations of the Bundelkhand craton, central India. Our data reveal that above characteristics are distinct among granitoids (i.e. pink, biotite and grey granitoids) and gneisses (i.e. potassic and sodic types). Pink granitoid is K-feldspar-rich and meta-aluminous to per-aluminous in character. Biotite granitoid is meta-aluminous in character. Grey granitoid is rich in Na-feldspar and mafic minerals, granodiorite to diorite in composition and meta-aluminous in character. Among these granitoids, radioelements (Th, U, K) are highest in pink granitoid (45.0 ± 21.7 ppm, 7.2 ± 3.4 ppm, 4.2 ± 0.4 %), intermediate in biotite granitoid (44.5 ± 28.2 ppm, 5.4 ± 2.8 ppm, 3.4 ± 0.7 %) and lowest in grey granitoid (17.7 ± 4.3 ppm, 4.4 ± 0.6 ppm, 3.0 ± 0.4 %). Among gneisses, potassic-type gneisses have higher radioelements (11.8 ± 5.3 ppm, 3.1 ± 1.2 ppm, 2.0 ± 0.5 %) than the sodic-type gneisses (5.6 ± 2.8 ppm, 1.3 ± 0.5 ppm, 1.4 ± 0.7 %). Moreover, the pink granitoid and the biotite granitoid have higher Th/U (6 and 8, respectively) compared to the grey granitoid (Th/U: 4), implying enrichment of Th in pink and biotite granitoids relative to grey granitoid. K/U among pink, biotite and grey granitoids shows little variation (0.6 × 104, 0.6 × 104, 0.7 × 104, respectively), indicating relatively similar increase in K and U. Therefore, mineralogical and petrological data along with radioelemental ratios suggest that radioelemental variations in these lithounits are mainly related to abundances of the radioactive minerals that have formed by the fractionation of LILE from different magma sources. Based on present data, the craton can be divided into three distinct zones that can be correlated with its evolution in time and space. The central part, where gneisses are associated with metavolcanics of greenstone belt, is characterized by lowest radioelements and is the oldest component. The southern part, dominated by pink granitoid, is characterized by highest radioelements and is the youngest part. The northern part, dominated by grey and biotite granitoid, is characterized by moderate radioelements.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams JAS, Osmond JK, Rogers JJW (1959) The geochemistry of thorium and uranium. Phys Chem Earth 3:298–348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Albarède F (1998) Time-dependent models of U–Th–He and K–Ar evolution and the layering of mantle convection. Chem Geol 145:413–429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ammar AA, Elkattan EM, Elsadek MA (1993) The distribution of radioelements in El Gulf biotite granite, north eastern Desert, Egypt: a guide to the recognition of anomalously radioactive zones. J Afr Earth Sci 16:473–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashwal LD, Morgan P, Kelly SA, Preicival GA (1987) Heat production in an Archean crustal profile and implications for heat flow and mobilization of heat producing elements. Earth Planet Sci Lett 85:439–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balaram V, Rao TG (2004) Rapid determination of REEs and other trace elements in geological samples by microwave acid digestion and ICP-MS. At Spectrosc 24:206212

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbarin B (1999) A review of the relationships between granitoid types, their origins and their geodynamic environments. Lithos 46:605626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basu AK (1986) Geology of parts of the Bundelkhand granite massif, Central India. Rec Geol Surv India Part II(117):61124

    Google Scholar 

  • Basu AK (2010) Precambrian geology of Bundelkhand terrain, central India and adjacent part of western India. J Econ Geol Georesour Manag 7:1–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharya AR, Singh SP (2013) Proterozoic crustal scale shearing in the Bundelkhand Massif with special reference to quartz reefs. J Geol Soc India 82:474–484

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birch F (1954) Heat from radioactivity. In: Faul H (ed) Nuclear geology. Wiley, New York, pp 148–174

  • Bunker CM, Brush CA, Robert J, Munroe and Sass JH (1975) Abundances of U, Th and K for some Australian crystalline rocks. Open-file report 75–393

  • Chappell BW, White AJR (1974) Two contrasting granite types. Pac Geol 8:173174

    Google Scholar 

  • Connor JT (1965) A classification for quartz rich igneous rocks based on feldspar ratios. In: US geological survey professional paper B525 USGS 7984

  • Cox KG, Bell JD, Pankhurst RJ (1979) The interpretation of igneous rocks. George Allen and Unwin, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cuney M, Friedrich M (1987) Physicochemical and crystal-chemical controls on accessory mineral paragenesis in granitoids: implications for uranium metallogenesis. Bull Miner 110:235–247

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies GF (1999) Geophysically constrained mantle mass flows and the 40Ar budget: a degassed lower mantle? Earth Planet Sci Lett 166:149–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De La Roche H, Leterrier J, Grandclaude P, Marchal M (1980) A classification of volcanic and plutonic rocks using R1R2-diagram and major element analyses—its relationships with current nomenclature. Chem Geol 29:183–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eyüboğlu Y, Santosh M, Chung SL (2011) Crystal fractionation of adakitic magmas in the crust-mantle transition zone: petrology, geochemistry and U–Pb zircon chronology of the Seme adakites, Eastern Pontides, NE Turkey. Lithos 121:151–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Falkum T, Hansen JR (1978) The application of Radioelement studies in solving petrological problems of the Precambrian intrusive Homme Granite in the Flekkefjord area South Norway. Chem Geol 23:73–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich MH, Cuney M, Poty B (1987) Uranium geochemistry in peraluminous leucogranites. Uranium 3:353–385

    Google Scholar 

  • Fyfe WS (1973) The granulite facies, partial melting and the Archaean crust. Philos Trans R Soc Lond 273:457–462

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geological Survey of India, Geological Map of India, 1:2 million scale (1998)

  • Gupta ML, Sundar A, Sharma SR, Singh SB (1993) Heat flow in the Bastar craton, central Indian shield: implications for thermal characteristics of Proterozoic cratons. Phys Earth Planet Inter 78:23–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heier KS, Rodger JJW (1963) Radiometric determination of thorium, uranium, and potassium in basalts and in two magmatic differentiation series. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 27:137–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann AW, Jochum KP, Seufert M, White WM (1986) Nb and Pb in oceanic basalts : new constraints on mantle evolution. Earth Planet Sci Lett 79:33–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurley P, Fairbairn HW (1957) Abundance and distribution of uranium and thorium in zircon, sphene, apatite, epidote, and monazite in granitic rocks. Trans Am Geophys Union 38:939–944

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jochum KP, Hofmann AW, Ito E, Seufert HM, White WM (1983) K, U and Th in mid-ocean ridge basalt glasses and heat production: K/U and K/Rb in the mantle. Nature 306:431–436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Killeen PG, Heier KS (1975a) Trend surface analysis of Th, U, K and Heat Production in three related granitic plutons Farsund area South Norway. Chem Geol 15:163–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Killeen PG, Heier KS (1975b) A uranium and thorium enriched province of the Fennoscandian shield in southern Norway. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 39:1515–1524

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kinnaird JA, Bowden P, Ixer RA, Odling NWA (1985) Mineralogy, geochemistry and mineralization of the Ririwai complex northern Nigeria. J Afr Earth Sci 3:185–222

    Google Scholar 

  • Kochhar N (1992) Mineralization associated with A-type Malani magmatism, Northwestern peninsular India. In: Sarkar SC (ed) Metallogeny related to tectonic of the Proterozoic mobile belts. Oxford-IBH, New Delhi, pp 209–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishna AK, Murthy NN, Govil PK (2007) Multi element analysis of soils by wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. At Spectrosc 28:202–214

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar PS, Reddy GK (2004) Radioelements and heat production of an exposed cross-section of Archaean crust Dharwar craton south India. Earth Planet Sci Lett 224:309–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar PS, Srinivasan R (2002) Fertility of late Archean basement granite in the vicinity of U-mineralized Neoproterozoic Bhima basin peninsular India. Curr Sci 82:571–575

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar S, Raju S, Pathak M, Pandey A (2010) Magnetic susceptibility mapping of Felsic Magmatic Lithounits in the central part of Bundelkhand Massif. Central India. J Geol Soc India 75:539–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert IB, Heier KS (1968) Geochemical investigations of deep-seated rocks in the Australian shield. Lithos 1:30–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lassiter JC (2004) Role of recycled oceanic crust in the potassium and argon budget of the Earth: toward a resolution of the “missing argon” problem. Geochem Geophys Geosyst. doi:10.1029/2004GC000711

    Google Scholar 

  • Loiselle MC, Wones DR (1979) Characteristics and origin of anorogenic granites. Geol Soc Am Abstr 11:468

    Google Scholar 

  • Menon R, Kumar PS, Reddy GK, Srinivasan R (2003) Radiogenic heat production of Late Archaean Bundelkhand granite and some Proterozoic gneisses and granitoids of central India. Curr Sci 85:634–638

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohan MR, Singh SP, Santosh M, Siddiqui MA, Balaram V (2012) TTG suite from the Bundelkhand craton central India: geochemistry petrogenesis and implications for Archean crustal evolution. J Asian Earth Sci 58:38–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mondal MEA (2010) Geochemical evolution of the Archaean-Paleoproterozoic Bundelkhand craton, central Indian shield: revisited. J Econ Geol Georesour Manag 7:69–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Mondal MEA, Zaninuddin SM (1996) Evolutuion of Archean–Paleoproterozoic Bundelkhand Massif central India—evidence from granitoids geochemistry. Terra Nova 8:532–539

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mondal MEA, Goswami JN, Deomurari MP, Sharma KK (2002) Ion microprobe Pb-207/Pb-206 ages of zircons from the Bundelkhand massif, northern India: implications for crustal evolution of the Bundelkhand–Aravalli protocontinent. Precambr Res 117:85–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagaraju P, Ray L, Ravi G, Akkiraju VV, Roy S (2012) Geothermal investigations in the Upper Vindhyan sedimentary rocks of Shivpuri area central India. J Geol Soc India 80:39–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newsom HE, White WM, Jochum KP, Hofmann AW (1986) Siderophile and chalcophile element abundances in oceanic basalts, Pb-isotope evolution and growth of the Earth’s core. Earth Planet Sci Lett 80:299–313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor JT (1965) A classification of quartz rich igneous rock based on feldspar ratios. US Geol Surv 525B:B79–B84

    Google Scholar 

  • Padmakumari VM, Venkata Rao N, Sitaramayya S, Bhimasankaram VLS (1977) Variation of uranium, thorium and potassium contents in the granitic rocks of Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh-a preliminary study. Indian J Earth Sci 4:192–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Pagel M (1982) The mineralogy and geochemistry of uranium, thorium and rare earth elements in two radioactive granites of the Vosges France. Miner Mag 46:149–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey UK, Bhattacharya D, Sastry DVLN, Pandey BK (2011) Geochronolgy (Rb–Sr, Sm–Nd and Pb–Pb), isotope geochemistry and evolution of the granites and andesite hosting Mohar cauldron, Bundelkhand Granite complex Shivpuri District Central India. Explor Res Atomic Miner 2:103–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Pati JK, Patel SC, Pruseth KL, Malviya VP, Arima M, Raju S, Pati P, Prakash K (2007) Geology and geochemistry of giant quartz veins from the Bundelkhand Craton, central India and their implications. J Earth Syst Sci 116:497–510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman A, Zainuddin SM (1993) Bundelkhand Granites: an example of collision related Precambrium magmatism and its relevance to the evolution of the Central Indian Shield. J Geol 101:413–419

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao MJ, Poornachandra Rao GVS, Widdeowson M, Kelley SP (2005) Evolution of Proterozoic mafic dyke swarms of the Bundelkhand Granite Massif, central India. Curr Sci 88:502–506

    Google Scholar 

  • Ray L (2002) Crustal thermal structure of Southern Granulite Province, India, unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Osmania University Hyderabad India

  • Ray L, Kumar PS, Reddy GK, Roy S, Rao GV, Srinivasan R, Rao RUM (2003) High mantle heat flow in a Precambrian granulite province: evidence from Southern India. J Geophys Res 108:6–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Ray L, Roy S, Srinivasan R (2008) High radiogenic heat production in the Kerala Khondalite Block, Southern Granulite Province India. Int J Earth Sci (GeolRundsch). doi:10.1007/s00531-007-0278-8

    Google Scholar 

  • Roy S, Rao RUM (2000) Heat flow in the Indian shield. J Geophys Res 105:25587–25604

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubatto D (2002) Zircon trace element geochemistry: partitioning with garnet and the link between U-Pb ages and metamorphism. Chem Geol 184:123–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubatto D, Gebauer D (2000) Use of cathodoluminescence for U–Pb zircon dating by ion microprobe: some examples from the Western Alps. In: Barbin V, Blanc P, Ohnenstetter D, Pagel M (eds) Cathodoluminescence in geosciences. Springer, Berlin, pp 373–400

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rybach L, Werner D, Mueller S, Berset G (1977) Heat flow, heat production and crustal dynamics in the Central Alps Switzerland. Tectonophysics 41:113–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoch AE, Scheepers R (1990) The Distribution of Uranium and Thorium in the Cape Columbine Granite from the Southwestern Cape Province. S Afr Ore Geol Rev 5:223–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shand SJ (1943) The eruptive rocks, 2nd edn. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma KK (2000) Evolution of Archean Plaleoproterozoic crust of the Bundelkhand craton, northern Indian shield, research highlights in earth system science. In: Verma OP, Mahadevan TM (eds) DST special publication no. 1, Pg. Ind. Geological congress, pp 95–105

  • Shrivastava VK, Parthasarathy TN, Sinha KK (1992) Geochemical study of the uraniferous granites from Lambapur area Nalgonda district Andhra Pradesh India. Explor Res Atomic Miner 5:41–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh SP (2012) Archean geology of Bundelkhand craton, central India: an overview. Gondowana Geol Mag 13:125–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh SP, Bhattacharya AR (2010) Signatures of Archaean E–W Crustal-Scale shears in the Bundelkhand Massif, central India: an example of vertical ductile shearing. Earth Sci India 3:217–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh SP, Dwivedi SB (2009) Garnet-sillimanite-cordierite-quartz-bearing assemblages from early Archean supracrustal rocks of Bundelkhand Massif, central India. Curr Sci 97:103–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh SP, Dwivedi SB (2015) High grade metamorphism in the Bundelkhand Massif and its implications on Mesoarchean crustal evolution in Central India. J Earth Syst Sci 124:197–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh AK, Vallinayagam G (2009) Radioactive element distribution and rare-metal mineralization in anorogenic acid volcano-plutonic rocks of the Neoproterozoic Malani Felsic Province Western Peninsular India. J Geol Soc India 73:837–853

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh AK, Vallinayagam G (2012) High heat producing volcano-plutonic rocks of the Siner Area, Malani igneous suite, Western Rajasthan, India. Int J Geosci 3:1137–1141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh SP, Singh MM, Srivastava GS, Basu AK (2007) Crustal evolution in Bundelkhand area central India. Himal Geol 28:79–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Smithson SB, Heier KS (1971) Potassium, Uranium and Thorium distribution between normal and charnockitic facies of a deep granitic intrusion. Earth Planet Sci Lett 12:325–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor SR, McLennan SM (1985) The continental crust: its composition and evolution. Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Vigneresse JL, Cuney M, Jolivet J, Bienfait G (1989) Selective heat-producing element enrichment in a crustal segment of the mid-European Variscan chain. Tectonophysics 159:47–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wasserburg GJ, MacDonald GJF, Hoyle F, Fowler WA (1964) Relative contributions of uranium, thorium, and potassium to heat production in the Earth. Science 143:465–467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams IS, Buick IS, Cartwright I (1996) an extended episode of early Mesoproterozoic metamorphic fluid flow in the Reynolds Range, central Australia. J Metamorph Geol 14:29–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang B, Wu J, Ling H, Chen P (2007) Estimate of influence of U–Th–K radiogenic heat on cooling process of granitic melt and its geological implications. Sci China Ser D Earth Sci 50(5):672–677

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work has been carried out under SHORE (PSC-0205) project funded by CSIR. We are thankful to M. Ram Mohan and Soumya Shukla for their help in carrying out modal analysis, A.V. Vyasulu for his help in laboratory measurements and S. Seshikanth Babu for preparation of samples for measurements. We are thankful to Prof A.K. Basu and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments which improved our manuscript. Director, CSIR-NGRI supported the work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, 500007, India

    Labani Ray, P. Nagaraju, G. Ravi & Sukanta Roy

  2. Department of Geology, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, 284128, India

    S. P. Singh

Authors
  1. Labani Ray
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. Nagaraju
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. P. Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  4. G. Ravi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sukanta Roy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Labani Ray.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ray, L., Nagaraju, P., Singh, S.P. et al. Radioelemental, petrological and geochemical characterization of the Bundelkhand craton, central India: implication in the Archaean geodynamic evolution. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 105, 1087–1107 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-015-1229-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-015-1229-4

Keywords