Abstract This study reports, for the first time, Sr and Nd isotope ratios from the mafic rocks in the Manipur Ophiolite Complex (MOC), along with new elemental abundances to show the subduction zone influence. The initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios (for t = 127 Ma) range from 0.705230 to 0.709734. The initial 143 Nd/ 144 Nd and ɛ Nd t ( t = 127 Ma) range from 0.512611 to 0.512900 and +2.7 to +8.3, respectively. The high field strength element (HFSE) ratios vary widely, with Nb/Ta ranging from c. 3 to 18 and Zr/Hf ranging from 20 to 41, indicating fluid–rock interaction in the presence of rutile. The correlated variation in the Nd and Sr isotope ratios and the HFSEs, including TiO 2 , reflects the variation in the slab-derived fluids. The light rare earth element (LREE) enriched and flat patterns yielded by the mafic rocks are modelled by varying the degree of melting of the fluid-metasomatized mantle. The subsequent influx of the slab-derived fluid at a greater depth caused the re-melting of the previously depleted wedge to produce the LREE-depleted patterns. We propose that the geochemical variation recorded in the MOC rocks indicates the changing nature of fluid metasomatism of the mantle wedge across the subduction zone with time.

Abstract The Bhatwari Gneiss of Bhagirathi Valley in the Garhwal Himalaya is a Paleoproterozoic crystalline rock from the Inner Lesser Himalayan Sequence. On the basis of field and petrographic analyses, we have classified the Bhatwari Gneiss into two parts: the Lower Bhatwari Gneiss (LBG) and the Upper Bhatwari Gneiss (UBG). The geochemical signatures of these rocks suggest a monzonitic protolith for the LBG and a granitic protolith for the UBG. The UBG has a calc-alkaline S-type granitoid protolith, whereas the LBG has an alkaline I-type granitoid protolith; the UBG is more fractionated. The trace element concentrations suggest a volcanic arc setting for the LBG and a within-plate setting for the UBG. The U–Pb geochronology of one sample from the LBG gives an upper intercept age of 1988 ± 12 Ma ( n = 10, MSWD = 2.5). One sample from the UBG gives an upper intercept age of 1895 ± 22 Ma ( n = 15, MSWD = 0.82), whereas another sample does not give any upper intercept age, but indicates magmatism from c. 1940 to 1840 Ma. Based on these ages, we infer that the Bhatwari Gneiss has evolved due to arc magmatism and related back-arc rifting over a time period of c. 100 Ma during the Proterozoic. This arc magmatism is related to the formation of the Columbia supercontinent.