Imprints of Archean to Neoproterozoic crustal processes in the Madurai Block, Southern India

• Northern Madurai Block represents Neoarchean magmatism and protocontinent formation.
• Occasional presence of Paleoproterozoic zircon rim may indicate metamorphism.
• Hf isotopes represents mixing of isotopically heterogeneous crustal sources with variable mantle input.

Madurai Block, the largest crustal block in the Southern Granulite Terrane (SGT) of Peninsular India, preserves the imprints of multistage tectonic evolution. Here, we present U–Pb and Hf isotope data on zircons from a charnockite–granite suite in the north-western part of this block. The oscillatory zoning, and the LREE to HREE enriched patterns of the zircons with positive Ce and negative Eu anomalies suggest that the zircon cores are of magmatic origin, with ages in the range of 2634–2435 Ma implying Neoarchean–Paleoproterozoic magmatism followed by subsequent metamorphism and protocontinent formation in the north-western part of the Madurai Block. A regional 550–500 Ma metamorphic overprint is also preserved in the zircons coinciding with the final amalgamation of the Gondwana supercontinent. The Hf isotopic data suggest that the granite and charnockite were derived from isotopically heterogeneous juvenile crustal domains and the charnockites show a significant contribution of mantle-derived components. Therefore, the Hf isotopic data reflect mixing of crustal and mantle-derived sources for the generation of Neoarchean crust in the north-western Madurai Block, possibly in a suprasubduction zone setting during continent building processes.