ANORTHOSITE

Introduction and Definition

Anorthosites are monomineralic ultrabasic igneous rocks which are principally composed of calcic
plagioclase. The name anorthosite was first introduced by Thomas.S.Hunt in 1873 in describing the
plagioclase rich rock of the Labrador area,Canada. The name was derived from the German description for the
triclinic feldspars:anorthose feldspars. Anorthosite is a mantle derived rock. It is commonly associated with
other mafic and basic rock types mainly distributed within Precambrian shield areas and cratons.
Mineralogy
Anorthosite is principally composed of calcic plagioclase. Monomineralic anorthosites are composed
of high CaO plagioclase ranging from labradorite to anorthite. Partially monomineralic types display a
compositional range from oligoclase to bytownite ( CaO abundance is greater than 20% or An 20).
Albite when present is generally secondary in origin metasomatic origin. The colour of the
plagioclase in the outcrop or hand specimen is variable and can be identified by its distinct play of colours.
Primary accessory minerals include: olivine (high to moderate MgO), pyroxene: orthopyroxene and
rare clinopyroxene, ores: chromite and Fe-Ti-V oxides. Secondary accessory minerals include alteration and
desilication products of plagioclase: scapolite, alkali feldspar, quartz, rare garnet, corundum, calcite; pyroxene:
uralite, amphibole, epidote. Mica and zircon are generally rare or absent.
Petrography
Textural and structural types in anorthosite may be grouped as igneous or metamorphic in character.
Igneous Textures
The most common igneous texture recorded is the 'hypidiomorphic granular' texture with euhedral
or anhedral intergranular accessories. Cumulate or layered textures is common in monomineralic
anorthosite. Porphyritic textures with phenocrystal and ground mass plagioclase (of similar or dissimilar)
composition also occur. Rare glomeroporphyritic textures have been observed in some anorthosites.
Anorthosite phenocrystals may be lineated or twinned or zoned. Ground mass minerals are generally
subhedral.

Igneous Structures
Layering and segregation of plagioclase and chromite ore as distinct conformable bands are
observed in some monomineralic anorthosites. Associated ultramafic rocks may also be layered with an
igneous stratigraphy. The band thickness can vary from laminar (< 1m) to layered (> 1m) on a vertical scale.
The disposition of the bands may be sub horizontal to vertical. Banding may be continuous or discontinuous.
Lensoid shapes or stringers of anorthosite bounded above and below by mafic bands have been recorded in
some anorthosites.
Metamorphic Textures
Metamorphic textures common reported include: gneissic, augen, protoclastic or mylonitic. Augen
or gneissic textures suggest granulite to amphibolite grade regional metamorphism. Mylonitic or protoclastic
textures suggest shearing or faulting of the anorthosite. Gneissic banding can develop by folding deformation
in layered anorthosite. Meta-igneous textures may be seen in some anorthosites which have undergone low to
medium grade regional metamorphism. Original igneous features (zoning, twinning) may be obliterated or
partially altered.
Metamorphic Structures
Augen structure and thick gneissic banding may be seen in metamorphosed anorthosites.
Mode of Occurrence
Anorthosite displays several modes of occurrence: they include the following types:
Layers
Monomineralic layers of anorthosite occur within a lopolith or basin shaped layered ultramafic
complex, generally above the gabbro or troctolite or chromite layers, e.g. Bushveld Igneous Complex of South
Africa.
Discrete intrusions
Anorthosite can occur as discrete batholithic or stock like intrusives within cratonic granulitic rocks.
They occur as discrete residual hills or massifs, e.g. Oddanchatram and Manaparai anorthosite.

Dike & Sills

Anorthosite dikes and sills have been observed in ophiolite sequences and oceanic gabbros of mid
oceanic ridge affinity. The dyke or sill may be differentiated vertically to display distinct bands of basal mafic
and upper plagioclase minerals.
Migmatite Configuration
Leucosomes of some migmatite rocks may be mainly composed of calcic plagioclase to be
anorthositic in composition. These anorthosites are derived from palingenetic metamorphic processes.
Classification of Anorthosites
Anorthosites have been classified using several parameters: mineralogy, petrography, and mode of
occurrence.
IUGS Scheme
This scheme is based on the modal abundance of plagioclase with respect to olivine and pyroxene.
Only the igneous varieties are represented. The nomenclature is given in the diagram is self explanatory.
Lewis D Ashwal's Scheme

Ashwal's scheme is based on age,petrography,association,mode of occurrence, and geological

environment of the anorthosites. He proposed the following categories:
Archean megacrystic anorthosite, Proterozoic anorthosite, Oceanic anorthosite, Ophiolitic anorthosite,
Extraterrestrial anorthosites, and Xenolithic or anorthosite inclusions. Their characters are tabulated below:
Type
Archean

Age
megacrystic Archean

Petrography Mode of Occurrence

Porphyritic

Batholithic or layers

Granulite
and
granitoids
of
Archean Cratons

Batholithic,layered,or
migmatitic

Proterozoic orogenic
belts.

anorthosite
Proterozoic anorthosite

Proterozoic

Cumulate

Oceanic anorthosite

Recent

Granular
poikilitic

Ophiolitic anorthosite

Variable age

Cumulate

Xenolithic

or

inclusions

anorthosite Cognate or Variable

older
than
host rock

Extraterrestrial anorthosites

Archean
Proterozoic

Association

Cumulate,
variable
textures

to Sporadic bodies in Mid Ocean Ridge

MORB
magma Basalt (MORB)
chambers.
Discrete bodies or MORB or Island Arc
layers in Ophiolite magma chambers.
sequences..
Cognate bodies in basalt,komatiite,andesite,
boninite.
Xenoliths
in
eclogite,kimberlites,lamproites,lamprophyres
,and some alkaline rocks
Meteorites and Lunar anorthosites.

A E Wright's Scheme
This scheme is based on composition,environment, geological association of the anorthosite rock. It is
a field classification with petrographic details. It does not discuss the lunar and xenolithic types.
a. Layered Type
Layered anorthosite occur associated with layered basic or mafic igneous complexes in Precambrian
areas. The layers may be monomineralic or mixed with mafic mineral layers. The disposition of layers may be
horizontal to nearly vertical. Thickness of layers varies from 1 cm to 1m.Cumulate or cumulate type textures
dominate with randomly oriented plagioclase. Ultramafic rocks: dunite, peridotite, pyroxenite, troctolite, gabbro,
and chromitite are the common associates. Metamorphism may induce folding in layered anorthosites.
Horizontal to sub horizontal Layers: Bushveld, Muskox, Stillwater, Skaergaard.

Vertical Layers: Willow Lake

Folded and metamorphosed layers: Fisknaesset, Ophiolitic and Ocean floor anorthosite, Obducted oceanic
crust anorthosite.
b. Massif or Adirondack Type
These anorthosites occur as batholiths or stocks covering an area of about 10 km 2. They are
associated with Precambrian orogens and their eroded equivalents in cratons. High grade granulite and gneiss
are the common field associates. They are further subdivided into:
Labradorite Type:
These anorthosites may be partly layered with An content ranging from 75 to 90% resembling gabbroic
or troctolitic anorthosite.
Andesine Type:
These are non layered massif types and display An content equivalent to antiperthitic andesine.
Metamorphosed Massif Type:
These types may contain garnet.
Fe-Ti-V layers may occur in massif anorthosite.
c. Metamorphic Stratigraphic Type
These anorthosites are folded, deformed, metamorphosed, hydrothermally altered, and sometimes
sheared. They retain the layered conformable relations with the associated mafic and basic rocks. They occur
in Archean high grade gneiss sequences. Schist and quartzite may occur. They are subdivided on to the
following types:
Sittampundi Type:
These are highly folded, contorted, metamorphosed anorthosites with relict layering as evidenced by
chromitite layers or boudins. The common structure is gneissic with plagioclase decomposition features. They
may contain remnant features resembling Ophiolite.

Sakeny Type:

This type was proposed by Boulanger (1980) after sakenite rock of Madagascar. It is composed of
calcic plagioclase (> 85%), with minor spinel, sapphirine, and corundum. Layering may be continuous or
discontinuous often associated with chromite bearing pyroxenite , amphibolite, marble, and quartzite.
Geochemistry
The silica content of anorthosite as a group varies from 43 to 60% indicating an ULTRABASIC silica
under saturated to silica saturated character. The CaO ranges from 5 to 20% exceeding MgO+FeO. MgO
varies from 0.17 to 17.10%. Na 2O varies from 0.99 to 11.10%. Al2O3 is significant in the formation of
plagioclase. The volume of the other oxides are variable.
In anorthosite containing olivine and orthopyroxene, the MgO % of the olivine and orthopyroxene are
in direct proportion to the CaO% of co-existing plagioclase. The CaO of plagioclase may correlate to CaO of
co-existing diopside if present. The CaO / Al 2O3 ratio is variable suggesting differing protolith character and
compositions.
Ba, Sr, Rb,Eu (REE), Cs K, constitute the compatible elements of calcic plagioclase. Their ppm
values may exceed primitive mantle values (PM). Incompatible elements may be > or < than PM range
(Zr,U,Th,P, etc.) indicating depletion (primitive) or enrichment (contamination). Trace element content of
Archean anorthosites may resemble their host rocks.
Ni, Cr, Mn, Ti, V, Co constitute the compatible elements of co-existing olivine and orthopyroxene in
anorthosite. Their ppm values may exceed PM range. Sc may be abundant when clinopyroxene exceeds the
combined volume of olivine and orthopyroxene. When olivine and orthopyroxene exceeds clinopyroxene in
volume Cr fractionate as chromite mineral and can form chromitite layers by gravitative settling.
REE content exceeds CI range for terrestrial anorthosite and is less than CI in the case of lunar or
meteoritic anorthosite. LREE total > HREE total (normalized) and LREE : HREE = 4:1,with moderate profile
slopes indicating moderate differentiation or partial melting of protolith. Eu anomaly is positive (in most
plagioclase rich anorthosite) confirming plagioclase fractionation.

Petrogenesis of Anorthosite

General
Anorthosites are derived from mafic or basic magmas of mantle protoliths. Fractional crystallization,
diapiric (vertical) rise (of plagioclase crystals along with melt material), and lateral flow or injection (of
plagioclase melt mush by filter pressing processes) may be involved in the generation of anorthosites from
their parental melts.
Genetic Models for the different anorthosites
Archean Megacrystic Anorthosite [Phinney (1982), Emslie (1978)]
These anorthosites are derived from mantle derived iron rich tholeiite fractions of picritic or komatiitic
protoliths (or from their partial melts). Anorthosite generation is described in two stages:
First Stage:
High pressure crystallization of plagioclase in mantle melts at the crust mantle boundary, i.e.
formation and localization of magma chamber at this location.
Second Stage:
Ascent and consolidation of the plagioclase rich melt towards the lower and middle crust forming
porphyritic plagioclase megacrystal bearing anorthosite. Coexisting mafic minerals are derived from the minor
mafic melt fraction emplaced along with the plagioclase crystal - melt.
Proterozoic Massif Anorthosites [ Bowen (1917), Emslie (1980)]
These anorthosites are derived from depleted basic or mafic or picritic magmas of upper mantle
protoliths. The host magma ascends and localizes at the Moho to form a lopolithic magma chamber.
Fractionation is initiated in the melt. The slow cooling promotes development of plagioclase as phenocrystals
which tend to float or be suspended in the magma mass. Minor mafic minerals accumulate at the base of the
magma chamber (or) may be reverted back to the mantle (or) be resorbed by new and hotter magma batches
from the upper mantle.
Layered Anorthosites [Todd (1982), Irving (1975)]
Layered anorthosites are derived from mafic or ultramafic magmas of upper mantle protoliths.
Fractional crystallization and gravitative settling processes occur. The plagioclase phenocrystals tend to float

or be suspended in the magma mass and the minor mafic minerals accumulate at the base of the magma
chamber. The source magma melt may under go one or several stages of differentiation to form the
anorthosite layers.
The following is envisaged in multi-stage differentiation of anorthosite forming magma:
a. Formation of ultramafic magma of olivine boninite compositional.
b. Separation of this magma into two fractions: one fraction is rich in MgO and FeO, the other fraction is rich in
Al2O3 , CaO Na2O, by liquid immiscibility.
c. Vertical layering of basal mafic fraction and upper felsic fraction.
d. Crystallization of basal layer to form: dunite,peridotite,pyroxenite, and upper layer to form anorthosite.
Troctolite, gabbro or norite form in between these layers.
Chromite, magnetite, ilmenite rutile, PGE, Ni+Co+Cu deposits, Ti V magnetite are the associated
deposits. Residual Au may accumulate in the residual fluid to form an anorthosite hosted Au deposit.
Ophiolitic and Oceanic Anorthosites
The Ophiolitic anorthosites are associated with ophiolite sequences and their tectonic regimes. The
oceanic anorthosites are related to layered gabbro complexes and MOR magma chambers. Source melt is
tholeiitic basalt of MOR or Island Arc magmas (basic to calc-alkaline).
Lunar Anorthosites
These anorthosites are either iron rich type (ferroan) or alkali rich type (alkali rich) based on FeO and
CaO Na2O respectively. Anorthosite meteorites are called as Pallasites.
Anorthosite Inclusions or Xenoliths
Cognate anorthosite is cogenetic with the enclosing older anorthosite. Xenolithic anorthosite originate
from varied sources in the upper mantle and lower crust.
Anorthosites of Tamil Nadu
Confirmed anorthosite occurrences in Tamil Nadu include the following: SITTAMPUNDI, KADAVUR,
TOGAMALAI, ODDANCHATRAM, MANAPPARAI, CHINGLEPUT, PALANI HILLS, MANALUR, MADUKKARAI,
METTUPALAYAM ,& KOTAGIRI.

Important References
Leelanandam,C. And M. Narasimha Reddy; (1998). Precambrian anorthosites from peninsular India
problems and perspectives. Geol.Surv.Ind.Spl.Pub.No. 44, pp 152 169.
Chatterjee,S.C. (1974). Petrography of the Igneous and metamorphic rocks of India,Macmillan Publication Co.
Delhi.