云南保山地块香山组和丁家寨组沉积序列与碳同位素研究

通过对保山地块北部西邑地区下石炭统香山组和下二叠统丁家寨组详细的野外剖面实测与钻孔编录,并结合层序地层学、沉积相以及碳氧同位素分析结果认为,下石炭统香山组自下向上可分为三个岩性段,分别对应台前斜坡下部、台前斜坡上部、碳酸盐岩台地三种沉积环境。下二叠统丁家寨组为滨岸冰水沉积,下部为冰碛含砾钙质杂砂岩,发育落石构造。下石炭统香山组δ13C_PDB值自下而上逐渐升高,环境可能较稳定,有机质埋藏增加。综合前人古地磁、生物区系对比、大地构造学等研究成果认为早石炭世保山地块较稳定,仍属冈瓦纳大陆北缘。丁家寨组冰碛含砾钙质杂砂岩结束后δ13C_PDB值出现强烈负偏,与研究区冰期结束、早二叠世初次温度上升、大量玄武岩喷发等时限高度一致,共同说明了保山地块在早二叠世开始从冈瓦纳大陆北缘裂解出来,并开始向北漂移。该项研究的开展为探讨Submasu地块晚古生代的古海洋、古地理和气候演化具有重要意义,为全球同时期碳氧同位素数据库提供了新资料。     

Paleoclimate of some Permo-Triassic carbonates of Malaysia

Four hundred thin-sections of Permian (Chuping and Summalayang Limestones) and Triassic (Kodiang Limestone) carbonates of Malaysia were studied, mainly to interpret probable climatic zones during their formation.

Chuping Limestone is rich in skeletal grains and intraclasts formed in shallow, high-energy environments. Original mineralogy of skeletal grains and early diagenetic cements were chiefly calcites with some aragonite. The faunal assemblage is similar to that of subpolar carbonates. The brachiopods are characterized by heavy δ¹³C and light δ¹⁸O and these values lie in the same field as an Early Permian fauna from eastern Australia. The δ¹⁸O values of fauna show unrealistic temperatures because the fauna has equilibrated with melt waters. However, calculated original δ¹⁸O values of the fauna from δ¹³C indicate temperatures ranging from 2 to 13°C with δ_w of +1.2. These features reflect cool-temperate (to ?subpolar) conditions.

Summalayang Limestone is rich in fusulinids and was deposited in bar to shelf environments. Fusulinids are often filled with fine, equigranular sparry calcite. Early diagenetic origin of these cements is indicated by erosion of cements during transportation and also by the cross-cutting relationship of veins with cements. These cements were originally Mg calcites. The foramol faunal assemblage, and predominantly Mg calcite mineralogy of both fauna and cements, reflect temperate climate.

Kodiang Limestone was deposited in peritidal environments. This limestone formation has all the characteristic features of modern, warm, tropical carbonates such as chlorozoan assemblage, diverse non-skeletal grains, abundant early diagenetic dolomites and predominance of aragonitic fauna, non-skeletal grains and cements.

The formation of temperate carbonates during the Permian suggests that Malaysia was probably part of Gondwanaland.     

Lithologic Boundaries in Permian Post-glacial Sediments of the Gondwana-affinity Regions of China: Typical Sections, Age Range and Correlation

In Southwest China, Gondwana-affinity Permo-Carboniferous deposits are known to occur in the Northern Himalayas, the Lhasa Block and the South Qiangtang Block, the Baoshan Block and the Tengchong Bock. The three-fold clastic successions, namely diamictite–pebbly mudstone–dark mudstone and shale are commonly interpreted as representing deposits of glacial–deglacial–post-glacial periods in marine environments. Deposits, for example, the Dingjiazhai Formation in the Baoshan Block, the Kongshuhe Formation in the Tengchong Block, the Yongzhu Group and the Poindo Group in the Lhasa Block, are all succeeded by carbonate deposits. This marks a significant change from post-glacial clastic environment to a carbonate environment. Available paleontological data show that the change from post-glacial clastic environment to carbonate environment took place in the Baoshan, Tengchong and Lhasa Block at the beginning of the Artinskian. The carbonate environment in the Baoshan Block was spoiled by the eruption of the Woniusi Basalts, and in the Xainza area of the Lhasa Block was shortly replaced by clastic environment until the Kungurian. In the northern Himalayas limestones began to occur in the Late Permian in a fluctuating manner.     

滇西亲冈瓦纳相生物群特征及地层时代的重新厘定

滇西保山地区丁家寨组及其上覆卧牛寺组,前人根据其中(虫筳)类化石定为上石炭统(马平阶),沿用至今。笔者在该区多门类化石中,见到不同时代的化石混积在一起,包括异地再沉积的早石炭世腕足类Syringothyris,石炭纪的(虫筳)类、珊瑚等。原地埋藏的腕足类有Steriochia litostyla等,并保存有完好的壳刺。厘定后的时代为Sakmarian晚期至Artinskian,它可与西藏的冈瓦纳相地层及生物群进行对比。 滇西腾冲地区空树河组及其上覆的岩子坡组,前人因其含(虫筳)Triticites,Quasifusulina等也定为上石炭统。实际上,空树河组中、上部的多门类化石(包括腕足类、苔藓虫、单体珊瑚和微古植物等),与丁家寨组相似,具有强烈的二叠纪面貌,与冈瓦纳相更为接近。厘定空树河组时代为Sakmarian—Chihsian,它与西藏的相应地层可以很好地进行对比。     

云南施甸丁家寨组沉积环境及下部含砾层的成因探讨

<正> 滇西保山地区在大地构造位置上介于怒江断裂带和澜沧江断裂带之间。段新华等(1983)发现下冈瓦纳相地层及古生物,对本区晚古生代古生物、地层和沉积相的研究为地质工作者所关注,关于上石炭统丁家寨组下部含砾层的成因解释是人们感兴趣的课题之一。王义昭(1983)、曹仁关(1986)等提出含砾层属于冰川—海洋相成因,把它和西藏曲     

Sedimentary facies and diagenetic features of the Early Cretaceous Fahliyan Formation in the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt,Iran

The Early Cretaceous Fahliyan Formation (middle part of the Khami Group), is one of the important reservoir rocks in the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt. The Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt is located on the boundary between the Arabian and Eurasian lithospheric plates and formed from collision between Eurasia and advancing Arabia during the Cenozoic. In this study area, the Fahliyan Formation with a thickness of 325 m, consists of carbonate rocks (limestone and dolomite). This formation overlies the Late Jurassic Surmeh Formation unconformably and underlies the Early Cretaceous Gadvan Formation conformably at Gadvan Anticline. The formation was investigated by a detailed petrographic analysis to clarify the depositional facies, sedimentary environments and diagenetic features in the Gadvan Anticline. Petrographic studies led to recognition of the 12 microfacies that were deposited in four facies belts: tidal flat, lagoon, and shoal in inner ramp and shallow open marine in mid-ramp environments. The absence of turbidite deposits, reefal facies, and gradual facies changes show that the Fahliyan Formation was deposited on a carbonate ramp. Calcareous algae and benthic foraminifera are abundant in the shallow marine carbonates of the Fahliyan Formation. The diagenetic settings favored productioning a variety of features which include cements from early to late marine cements, micritization, dolomitization, compaction features, dissolution fabric, and pores. The diagenetic sequence can be roughly divided into three stages: (1) eugenic stage: marine diagenetic environment, (2) mesogenic stage: burial environment, and (3) telogenic stage: meteoric diagenetic environment.     

佳木斯地块东缘晚古生代大陆边缘构造演化

佳木斯地块位于中国东北微陆块群的最东缘,其东缘地区晚古生代的岩浆和沉积演变进程为欧亚大陆东缘由被动陆缘向活动陆缘构造环境的转化提供了关键证据。年代学和地球化学研究表明,佳木斯地块东缘中泥盆世黑台组砂岩,形成于被动陆缘的构造环境,黑台组上覆的老秃顶子组流纹岩也形成于被动陆缘的构造环境;晚石炭世珍子山组砂岩,形成于活动陆缘的构造环境;早二叠世的二龙山组安山岩以及相邻地区早二叠世的其它火成岩形成于活动陆缘的构造环境。同时,佳木斯地块东缘泥盆-二叠纪的沉积地层也呈现出由浅海相到陆相地层转化的特征。因此,佳木斯地块东缘由被动陆缘向活动陆缘的转化应该发生在中泥盆世到晚石炭世,而该构造环境的转化也为晚古生代时期蒙古-鄂霍茨克洋向欧亚大陆之下俯冲过程的研究提供了关键信息。     

二叠纪东吴运动的沉积响应差异：来自扬子和华夏板块吴家坪组或龙潭组碎屑锆石LA-ICPMS U-Pb年龄研究

二叠纪所发生的东吴运动是华南非常重要的构造事件之一。但在构造运动方式、动力学机制以及岩浆-沉积-成矿等方面存在明显的地区差异性。在扬子板块,东吴运动主要发生在中、晚二叠世之间,由地幔柱活动引起,表现为地壳的大规模抬升和大火成岩省的形成;而在华夏板块,东吴运动发生时间相对较早,始于早二叠世晚期,可能由古特提斯洋的俯冲、闭合以及陆陆碰撞引起,主要体现造山作用和前陆盆地的形成以及大量二叠纪花岗岩的侵入。对晚二叠世吴家坪组碎屑锆石所进行的LA-ICPMS U-Pb年龄系统研究表明,扬子和华夏碎屑锆石所构成的年龄频谱和所反映的信息亦存在明显的地区差异。来自扬子板块吴家坪组碎屑锆石年龄主要集中在250~272Ma,峰值为259Ma,这与峨眉山玄武岩的喷发时间非常一致,说明碎屑物质主要来自峨眉山大火成岩省;来自华夏板块龙潭组(相当于吴家坪组)碎屑锆石年龄明显与扬子板块吴家坪组碎屑锆石年龄不一样,华夏龙潭组碎屑锆石年龄变化范围宽广,介于250~3652Ma之间,具有258Ma、290Ma、447Ma、988Ma和1880Ma 5个大的峰值以及360Ma、541Ma、823Ma和2500Ma 4个小的峰值。这些锆石年龄,除了2500Ma外,在华夏地块中都有同期岩浆岩出露。这说明华夏吴家坪组碎屑物源复杂,源区经历了复杂的地壳演化历史,包括晋宁、加里东和印支等造山作用。华夏板块晚二叠世早期碎屑物源可能通过造山作用和短距离搬运来自华夏本身。     

Palaeokarst-influenced depositional and diagenetic patterns in Upper Permian carbonates and evaporites, Karstryggen area, central East Greenland

The Karstryggen area of eastern Greenland represents the western edge of sedimentation in the Jameson Land Basin, an arm of the northern Zechstein seaway. Upper Permian strata of this area were deposited as two major sequences. The first marine incursion transgressed largely peneplaned Lower Permian strata and deposited thin, paralic conglomerates, sandstones and shales (the Huledal Formation) followed by a thick package of carbonates and evaporites (the Karstryggen Formation). Although the Karstryggen Formation represents the transgressive maximum of this sequence, it contains only marginal or restricted marine strata, including micritic, stromatolitic and peloidal carbonates and thick, but localized, bedded gypsum deposits. These lithofacies indicate that relatively arid climates prevailed in this basin, as in most of the Zechstein region. A major regression, associated with a change to a more humid climate, terminated Karstryggen sedimentation. Pre-existing evaporites and carbonates underwent diagenetic alteration, including widespread calcitization and dissolution of gypsum. More importantly, topographic relief in excess of 120 m was generated by fluvial drainage systems and karstic sinkholes. A second marine incursion, accompanied by a return to a semi-arid climate, drowned this high relief topography, producing a complex sequence of strata (the Wegener Halvø Formation) in which sedimentation was greatly influenced by the rugged underlying terrain. Marine cemented algal-molluscan grainstones draped pre-existing palaeotopography during the initial stages of flooding. Continued drowning led to differential sedimentation on ‘highs’ and in ‘lows’. Oolitic and bryozoan-brachiopod grainstones formed as shoals on the crests of most prominences, whereas shales, conglomeratic debris flows, evaporites, or oolitic turbidites were deposited in the lows. More restricted sedimentation took place in the westernmost areas which lay closest to the mainland shoreline and were situated to the west of a palaeotopographic ridge. There, oolitic, stromatolitic and evaporitic strata were deposited under hypersaline conditions indicative of a return to more arid climatic conditions. Three subcycles mark smaller scale relative changes of sea level that occurred during deposition of the Wegener Halvø Formation; they are delimited by regional surfaces with moderate relief (5–20 m) developed during subaerial exposure. Widespread diagenetic changes, including leaching of aragonitic grains, dissolution/collapse brecciation of evaporites and meteoric calcite cementation, occurred in association with these smaller scale sequence boundaries, again reflecting climatic oscillations. Relative sea level fluctuations, coupled with regional climate changes, played a dominant role in determining both depositional and diagenetic relations in these strata. These features undoubtedly extend into subsurface parts of this basin as well as into yet unexplored areas of the northern Zechstein Basin and Barents Shelf, and may have economic significance for the localization of hydrocarbons.     

Spatial and Temporal Distribution of the Cryptospirifer Fauna(Middle Permian Brachiopods) in the Tethyan Realm and Its Paleogeographic Implications

The middle Permian Cryptospirifer fauna （brachiopod） has hitherto been found in more than 30 localities in the Yangtze Platform, South China. Examination of data from various localities shows that it occurs stratigraphically in three intervals in the range from the upper Kungurian to Wordian. In the Baoshan block in western Yunnan the fauna occurs in the basal part of the Daaozi Formation and is of possibly an early Wordian age. Outside China the Cryptospirifer fauna has been reported from central and northwest Iran and central Turkey, where the fauna may have an age around the Wordian／Capitanian boundary. Rapid global warming since the late Early Permian and possession of other suitable environmental factors such as proper substrate, clastic input and water depth enabled the Gondwana-derived Baoshan Block and related tectono-stratigraphic units in Iran and Turkey to host the Cryptospirifer fauna, a fauna evolved in the Yangtze Platform that is a type area of the Cathaysian province.     

川滇藏交界区二叠纪—早三叠世的两套弧火山岩

川滇藏交界区属三江印支造山带中段,地质构造十分复杂.文章据最近获得的岩石化学及野外调查资料分析了该区古特提斯活动大陆边缘的两套弧火山岩的特征,结果表明:早二叠世的吉东龙组是碧土洋盆向东俯冲的记录,当时的活动大陆边缘属西太平洋岛弧型;晚二叠-早三叠世的夏牙村组-马拉松多组是金沙江洋盆(南段)向西消减的证据,当时的活动大陆边缘接近安第斯型.在此基础上讨论它们在恢复古特提斯演化的时空制约中的意义.     

Mesozoic–Cenozoic sedimentary rock records and applications for provenance of sediments and affiliation of the Simao Terrane,SW China

ABSTRACT

As the north part of Simao Terrane, Lanping Basin is located between the Sanjiang Tethys Orogen (STO) and Yangtze Block, also the junction zone between the Gondwanaland and Cathaysian old land (Pan Huaxia mainland), which includes Yangtze and Cathaysian Blocks. The aim of this study is to decipher the provenance of the sedimentary units in the Lanping Basin and affiliation of Simao Terrane by the U-Pb ages, Hf isotope of detrital zircons and whole-rock geochemistry. The whole-rock geochemistry and the mineral composition indicate that most of the Triassic–Paleocene sedimentary rocks are derived from the upper crust and exhibit recycled orogen features. The detrital zircon U-Pb ages from the North Simao Terrane are consistent with the magmatic events during Early Neoproterozoic and Permian in the Western Yangtze Block. And the detrital zircons ages from North Simao Terrane show same distribution features as the Permian–Triassic magmatic rocks, which are distributed in the Simao Terrane and along major sutures. These comparisons suggest that the clastic sediments in Lanping Basin (North Simao Terrane) are derived from Early Neoproterozoic and Permian magmatic rocks from Western Yangtze Block, Permian–Triassic magmatic rocks from Simao Terrane, along Jinshajiang, Garz-Litang and Ailaoshan Sutures. The comparison of the detrital zircon age distributions shows that Simao Terrane and Yangtze Block exhibited similarity tectonic setting in the evolution history, especially during Paleoproterozoic–Late Paleozoic. This suggests that the Simao Terrane is part of Cathaysian old land, although Simao Terrane was separated from Yangtze Block for short period during Early Paleozoic. Besides, the Hf mapping, stratigraphic succession, paleogeography and paleomagnetism in SW China support that Simao Terrane has a Cathaysian old land-affinity, rather than one involving Gondwanaland.     

New Materials of the Shanita-Hemigordius Assemblage (Permian Foraminifers) from the Baoshan Block, Western Yunnan

Fossil materials of Shanita and Hemigordius from a section northeast of the Woniusi (the Woniu Temple) of Baoshan, western Yunnan are described and figured in this paper. Field investigation indicates that fossils of these two foraminifer genera are extremely abundant and form a typical Shanita-Hemigordius assemblage in the so-called "Cracked Limestone" in the Baoshan area. Preliminary study has revealed that the features of this assemblage, which includes Shanita amosi, S. chagouensis, Hemigordius renzi and H. biconcavus, are similar not only to the Shanita fauna previously reported from the Shazipo Formation in the Zhengkang area, west Yunnan, but also to those from the Permian of Burma, Thailand, Iran and Turkey.     

浙江江山寒武系碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄与沉积指向构造及其古地理意义

浙江江山北部处于紧邻江山-绍兴断裂带的扬子地块边缘;寒武系杨柳岗组陆源碎屑岩夹层中的碎屑锆石 LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年结果表明,年龄范围为515~3340 Ma,主峰年龄828 Ma,其次为727 Ma及916 Ma;与邻区的对比结果 显示,研究区碎屑锆石年谱与华夏地块闽西北-赣中东部以及扬子地块赣东北-皖南地区可对比,尤其与前者最为相近, 而与华夏地块闽西南-赣南地区差异显著。杨柳岗组及其上覆华严寺组同沉积褶皱以及下伏大陈岭组单向斜层理特征表 明,沉积基底向北西倾斜,沉积物搬运方向由南东向北西。综合这两方面推测：在杨柳岗组沉积时期,研究区具有向北西 倾斜的沉积基底,向东南方向应与剥蚀区相连,陆源碎屑物应源自其东南方向的华夏地块东部;剥蚀区可能位于现今包括 江绍构造带在内的浙江中部,向北西方向主要提供前寒武系陈蔡群和相当于河上镇群以及少量双溪坞群或者三者剥蚀物再 沉积地层的剥蚀物质。     

准噶尔盆地玛湖凹陷下二叠统古老碱湖成因探究：来自全球碱湖沉积的启示

碱湖沉积在全球范围内均有分布,在特定的构造背景、火山活动、热液作用及气候条件下形成。我国准噶尔盆地玛湖凹陷风城组发育的碱湖沉积形成年代老且埋藏较深,在完整的沉积-成岩演化研究中具有独特优势。此外,风城组碱湖沉积的分布与页岩油藏的分布具有密切关系,其形成演化对碱湖页岩油藏研究提供重要支持。通过全球尺度下碱湖及碱湖沉积主要特征分析,总结碱湖沉积特征和成因,为准噶尔盆地玛湖凹陷风城组碱湖沉积成因分析提供借鉴。综合分析表明,同期火山活动和特定气候条件均可主控碱湖沉积的形成。此外,碱湖沉积形成需湖盆水文封闭、充足的溶质供给、低硫酸盐占比及强蒸发环境条件。汇总分析全球碱湖沉积矿物种类与埋深关系,发现成岩作用下矿物转变规律:单斜钠钙石随成岩作用增强依次转变为钙水碱、碳钠钙石,苏打石和天然碱转变为碳酸氢钠石。通过与全球碱湖沉积实例对比分析可知,玛湖凹陷风城组碱湖沉积中碳酸氢钠石和碳钠钙石经成岩作用形成,钠硅酸盐矿物和特征矿物与火山活动及热液作用有关。碳酸氢钠石生长形态及磁黄铁矿指示玛湖凹陷风城组碱湖沉积中心为高盐度分层且底部缺氧的常年生湖泊。下二叠统风城组碱湖沉积形成与周缘火山岩及同沉积火山活动密切相关,受气候、构造背景、火山活动和后期成岩作用的共同控制。     

萨拉乌苏组地层年代学研究

我国北方地区晚更新世河湖相标准地层——萨拉乌苏组地层的年代学研究,有助于正确理解萨拉乌苏组与马兰黄土以及与冰期气候对比等关系。笔者近年来根据野外层位对比和地层沉积相的划分,采用同位素年代测定,并结合黄土-古土壤序列研究的最新成果,初步建立了可以与黄土、深海沉积记录和冰期气候波动对比的萨拉乌苏组地层序列。认为河湖相沉积的萨拉乌苏组形成于约140-70kaBP的末次间冰期,大致与深海氧同位素第5阶段对应,与黄土高原古土壤S₁发育同期。城川组风成细砂形成于约70-10kaBP的末次冰期,与黄土高原的马兰黄土是同期异相地质体.      

Facies mosaic and diagenetic patterns of the early Devonian (Late Pragian–Early Emsian) microbialite‐dominated carbonate sequences,Qasr Member,Jauf Formation,Saudi Arabia

The Al‐Jawf area of northern Saudi Arabia provides spectacular outcrops of Early Devonian carbonate bioherms in the Wadi Murayr and Dumat Al‐Jandal areas. These carbonate bioherms belong to the Qasr Member of the Late Pragian–Early Emsian Jauf Formation (~405 Ma) and are surrounded by a bioclastic carbonate succession. The Qasr Member is the first major carbonate unit of the Palaeozoic succession in Saudi Arabia that mainly consists of microbialite carbonates and metazoan reefs exhibiting distinct mound features. These bioherm complexes and their associated carbonate facies are pervasively dolomitized. Stratigraphic, petrographic and geochemical analyses were conducted to determine the facies distribution and interpret their depositional and diagenetic processes. A total of 11 facies are identified from a range of depositional environments within a carbonate platform system, ranging from tidal flats, lagoon, shoal, patch reefs to reef front. The main diagenetic processes are carbonate cementation and dolomitization. Dolomitization occurred as both fabric preserved (mostly in grain‐dominated facies) and fabric destructive (mud‐dominated facies). The microbialites and coralline sponges facies show poor reservoir with visual porosity less than 5%, but this succession may have a potential to serve as a good source for the underlying and overlying facies. Ooid and peloidal grainstone facies show fair to good visual porosity that locally exceeds 10% with intergranular porosity as the dominant type. However, in the most studied samples, vuggy and intraparticle porosities are observed as the dominant type. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

黔北及邻区上二叠统底部高岭土矿床地质特征及成因

广泛产于黔北地区的高岭土矿在地理分布上与川南一带的叙永式高岭土矿是连续的(图1),其矿床地质特征也颇相似。该类矿床最早在四川见有报导、开采和利用。1982年关铁麟同志据该矿床地质特征认定其为古风化壳残余矿床,并命名为叙永式高岭土矿床。我队曾在黔北及川南叙永一带开展区调工作,在搜集前人有关资料的基础上,开展了部分普查找矿工作后,据其特征将矿床成因划为风化淋积矿床。     

Stratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental framework of the Early Permian sequence in the Salt Range, Pakistan

The Early Permian Gondwana regime succession of the Nilawahan Group is exposed only in the Salt Range of Pakistan. After a prolonged episode of non-deposition that spanned much of the Palaeozoic, the 350?m thick predominantly clastic sequence of the Nilawahan Group records a late glacial and post-glacial episode in which a range of glacio-fluvial, marine and fluvial environments evolved and accumulated. The Early Permian succession of the Salt Range has been classified into four formations, which together indicates a changing climatic regime during the Early Permian in the Salt Range region. The lower-most, Tobra Formation unconformably overlies a Cambrian sequence and is composed of tillite, diamictite and fresh water facies, which contain a floral assemblage (Gangamopteris and Glossopteris) that confirms an Asselian age. The Tobra Formation is overlain by marginal marine deposits of the Dandot Formation (Sakmarian), which contain an abundant brachiopods assemblage (Eurydesma and Conularia). Accumulation of the Dandot Formation was terminated by a regional sea-level fall and a change to the deposition of the fluvial deposits of the Warchha Sandstone (Artinskian). The Warchha Sandstone was deposited by high sinuosity meandering, avulsion prone river with well developed floodplains. This episode of fluvial sedimentation was terminated by a widespread marine transgression, as represented by the abrupt upward transition to the overlying shallow marine Sardhai Formation (Kungurian). The Early Permian Gondwana sequence represented by the Nilawahan Group is capped by predominantly shallow shelf carbonate deposits of the Tethyan realm. The sedimentologic and stratigraphic relationship of these four lithostratigraphic units in the Salt Range reveals a complex stratigraphic history for the Early Permian, which is mainly controlled by eustatic sea-level change due to climatic variation associated with climatic amelioration at the end of the major Gondwana glacial episode, and the gradual regional northward drift to a lower latitude of the Indian plate.     

Provenance, tectonics and palaeoclimate of Proterozoic Chandarpur sandstones, Chattisgarh basin: A petrographic view

Sandstones of early Neoproterozoic Chandarpur Group, Chattisgarh Supergroup, central India display progressive change towards greater textural and mineralogical maturity from base to top of the succession. The clay-silt matrix decreases, sorting of sand grains improves, frequency of rounded grains increases, monocrystalline quartz content increases with concomitant decrease in polycrystalline quartz, feldspar and rock fragments. The trend of variations in different mineralogical and textural attributes, however, exhibits inflections at different stratigraphic levels. The sandstones of the basal Lohardih Formation are alluvial fan deposits, characterized by high matrix and feldspar content, iron-oxide impregnated highly angular grains and poor sorting. Petrographic properties collectively indicate that the sandstones were derived from a weathered granitic crust under a humid climatic condition. Abundance of well rounded grains within the alluvial fan and overlying braided fluvial deposit indicates prolonged wind action during episodes of high aridity. The shallow marine deposit overlying the fluvial deposits in the upper part of the Lohardih Formation exhibits bed-to-bed variation in the frequency of angular grains, feldspar content and overall maturity suggesting environmentally controlled segregation of sediments. The abrupt appearance of coarse-grained immature sandstones with concomitant reappearance of iron-oxide impregnated/altered feldspar grains in the upper part of the shelf deposits of the Chaporadih Formation point to a phase of tectonic uplift that possibly triggered a regression. Continued regression and peneplanation heralded the deposition of supermature medium-grained purple quartzarenite of the upper shoreface Kansapathar Formation in the uppermost part of the Chandarpur succession under a hot desertic climatic condition. The provenance analysis revealed that the Chandarpur clastics were derived from granites and granite-gneisses of a continental block tectonic provenance. Petrographic studies further indicate that high grade metamorphic rocks did not make any perceptible contribution to the Chandarpur system. The Eastern Ghats Granulite Belt apparently did not emerge till the early Neoproterozoic.