Integrated petrographic,mineralogical, and geochemical study of the upper Kaimur Group of rocks,Son Valley,India: Implications for provenance,source area weathering and tectonic setting

The upper Kaimur Group (UKG) of the Vindhyan Supergroup in central India, primarily consists of three rock types-Dhandraul sandstone, Scarp sandstone and Bijaigarh shale. The present study aims to reconstruct the parent rock assemblages, their tectonic provenance, mineralogy, weathering intensity, hydraulic sorting and depositional tectonic setting. Samples from the UKG rocks representing the Dhandraul sandstone, Scarp sandstone and Bijaigarh shale were studied using a combination of petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical techniques. Texturally, medium to coarse grained UKG sandstones are mature and moderate to well sorted. Deficiency of feldspars in these sandstones indicates that the rocks are extensively recycled from distant sources. Their average modal composition for Scarp (avg. Qt₉₉ F₀.₂L_0.8) and Dhandraul (avg. Qt₉₉ F_0.1L_0.8) sandstones, classifies them as quartz arenite to sub-litharenite types, which is consistent with geochemical study. Major element concentrations revealed that sandstones have high SiO₂, K₂O < Na₂O, and low Fe₂O₃, which are supported by the modal data. On the other hand, sandstone samples are enriched in most trace elements such as Ce, Sr, V, Sc and Zr and depleted in U and Th. The CIA values (43.17–76.48) of the UKG rocks indicate low to moderate weathering, either of the original source or during transport before deposition, which may have related to low-relief and humid climatic conditions in the source area. Further, petrographic and geochemical interpretations indicate that they are derived from craton interior to quartzose recycled sedimentary rocks and deposited in a passive continental margin. Therefore, granitic and low grade metamorphic rocks of Mahakoshal Group and Chotanagpur granite-gneiss, situated on the southern and south-eastern side of the Vindhyan basin are suggested as possible provenance for the UKG rocks.     

Provenance and Palaeoweathering Attributes of Proterozoic Rock Formations from the Son Valley,Central India

The characteristics of source rocks and weathering of Palaeoproterozoic phyllitic rock of Mahakoshal Group and Mesoproterozoic shales and siliciclastics of Vindhyan Supergroup exposed in Son Valley, Central India have been investigated by analyzing their chemical compositions. The investigations pertaining to the relationship between major-elements were carried out along Parshoi, Chitrangi, and Markundi areas of Son valley, Central, India. The studied rock strata have been classified into three categories namely phyllitic rocks, shales and sandstone.The A-CN-K ternary diagram, CIW, CIA, MIA, and ICV values indicate about the similar provenance or source rocks subjected to severe chemical weathering, under dry and hot-humid climates in a basic and acidic environment with changing lower to higher PCO₂ of continental flora. Various geochemical discriminantts diagrams, elemental ratios suggest that rocks are derived from post-Archaean-Proterozoic igneous source. The igneous source was mainly granite with a minor contribution of granodioritic rock, in a passive margin setting. The sediments responsible for formation of shale and sandstones were most likely deposited in the interglacial period in between the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic glacial times. Compositionally the sandstones is distinctive of cratonic environments with their passive continental margin setting. However, the phyllities of Mahakoshal Group suggests their formation under lower weathering conditions in dry climatic conditions which were operating on more intermediate to basic igneous rocks with abundance of mafic minerals.     

Geochemical signatures of Mesoproterozoic siliciclastic rocks of the Kaimur Group of the Vindhyan Supergroup,Central India

The Upper Kaimur Group of the Vindhyan Supergroup in Central India, primarily consists of three rock types-DhandraulSandstone, Scarp Sandstone and Bijaigarh Shale. Mineralogically and geochemically, they are quartz arenite, sublitharenite to litharenite and litharenite to shale in composition, respectively. The A-CN-K ternary plot and CIA and ICV values suggest that the similar source rocks suffered severe chemical weathering, under a hot-humid climate in an acidic environment with higher P _{CO 2}, which facilitated high sediment influx in the absence of land plants. Various geochemical discriminants, elemental ratios like K₂O/Na₂O, Al₂O₃/TiO₂, SiO₂/MgO, La/Sc, Th/Sc, Th/Cr, Gd_N/Yb_N and pronounced negative Eu anomalies indicate the rocks to be of post-Archean Proterozoic granitic source, with a minor contribution of granodioritic input, in a passive margin setting. The sediments of the Upper Kaimur Group were probably deposited in the interglacial period in between the Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic glacial epochs.     

Lagoon–tidal flat sedimentation in an epeiric sea: Proterozoic Bhander Group,Son Valley,India

The Bhander Group, the uppermost stratigraphic unit of the Proterozoic Vindhyan Supergroup in Son Valley, exhibits in its upper part a 550 m thick, muddy siliciclastic succession characterized by features indicative of deposition in a wave‐affected coastal, lagoon–tidal flat environment suffering repeated submergence and emergence. The basic architecture of the deposit is alternation of centimetre‐ to decimetre‐thick sheet‐like interbeds of coarser clastics (mainly sandstone) and decimetre‐thick mudstones. The coarser interlayers are dominated by a variety of ripple‐formed laminations. The preserved ripple forms on bed‐top surfaces and their internal lamination style suggest both oscillatory and combined flows for their formation. Interference, superimposed, ladder‐back and flat‐topped ripples are also common. Synsedimentary cracks, wrinkle marks, features resembling rain prints and adhesion structures occur in profusion on bed‐top surfaces. Salt pseudomorphs are also present at the bases of beds. The mudstone intervals represent suspension settlement and show partings with interfaces characterized by synsedimentary cracks. It is inferred that the sediments were deposited on a coastal plain characterized by a peritidal (supratidal–intertidal) flat and evaporative lagoon suffering repeated submergence and emergence due to storm‐induced coastal setup and setdown in addition to tidal fluctuations. The 550 m thick coastal flat succession is surprisingly devoid of any barrier bar deposits and also lacks shoreface and shelfal strata. The large areal extent of the coastal flat succession (c. 100,000 km²) and its great thickness indicate an extremely low‐gradient epeiric basin characterized by an extensive coastal flat sheltered from the deeper marine domain. It is inferred that the Bhander coastal flat was protected from the open sea by the Bundelkhand basement arch to the north of the Vindhyan basin, instead of barrier bars. Such a setting favoured accumulation of a high proportion of terrigenous mud in the coastal plain, in contrast to many described examples from the Proterozoic. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

山东省中部上寒武统碳酸盐风暴沉积的综合模式

我国的碳酸盐风暴岩丰富多样,但前人对不同环境风暴岩的沉积作用、沉积序列和沉积模式的总结还不够完善.山东省中部上寒武统炒米店组碳酸盐风暴岩发育频繁,分布广,提供了全面分析风暴沉积作用的理想场所.基于该区详实的露头观察,可识别出冲刷面、渠模、丘状交错层理等典型的风暴沉积构造,以及砾屑灰岩、递变层理含砾砂屑灰岩-砂屑灰岩、纹层状粉-砂屑灰岩等风暴岩类型.根据砾屑颜色、磨圆度、排列方式、支撑结构、充填物等岩石学特征,研究区首要发育的砾屑灰岩可被细分为紧密堆积棱角状砾屑灰岩、基质支撑砾屑灰岩、砂屑支撑砾屑灰岩、水平-叠瓦状砾屑灰岩和放射状排列砾屑灰岩5种岩相类型,其分别归属于台前缓坡带原地-近源堆积、碎屑流、高密度-低密度浊流、风暴砾滩和风暴涡流沉积.对台前缓坡、台地边缘和开阔台地等不同环境的风暴沉积序列进行了归纳,建立了缓坡型碳酸盐台地风暴沉积的综合模式,并指出研究区频繁的风暴作用与全球气候变暖、海平面上升以及地震活动存在密切联系.研究表明较多台地边缘发育的大型渠模构造,其充填砾屑呈放射状排列,指示了渠模的风暴涡流成因      

Depositional environment and sequence architecture of the Silurian Coralliferous Group,Southern Pembrokeshire,UK

The Lower Silurian siliciclastic Coralliferous Group is shown to have been deposited in an intra‐shelf position 10–15 km south of the palaeogeographic shelf‐break of the Welsh Basin. After a phase of thermal subsidence related to the development of the predominantly Llandovery Skomer Volcanic Group, the shelf basin was transgressed. This transgression was punctuated by an episode of tectonic uplift in southern Pembrokeshire, resulting in subaerial exposure of the shelf and a significant basinward shift in sedimentary environments. Erosion and sediment bypass ensued, with coarse‐grained low‐sinuosity fluvial channels transporting sediment to the northerly Welsh Basin, where significant submarine fans developed. During the early Telychian, renewed transgression took place, with lowstand gravels being ravined and reworked into parasequences of the transgressive systems tract. These thin, coarse‐grained parasequences record deposition within high‐energy wave‐dominated shoreface/inner shelf environments. Further coastal onlap resulted in the closing down of significant coarse‐grained sediment supply, with the remaining Coralliferous Group being dominated by wave‐influenced silts, mud‐shales and thin sandstones comprising the highstand systems tract. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structural controls on topography and river morphodynamics in Upper Assam Valley,India

The basement in Upper Assam foreland basin exhibits a typical flexure pattern. An elongated continuous subsurface basement high has developed between Himalaya and Naga-Patkai ranges. A few prominent basement lows have developed adjacent to the foothill regions. It is noticed that the general topographic slope near the foothill regions is not only controlled by aggradation process, but also influenced by the flexured basement of the region. The basement lows have influenced the overlying topography significantly. Rivers flowing over those regions have shown unidirectional lateral migration. North bank tributaries like Subansiri, Jiadhal and Dikrang have been affected by the Subansiri basement low. Coseismic subsidence of sediments over Subansiri basement low had resulted subsidence of the North Lakhimpur-Ranga Nadi region in 1950 Assam earthquake. Some south bank tributaries like Disang and Dikhow have been affected by Nazira basement low. Topographic elevation along the Subansiri river is lower than that part of the Brahmaputra located south of Majuli. This typical topographic setting of the region makes the mouth of the Subansiri river and Majuli region highly susceptible to erosion.     

Intrusion and upliftment of Mahakoshal rocks between Vindhyan and Gondwana in Narmada Son Lineament, Central India

The Narmada-Son Lineament (NSL) is one of the most prominent geomorphic features in Central India, which, divides the Indian Peninsula into two parts, northern and southern India. The present study carried near the Shahdol-Katni area of Narmada-Son lineament situated in complex transition zone, encompasses with seismically active, robust changes of gravity-magnetic field, undulating sub-surface topography, existence of hot springs and complex geological setting, which, cause the resettlement of inner dynamic progression. The area covers a range of diverse formations viz. alluvial, Deccan traps, Gondwana, Vindhyan and Mahakoshal groups with different ages. Geologically the area is divided into two parts, Vindhyan and Gondwana. The Vindhyan are exposed in the northern part and Gondwana are exposed in the southern part. It can be inferred that the Mahakoshal rocks are non-magnetic and reasonably higher density rocks which are exposed and intruded in between the Vindhyan and Gondwana rocks during the crustal resetting processes, which, may cause changes in magnetic field in the central part near Tala-Barhi area. Based on magnetic data, the area can also be divided into two parts, the northern part containing higher magnetic values (upto 900 nTesla) and the southern part with the values upto -1000 nTesla. The resettlement process may cause the separation of Vindhyan and Gondwana rocks because of the two existing active faults viz. Son Narmada North Fault (SNNF) and Son Narmada South Fault (SNSF). To know the geological setting of the Narmada Son Lineament, the knowledge of basement depth study plays a major role for understanding the inner mechanism of structural scenery of the ground sub-surface. There are number of studies carried out in and around the study area, but present technique plays an important role with sufficient evidences to validate the structural setting carried by the earlier geoscientists. Werner and Euler deconvolution techniques have been jointly carried out over the study area on the available magnetic dataset for basement depth estimation. As per study, the basement depth varies from 4 km to 5 km in the central part compared to both the split ends of the profiles, which, convincingly correlate the consequences carried by earlier studies. As the magnetic method can provide a non-unique solution, it is always recommended for integrated approach for better understanding and substantiation.     

Upper Jurassic Rock Depositional Settings in the Baidar Valley and Evolution of the Crimean Carbonate Platform

The paper presents results of the lithological study of Upper Jurassic limestones, flyschoids and limestone breccias on the southern side of the Baidar Valley in the Crimean Mountains. Study of the microfacies revealed that the limestones are represented by deposits on lagoons, platform edge shoals, reefs, and forereef aprons on the carbonate platform slope. Flyschoids include deposits in the distributive turbidite channels and hemipelagic sediments in the deep-water part of the basin. Limestone breccias were formed by gravitation flows on the carbonate platform toe-of-slope and slope. The presence of gravitation deposits in the Upper Jurassic carbonate complexes of the Crimean Mountains can testify to the primary clinoform structure of this sedimentary sequence. Comparison of the obtained sedimentological data made it possible to reconstruct the facies model of the Crimean carbonate platform and main episodes of its formation. Development of the carbonate shelf was related to two transgressive-regressive cycles. A dome-shaped reef was formed away from the coast at the initial (Oxfordian) stage. The carbonate platform was formed at the early Kimmeridgian lowstand stage when sediments were deposited in the internal part of the platform adjacent to land. In the late Kimmeridgian and early Tithonian, configuration of the carbonate platform profile resembled a distally steepened ramp, and its active progradation and shelf expansion took place in the course of transgression. Regression in the late Tithonian–early Berriasian led to regressive transformation of the ramp into platform with a flattened shallow-water shelf. Tectonic deformations at the Jurassic/Cretaceous transition promoted the formation of megabreccias on the carbonate platform foreslope. The tectonically reworked rock sequence of the “extinct” carbonate platform was overlapped transgressively by the upper Berriasian or lower Valanginian, relatively deep-water deposits of the Cretaceous platform cover.     

Depositional environment and provenance of Middle Siwalik sediments in Tista valley,Darjiling District,Eastern Himalaya,India

The frontal part of the active, wedge-shaped Indo-Eurasian collision boundary is defined by the Himalayan fold-and-thrust belt whose foreland basin accumulated sediments that eventually became part of the thrust belt and is presently exposed as the sedimentary rocks of the Siwalik Group. The rocks of the Siwalik Group have been extensively studied in the western and Nepal Himalaya and have been divided into the Lower, Middle and Upper Subgroups. In the Darjiling–Sikkim Himalaya, the Upper Siwalik sequence is not exposed and the Middle Siwalik Subgroup exposed in the Tista river valley of Darjiling Himalaya preserves a ~325 m thick sequence of sandstone, conglomerate and shale. The Middle Siwalik section has been repeated by a number of north dipping thrusts. The sedimentary facies and facies associations within the lithostratigraphic column of the Middle Siwalik rocks show temporal repetition of sedimentary facies associations suggesting oscillation between proximal-, mid- and distal fan setups within a palaeo-alluvial fan depositional environment similar to the depositional setup of the Siwalik sediments in other parts of the Himalaya. These oscillations are probably due to a combination of foreland-ward movement of Himalayan thrusts, climatic variations and mountain-ward shift of fan-apex due to erosion. The Middle Siwalik sediments were derived from Higher- and Lesser Himalayan rocks. Mineral characteristics and modal analysis suggest that sedimentation occurred in humid climatic conditions similar to the moist humid climate of the present day Eastern Himalaya.     

南黄海盆地中部隆起上古生界沉积环境探讨

CSDP-2井是大陆架科学钻探计划（CSDP）在南黄海盆地中部隆起实施的第一口连续取芯井,完井深度2 843.18 m,平均取芯率高达97.7%。综合利用该井岩芯、测井、岩石薄片及古生物化石资料,准确识别出南黄海盆地中部隆起上古生界的岩石类型、沉积构造、岩性组合序列等特征,进而探讨研究区沉积环境及其垂向演化规律。研究结果显示:CSDP-2井所钻遇的二叠系、石炭系、泥盆系地层既包含碎屑岩也包含碳酸盐岩,发育了三角洲相、滨岸相、潮坪相、碳酸盐岩台地相、浅海陆棚相等多种沉积相类型;南黄海盆地晚古生代先后经历了两个完整的海侵-海退旋回,自下而上发育碎屑岩浅海-潮坪沉积体系、碳酸盐岩潮坪-潟湖-颗粒滩沉积体系和碎屑岩三角洲沉积体系,反映了研究区由海相向海陆过渡相逐渐演化的沉积充填过程。     

赞比亚东北部卡萨马群形成环境:碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄与Hf同位素的限定

赞比亚东北部班韦乌卢地块受到其东北部的古元古代乌本迪构造带、西北部的中元古代基巴拉构造带、东南部的中元古代伊鲁米德构造带及西南部泛非期卢弗里安构造带的影响。班韦乌卢地块主要由基底和沉积盖层两部分组成。其中,基底主要由片岩带、安山质-流纹质变质火山岩、花岗岩类岩基及其他侵入体组成。沉积盖层从老至新依次为姆波罗科索群、卡萨马群、加丹加超群及新生代的河流相和湖泊相沉积。本文对卡萨马地区的卡萨马群地质特征、碎屑锆石U-Pb-Hf同位素及地球化学特征进行了系统研究,获得卡萨马群中紫红色粉砂岩的32颗碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄多集中在(1849±23)～(1993±21)Ma,卡萨马群的形成时代可能晚于(1434±14)Ma,属于中元古代,其中22颗锆石(176Hf/177Hf)i为0.281049～0.281618,εHf(t)为-12.8～-1.6,二阶段模式年龄变化范围为2406～3487 Ma。对卡萨马群的砂岩进行了稀土元素分析和微量元素分析,结果显示卡萨马群砂岩δEu负异常明显,投点主要落在沉积岩区;微量元素显示砂岩形成于被动大陆边缘环境。     

Depositional environment in and around Tamiraparani estuary,and off Tuticorin,Tamil Nadu,India: clues from grain size studies

The sediments of the estuaries and offshore Tuticorin along the southern coast of Tamil Nadu were studied for their textural variation. Ninety sediment samples were collected from three sectors (river, estuary, offshore) on the basis of prevailing energy conditions and oceanographic parameters. Frequency curves show unimodal to bimodal in nature. Offshore samples also fall in bimodal with medium and fine sand where sediment is additionally deposited by the Tamiraparani River. The mean values ranging from 1.69 to 2.01 φ with medium to fine sand. The fine sand in the riverine region indicates the depositional nature of the sediments. In pre-monsoon, the standard deviation ranges from 0.29 to 0.81 φ, which falls in the very well sorted to moderately well sorted. Estuary ranges from 0.63 to 1.30 φ, with moderately sorted, whereas in the marine sediments ranges from 0.4 to 1.01 φ, with moderately to moderately well- sorted and some patches of poorly sorted is observed. In both monsoons, the grain size variations are mostly influenced in river and offshore samples compared to the estuaries. The CM pattern indicates the deposition of sediments in graded suspension. In estuary, the sediments are medium sand with moderately to poorly sorted, fine skewed which are indicative of denudation processes taking place there. In marine, the sediments are medium-to-fine, moderately-to-well sorted, and fine skewed to very fine skewed sediments, probably as a result of the influence of palaeo-sediments deposited by rivers from inland as well as by waves and currents from offshore. Further, the marine samples also highlight depositional processes.     

Upper Riphean and Vendian sandstones of the Bashkirian anticlinorium

The analysis of lithogeochemical data on the Upper Riphean and Vendian sandstones from the Bashkirian anticlinorium showed that sandstone associations formed in a passive sluggish tectonic regime in the middle Late Vendian were replaced by associations accumulated in the more active tectonic settings. This is well seen in the SiO₂-K₂O/Na₂O and (Fe₂O₃^* + MgO)-TiO₂ diagrams reflecting the particular and median compositions of psammites. The lithochemical characteristics of sandstones were examined to determine the compositional variation of rock complexes eroded on paleodrainage areas. Quartz-rich sedimentary, metasedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, as well as felsic igneous rocks prevailed in the paleodrainage areas throughout the entire Late Riphean and Early Vendian, while the main sources of clastic material in the Late Vendian were igneous intermediate and basic rocks. With allowance made for the previous comparative-lithological data and some other materials, significant similarity in the position and orientation of compositional fields of psammites from the middle and upper levels of the Asha Group (Bashkirian anticlinorium) with fields of psammites from different syncollisional (flysch and molasse) basins in the SiO₂-K₂O/Na₂O, K₂O/Na₂O-SiO₂/Al₂O₃, F1–F2 and other diagrams suggests that the middle Late Vendian (beginning from the Basa level) was marked by a variation in tectonic/geodynamic settings of sandstone accumulation and in composition of the eroded paleodrainage systems. The revealed trend agrees well with concept of the existence of the Late Riphean-Vendian Pechora paleocean.     

Depositional environment of the Krol Group of the Nainital area and its impact on the stromatolites

Depositional environment of the Krol group varied temporally from subtidal in the Manora to intertidal in the Sleepy Hollow times. The conditions that succeeded were peritidal in the Ayarpatta and supratidal in the Narainnagar times. These conditions were the main controlling factors in the growth and development of the algal stromatolites. The Manora formation, due to subtidal conditions, and the Sleepy Hollow formation, due to detrital influx, are almost devoid of stromatolites. The carbonates of the Ayarpatta formation representing a peritidal complex possess columnar and oncolitic stromatolites, while the sediments of the Narainnagar formation characterized by supratidal features contain blistered, domal and crinkled-laminar forms. The types and sizes of stromatolites therefore are governed by the depositional conditions prevailing in the sedimentary basin.     

Feldspar Alteration and Diagenetic Characteristics of the Parsora Sandstones, Son Basin, India

Moderate to poorly sorted immature Parsora sandstones rich in K-feldspar show much of the feldspar during early diagenesis transformed to kaolinite after prolonged interaction with acidic pore solutions. The kaolinitic epimatrix formed and was later partially or wholly converted as an orthomatrix producing chert-phyllosilicate assemblage. Ferric oxide, bleached biotite, kaolinite and quartz cement denote an oxy-acidic early diagenetic environment. Late diagenesis involved neoformation of primary or secondary matrix, illitisation of montmorillonite and muscovite authigenesis. The high pressure-temperature regime required for these transitions resulted from tectonic activity during Triassic-Jurassic times. Carbonate-chlorite appeared late in the sediments denoting an alkaline-reducing condition at the late part of the diagenesis. Finally, the secondary porosity developed through carbonate dissolution was later filled up with allochemical ferric iron cement receiving ions from the percolating meteoric water.     

Depositional sequences of the Malargüe Group (Upper Cretaceous-lower Tertiary), Neuquén Basin, Argentina

Data from 28 surface sections and oil industry boreholes were used in a regional sequence stratigraphic and sedimentologic study of the Campanian-Paleocene Malargüe Group. Understanding these 800-m-thick deposits is the key to unraveling the geotectonic regime which preceded Cenozoic magmatism and tectogenesis in the Central Andes of Argentina and Chile. Rocks of the Malargüe Group were deposited within a relatively narrow back-arc setting with a less than 120-km-wide seaway located between the magmatic arc in Chile and the more stable foreland of Central Argentina. Sediments include clastics, carbonates, and evaporites with occasional pyroclastics. The depositional setting ranged from continental to fully marine; most marginal-marine depositional belts were significantly influenced by tidal action. Sequence stratigraphic analysis shows that the Campanian-Paleocene record was not continuous, but a stack of eight separate depositional events related to third-order eustatic oscillations. Reconstruction of successive paleogeographies reveal an easterly migration of the depocenter, emplacement of magmatically derived material in the adjacent arc region. According to this interpretation, large scale Andean shortening and tectogenesis in the studied region, would not have occurred before late Oligocene.     

Geochemical signatures for the grain size variation in the siliciclastics of Kaimur Group,Vindhyan Supergroup from Markundi ghat,Sonbhadra district, (U.P.), India

The chemical composition of siliciclastics from Mesoproterozoic Kaimur Group, Vindhyan Supergroup have been investigated to determine and appraise the influence of the weathering, hydraulic sorting and recycling processes upon source rock signature. The studies pertaining to the relationship between major, trace and REE and the grain size variation were carried out along Markundi ghat section, Sonbhadra district, Son valley. Upper Kaimur Group has been divided into three principal formations-the uppermost-Dhandraul quartzites, Scarp sandstone and Bijaigarh shales. Petrographically, they range from quartz arenite, sublitharenite, subfeldspathic arenite to pyritiferous shale. The elemental enrichment, except for SiO₂, is in the following order-Bijaigarh Shale > Scarp Sandstone ≫ Dhandraul Sandstone.