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Petrographic and geochemical attributes of Oligocene Barail sandstones in parts of Cachar Fold Belt, northeast India

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Abstract

The Oligocene Barail sandstones in parts of Cachar Fold Belt, northeast India have been studied to understand their tectonic provenance, paleoweathering and the depositional settings employing petrographic and geochemical attributes. Predominantly, arenaceous Barail succession is mainly composed of very fine (3.53 Ø) to medium (1.50 Ø) grained sandstone, silty-shale and carbonaceous shale with minor coal seams. Petrographically, Barail sandstones may be grouped into two categories, i.e., sub-litharenite and lithic greywacke possessing an average recalculated modal composition Q67F13R20. Among framework constituents, majority of quartz grains belong to monocrystalline non-undulatory variety, the feldspars and rock fragments being dominantly plagioclase and metamorphic types, respectively. Geochemically, Barail sandstones possess high SiO2, more Na2O than K2O and relatively low Fe2O3 and thus conforming to the modal composition. The weathering indices like CIA, CIW, PIA and ICV suggest derivation from a moderately weathered source terrain possibly Tonalite and Granodiorite having plagioclase feldspars in the range of An10–An50, i.e., Oligoclase (Og) to Andesine (Ad). Barail sandstones seem to have been derived predominantly from a recycled orogenic provenance with minor contribution from mixed-transitional continental sources and deposited in an arc active continental margin setup.

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source in respect of Barail sandstones of CFB. A= Al2O3, CN = CaO* + Na2O, K = K2O; (CaO* = CaO in silicate phase). Pl = Plagioclase, K–Sp = K feldspar, Sm = Smectite, Il = Illite, Mu = Muscovite. Data on Tonalite (To), granodiorite (Gd) and Granite (Gr) are after Condie (1993). Arrows parallel to the A–CN–K edge denote weathering trends of To, Gd and Gr.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to the Director, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat, India for the permission to use SEM facility. The laboratory support extended by Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility (SAIF), Guwahati University is duly acknowledged. The microscopic facility provided by the Department of Earth Science, Assam University, Silchar is also gratefully acknowledged. We would also like to thank two anonymous reviewers for their critical reviews and suggestions. Our special thanks are due to Prof Santanu Banerjee for the Editorial handling and constructive suggestions towards enhancing quality of the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Earth Science, Assam University, Silchar, 788 011, India

    Meghali Baruah & N Pandey

  2. Geological Survey of India, Shillong, 793 001, India

    K Chiezou

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This research paper is the outcome of PhD work carried out by Meghali Baruah under the supervision of Prof Nagendra Pandey. Meghali Baruah performed the measurements, collected the samples, analyzed the data and compiled the work. Prof Nagendra Pandey designed and directed the study. K Chiezou helped in compilation of research paper besides assistance during the field work.

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Baruah, M., Pandey, N. & Chiezou, K. Petrographic and geochemical attributes of Oligocene Barail sandstones in parts of Cachar Fold Belt, northeast India. J Earth Syst Sci 130, 133 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-021-01633-y

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