Research highlights
-
This is the first geochemical work ever done for the shales of Neoproterozoic Chhaosa Formation of Simla Group, Lesser Himalaya.
-
K2O/Na2O vs. SiO2/Al2O3, TiO2 vs. Al2O3, and Zr vs. TiO2 binary diagrams of the studied shales indicate felsic source rock.
-
High CIA, CIW, A–CN–K and Al2O3 values of Chhaosa shales support intermediate to strong weathering of source rock.
-
K2O/Na2O vs. SiO2 plot, K2O vs. Na2O, plot and CaO–K2O–Na2O ternary plot represent deposition of Chhaosa deposits in a passive margin setting.
-
Values of Ni/Co, Cu/Zn, V/Cr, authigenic U and U/Th, represent a well-oxygenated condition during the deposition of the Chhaosa delta system. This is consistent with the concept of an increase in oxygen levels during the Neoproterozoic era is favoured by many workers.
Abstract
Neoproterozoic Chhaosa shales of Simla Group, Lesser Himalaya, were considered for major and trace element analysis to delineate palaeo-weathering, palaeo-oxygenation, tectonic setting, sediment maturity, and provenance. The shales exhibit a significant proportion of SiO2, Al2O3, K2O, MgO, Fe2O3, Zr, Zn, Rb, V, Cr, Sr, Y, Co, Ga, Th, Nb, Sc, and U. Source rocks are primarily of granitic (acidic) origin, as indicated by Al2O3 wt.% vs. TiO2 wt.% and Cr (ppm) vs. Ni (ppm) bivariate plots. Th/Cr, Cr/Th, Th/Sc, and Th/Co values of studied samples have been correlated with post-Archaean Australian average shale (PAAS) and upper continental crust (UCC) values, which indicate that the source rock is felsic. Palaeo-weathering condition of the source is delineated by average CIA, chemical index of weathering (CIW), and A–CN–K triangular plot values. The shales depict intermediate to strong chemical weathering and semi-arid to humid climatic conditions. V/Cr, Cu/Zn, Ni/Co, and U/Th values reveal sedimentation of Chhaosa Formation under oxic atmospheric conditions, which corroborates with the inferred oxic conditions of the Neoproterozoic. SiO2 vs. K2O/Na2O discriminant diagram exhibits deposition along a passive margin field. ICV values suggest deposition of compositionally mature sediments under tectonically stable conditions. Deposition of Chhaosa delta system occurred during a relatively quiescent stage of tectonism between intermittent phases of rifting related to the Rodinia Supercontinent.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
taken from Taylor and McLennan (1985) and plotted for reference.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahmad I and Chandra R 2013 Geochemistry of loess-paleosol sediments of Kashmir Valley, India; J. Asian Earth Sci. 66 73–89, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2012.12.029.
Akarish A I M and El-Gohary A M 2008 Petrography and geochemistry of lower Paleozoic sandstones, East Sinai, Egypt: Implications for provenance and tectonic setting; J. Afr. Earth Sci. 52 43–54, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2008.04.002.
Akinyemi S A, Adebayo O F, Ojo O A, Fadipe O A and Gitari W M 2013 Mineralogy and geochemical appraisal of paleo-redox indicators in Maastrichtian outcrop shales of Mamu Formation, Anambra Basin, Nigeria; J. Nature Sci. Res. 3(10) 48–64.
Armstrong-Altrin J S, Lee Y I, Verma S P and Ramasamy S 2004 Geochemistry of sandstones from the upper Miocene Kudankulam Formation, southern India: Implications for provenance, weathering, and tectonic setting; J. Sedim. Res. 74(2) 285–297, https://doi.org/10.1306/082803740285.
Barbera G, Mazzoleni P, Critelli S, Pappalardo A L, Giudice A and Cirrincione R 2006 Provenance of shales and sedimentary history of the Monte Soro Unit, Sicily; Per. Mineral. 753 313–330.
Barnes U C and Cochran J R 1990 Uranium removal in oceanic sediments and the oceanic U balance; Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 97(1–2) 94–101, https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821X(90)90101-3.
Basu H, Dandele P S, Kumar K R, Achar K K and Umamaheswar K 2017 Geochemistry of black shales from the Mesoproterozoic Srisailam Formation, Cuddapah basin, India: Implications for provenance, palaeoweathering, tectonics, and timing of Columbia breakup; Chemie. der Erde. 77 596–613, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemer.2017.10.002.
Bhargava O N 1972 The reinterpretation of the geology of the Krol Belt; Himal. Geol. 2 47–81.
Bhargava O N and Singh B P 2019 A broad climatostratigraphy of the Himalaya; Himal. Geol. 40(2) 220–238.
Bhatia M R 1983 Plate tectonics and geochemical composition of sandstones; J. Geol. 91(4) 611–626.
Bhatia M R 1985 Rare earth element geochemistry of Australian Paleozoic graywackes and mudrocks: Provenance and tectonic control; Sedim. Geol. 45 97–113.
Bjorlykke K 1974 Geochemical and mineralogical influence of Ordovician island arcs on epicontinental clastic sedimentation: A study of Lower Palaeozoic sedimentation in the Oslo region, Norway; Sedimentology 21(2) 251–272, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3091.1974.tb02058.x.
Brookfield M E 1993 The Himalayan passive margin from Precambrian to Cretaceous times; Sedim. Geol. 84 1–35, https://doi.org/10.1016/0037-0738(93)90042-4.
Cavalcante F, Fiore S, Picarreta G and Tateo F 2003 Geochemical and mineralogical approaches to assessing provenance and deposition of shales: A case study; Clay. Miner. 38 383–397, https://doi.org/10.1180/0009855033830105.
Chaudhuri A, Chatterjee A, Banerjee S and Ray J S 2021 Tracing multiple sources of sediments using trace element and Nd isotope geochemistry: Provenance of the Mesozoic succession in the Kutch Basin, western India; Geol. Mag. 158 359–374, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016756820000539.
Chen B, Lıu G, Wu D and Sun R 2016 Comparative study on geochemical characterization of the Carboniferous aluminous argillites from the Huainan Coal Basin, China; Turkish J. Earth Sci. 25 274–287.
Chen Z, Cui J, Ren Z, Jiang S, Liang X, Wang G and Zou C 2019 Geochemistry, paleoenvironment and mechanism of organic-matter enrichment in the lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation shale in the Sichuan basin, China; Acta Geol. Sin.-Engl. Ed. 93(3) 505–519, https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-6724.13868.
Cingolani C A, Manassero M and Abre P 2003 Composition, provenance and tectonic setting of Ordovician siliciclastic rocks in the San Rafael block: Southern extension of the pre-cordillera crustal fragment, Argentina; J. South Am. Earth Sci. 16 91–106, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0895-9811(03)00021-X.
Condie K C and Wronkiewicz D J 1990 A new look at the Archean–Proterozoic boundary: Sediments and the tectonic setting constraint; In: Precambrian Continental Crust and its Economic Resources (ed.) Naqvi S M, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 61–84, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-2635(08)70162-2.
Cox R, Low D R and Cullers R L 1995 The influence of sediment recycling and basement composition on evolution of mudrock chemistry in the southwestern United States; Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 59(14) 2919–2940, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(95)00185-9.
Cox G M, Halverson G P, Stevenson R K, Vokaty M, Poirier A, Kunzmann M, Li Z X, Denyszyn S W, Strauss J V and Macdonald F A 2016 Continental flood basalt weathering as a trigger for Neoproterozoic snowball earth; Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 446 89–99, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2016.04.016.
Cullers R L 1995 The controls on the major and trace element evolution of shales, siltstones and sandstones of Ordovician to Tertiary age in the Wet Mountain region, Colorado, USA; Chem. Geol. 123(1–4) 107–131, https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-2541(95)00050-V.
Cullers R L 2000 The geochemistry of shales, siltstones and sandstones of Pennsylvanian–Permian age, Colorado, USA: Implications for provenance and metamorphic studies; Lithos 51 181–203, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0024-4937(99)00063-8.
Cullers R L 2002 Implications of elemental concentrations for provenance, redox conditions, and metamorphic studies of shales and limestones near Pueblo, CO, USA; Chem. Geol. 191(4) 305–327, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0009-2541(02)00133-X.
Cullers R L and Podkovyrov V N 2000 Geochemistry of the MesoProterozoic Lakhanda shales in south-eastern Yakutia, Russia: Implication for mineralogical and provenance control, and recycling; Precamb. Res. 104 77–93, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-9268(00)00090-5.
Dill H 1986 Metallogenesis of early Paleozoic graptolite shales from the Graefenthal Horst (northern Bavaria–Federal Republic of Germany); Econ. Geol. 81 889–903, https://doi.org/10.2113/gsecongeo.81.4.889.
Dill H, Teshner M and Wehner H 1988 Petrography, inorganic and organic geochemistry of Lower Permian Carboniferous fan sequences (Brandschiefer Series) FRG: Constraints to their palaeogeography and assessment of their source rock potential; Chem. Geol. 67(3–4) 307–325, https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-2541(88)90136-2.
Dobrzinski N, Bahlburg H, Strauss H and Zhang Q 2004 Geochemical climate proxies applied to the Neoproterozoic glacial succession on the Yangtze Platform, South China; In: The Extreme Proterozoic: Geology, Geochemistry, and Climate (eds) Jenkins G S, McMenamin M A S, McKay C P and Sohl L, Am. Geophys. Union, Geophy. Monogr. Ser. 146 13–32.
Dypvik H 1984 Geochemical compositions and depositional conditions of Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous Yorkshire clays, England; Geol. Mag. 121(5) 489–504, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016756800030028.
Eriksson K A 1982 Archean and early proterozoic sedimentation styles in the Kaapvaal Province, South Africa and pilbara block, Australia; Rev. Bra. De. Geomorfol. 12(1–3) 121–131.
Ernst T W 1970 Geochemical facies analysis; Elsevier, Amsterdam, 152p.
Floyd P A, Franke W, Shail R and Dorr W 1989 Geochemistry and tectonic setting of Lewisian clastic metasediments from the Early Proterozoic Loch Maree Group of Gairloch, NW Scotland; Precamb. Res. 45 203–214, https://doi.org/10.1016/0301-9268(89)90040-5.
Frank W, Bhargava O N, Miller C H and Banerjee D M 2001 A review of the Proterozoic in the Himalaya and the northern Indian Shield; 16th Himalaya–Karakoram–Tibet Workshop; J. Asian Earth Sci. Spec. Abs. Issue 19(3A) 18.
Garver J, Royce P R and Smick T A 1996 Chromium and nickel in shale of the Taconic Foreland: A case study for the provenance of fine-grained sediments with an ultramafic source; J. Sediment. Res. 66 100–106, https://doi.org/10.1306/D42682C5-2B26-11D7-8648000102C1865D.
Geological Survey of India 1976 The stratigraphy and structure of parts of the Simla Himalaya; Geol. Surv. India Memoir 106(1) 229p.
Ghosh S K 1991 A source rock characteristic of the Late Proterozoic Nagthat Formation, Northwest Kumaun Lesser Himalaya; J. Geol. Soc. India 38 485–495.
Graver J I and Scott T J 1995 Trace elements in shale as indicators of crustal provenance and terrain accretion of the southern Canadian cordillera; Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 107(4) 440–453, https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1995)107<0440:TEISAI>2.3.CO;2.
Hallberg R O 1976 A geochemical method for investigation of palaeoredox conditions in sediments; Ambio Special Report 4(4) 139–147.
Haque M M and Roy M K 2020 Sandstone-shale geochemistry of Miocene Surma Group in Bandarban Anticline, SE Bangladesh: Implications for provenance, weathering, and tectonic setting; J. Earth Sci. 9(1) 38–51, https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20200901.15.
Harnois L 1988 The CIW index: A new chemical index of weathering; Sedim. Geol. 55 319–322, https://doi.org/10.1016/0037-0738(88)90137-6.
Hassan S, Ishiga H, Roser B P, Dozen K and Naka T 1999 Geochemistry of Permian–Triassic shales in the Salt Range, Pakistan: Implication for provenance and tectonism at the Gondwana margin; Chem. Geol. 158 293–314, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0009-2541(99)00057-1.
Hayashi K, Fujisawa H, Holland H and Ohmoto H 1997 Geochemistry of ~1.9 Ga sedimentary rocks from northeastern Labrador, Canada; Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 61(19) 4115–4137, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(97)00214-7.
Hofmann M, Linnemann U, Rai V, Becker S, Gärtner A and Sagawe A 2011 The India and South China cratons at the margin of Rodinia – Synchronous Neoproterozoic magmatism revealed by LA-ICP-MS zircon analyses; Lithos. 123(1–4) 176–187, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2011.01.012.
Horton F 2015 Did phosphorus derived from the weathering of large igneous provinces fertilize the Neoproterozoic ocean?; Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 16 1723–1738, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GC005792.
Huntsman-Mapila P, Kampunzu A B, Vink B and Ringrose S 2005 Cryptic indicators of provenance from the geochemistry of the Okavango Delta sediments, Botswana; Sedim. Geol. 174 123–148, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2004.11.001.
Ikhane P R, Akintola A I, Bankole S I and Oyinboade Y T 2014 Provenance studies of sandstone facies exposed near Igbile, Southwestern Nigeria: Petrographic and geochemical approach; J. Geogr. Geol. 6(2) 47.
Ishiga H and Dozen K 1997 Geochemical indications of provenance change as recorded in Miocene shales: Opening of the Japan Sea, San’in region, southwest Japan; Mar. Geol. 144 211–228, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0025-3227(97)00104-7.
Jiang G, Christie-Blick N, Kaufman A J, Banerjee D M and Rai V 2003 Carbonate platform growth and cyclicity at a terminal Proterozoic passive margin, Infra Krol Formation and Krol Group, Lesser Himalaya, India; Sedimentology 50 921–952, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3091.2003.00589.x.
Jones B and Manning D C 1994 Comparison of geochemical indices used for the interpretation of Palaeoredox conditions in Ancient mudstones; Chem. Geol. 111 111–129, https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-2541(94)90085-X.
Klinkhammer G P and Palmer M R 1991 Uranium in the oceans: Where it goes and why; Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 55(7) 1799–1806, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(91)90024-Y.
Kumar R and Brookfield M E 1987 Sedimentary environments of the Simla Group (Upper Precambrian), Lesser Himalaya, and their paleotectonic significance; Sedim. Geol. 52(1–2) 27–43, https://doi.org/10.1016/0037-0738(87)90015-7.
Le Fort P 1975 Himalayas: The collided range. Present knowledge of the continental arc; Am. J. Sci. 275(A) 1–44.
Li Z X, Li X H, Kinny P D, Zhou H, Wang J and Zhang S 2003 Geochronology of Neoproterozoic syn-rift magmatism in the Yangtze Craton, South China and correlations with other continents: Evidence for a mantle superplume that broke up Rodinia; Precamb. Res. 122 85–109, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-9268(02)00208-5.
Li Z X, Evans D A D and Halverson G P 2013 Neoproterozoic glaciations in a revised global paleogeography from the breakup of Rodinia to the assembly of Gondwanaland; Sedim. Geol. 294 219–232, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2013.05.016.
Madhavaraju J and Ramasamy S 1999 Rare earth elements in limestones of Kallankurichchi Formation of Ariyalur Group, Tiruchirapalli Cretaceous, Tamil Nadu; J. Geol. Soc. India 54 291–301.
Martin R E 2016 Earth's evolving systems: The history of planet Earth; 2nd edn, Jones and Bartlett Learning, LLC, 615p.
Mazumdar P, Mukhopadhyay A, Banerjee T, Thorie A and Eriksson P G 2021 Process variations of a Neoproterozoic delta system in response to the influence of mixed-energy systems and sea-level fluctuation: An insight from Simla Group, Lesser Himalaya, India; Arab. J. Geosci. 14(7) 1–31, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-06743-x.
McCulloch M T and Wasserburg G J 1978 Sm–Nd and Rb–Sr chronology of continental crust formation; Science 200 1003–1011, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.200.4345.100.
McKenzie N R, Hughes N C, Myrow P M, Xiao S and Sharma M 2011 Correlation of Precambrian–Cambrian sedimentary success across northern India and the utility of isotopic signatures of Himalayan lithotectonic zones; Earth Planet Sci. Lett. 312 471–483, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2011.10.027.
McLennan S M, Fryer B J and Young G M 1979 The geochemistry of the carbonate-rich Espanola Formation (Huronian) with emphasis on the rare earth elements; Canadian J. Earth Sci. 16 230–239, https://doi.org/10.1139/e79-022.
McLennan S M, Taylor S R and Eriksson K A 1983 Geochemistry of Archaean shales from the Pilbara Supergroup, Western Australia; Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 47(7) 1211–1222, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(83)90063-7.
Medlicott H B 1864 On the geological structures and relations of the southern portion of the Himalayan ranges between the rivers Ganges and Ravee; Geol. Surv. India Memoir 3(2) 212p.
Moosavirad S M, Janardhana M R, Sethumadhav M S, Moghadam M R and Shankara M 2011 Geochemistry of lower Jurassic shales of the Shemshak Formation, Kerman Province, Central Iran: Provenance, source weathering and tectonic setting; Chemie. Erde-Geochem. 7 279–288, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemer.2010.10.001.
Mukhopadhyay A and Banerjee T 2016 Stromatolites: A guideline for development of a carbonate ramp, Basantpur Formation, Neoproterozoic Simla Group in Lesser Himalaya, India; Arab. J. Geosci. 9 521, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-016-2546-z.
Mukhopadhyay A and Thorie A 2016 Comparative study of two relatives, MISS and Stromatolites: Example from the Proterozoic Kunihar Formation, Simla Group, Lesser Himalaya; Arab. J. Geosci. 9(8) 521, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-016-2549-9.
Mukhopadhyay A, Mazumdar P and Van Loon A J 2016 A new ‘Superassemblage’ model explaining proximal-to-distal and lateral facies changes in fluvial environments, based on the Proterozoic Sanjauli Formation (Lesser Himalaya, India); J. Palaeogeogr. 5(4) 391–408, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jop.2016.08.001.
Nagarajan R, Madhavaraju J, Nagendra R, Armstrong-Altrin J S and Moutte J 2007 Geochemisrty of Neoproterozoic shales of the Rabanpalli Formation Bhima Basin, Northern Karnataka, southern India: Implications for provenance and paleoredox conditions; Revista. Mexi. Cienc. Geol. 24(2) 150–160.
Nath B N, Bau M, Rao B R and Rao C M 1997 Trace and rare earth elemental variation in Arabian Sea sediments through a transect across the oxygen minimum zone; Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 61(12) 2375–2388, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(97)00094-X.
Nesbitt H W and Young G M 1982 Early Proterozoic climates and plate motions inferred from major element chemistry of lutites; Nature 299 715–717.
Nesbitt H W and Young G M 1989 Formation and diagenesis of weathering profiles; J. Geol. 97 129–147, https://doi.org/10.1086/629290.
Paikaray S, Banerjee S and Mukherji S 2008 Geochemistry of Lower Vindhyan Shales and its implications on provenance and tectonics; Indian J. Geol. 78 143–157.
Panahi A and Young G M 1997 A geochemical investigation into the provenance of the Neoproterozoic Port Askaig Tillite, Dalradian Supergroup, western Scotland; Precamb. Res. 85(1–2) 81–96, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-9268(97)00033-8.
Pettijhon F J, Potter P E and Siever R 1972 Sand and sandstones; Springer-Verlag, New York, 52p.
Pettijohn F J 1975 Sedimentary rocks; 3rd edn. Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 628p.
Roser B P and Korsch R J 1986 Determination of tectonic setting of sandstone-mudstone suites using SiO2 content and K2O/Na2O ratio; J. Geol. 94 635–650, https://doi.org/10.1086/629071.
Roser B P, Cooper R, Nathan S and Tulloch A J 1996 Reconnaissance sandstone geochemistry, provenance and tectonic setting of the Lower Palaeozoic terranes of the West Coast and Nelson, New Zealand; New Zealand J. Geol. Geophys. 39 1–16, https://doi.org/10.1080/00288306.1996.9514690.
Saini N K, Mukherjee P K, Rathi M S, Khanna P P and Purohit K K 2002 Trace element estimation in soils: An appraisal of ED-¼XRF technique using group analysis scheme; J. Trace. Micro. Tech. 20(4) 539–551, https://doi.org/10.1081/TMA-120015615.
Schieber J 1992 A combined petrographical–geochemical provenance study of the Newland formation, Mid-Proterozoic of Montana; Geol. Mag. 129 223–237.
Sen S, Das P K, Bhagaboty B and Singha L J C 2012 Geochemistry of shales of Barail group occurring in and around Mandardisa, North Catchar Hills, Assam; India: Its implications; Int. J. Chem. Appl. (IJCA) 4 25–37.
Shaw T J, Geiskes J M and Jahnke R A 1990 Early diagénesis in differing depositional environments: The response of transition metals in pore water; Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 54(5) 1233–1246, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(90)90149-F.
Sindhuja C S, Khelen A C and Manikyamba C 2019 Geochemistry of Archean–Proterozoic shales, Dharwar Craton, India: Implications on depositional environment; Geol. J. 54(5) 2759–2778, https://doi.org/10.1002/gj.3467.
Srikantia S V and Bhargava O N 1998 Geology of Himachal Pradesh; Geol. Soc. India, 406p.
Suttner L J and Dutta P K 1986 Alluvial sandstones composition and palaeoclimate framework mineralogy; J. Sedim. Res. 56(3) 329–345, https://doi.org/10.1306/212F8909-2B24-11D7-8648000102C1865D.
Swanson-Hysell N L, Rose C V, Calmet C C, Halverson G P, Hurtgen M T and Maloof A C 2010 Cryogenian glaciation and the onset of carbon isotope decoupling; Science 328 608–611.
Taylor S R and McLennan S M 1985 The continental crust: Its composition and evolution; Blackwells, Oxford, 312p.
Thorie A, Mukhopadhyay A, Banerjee T and Mazumdar P 2018 Giant ooids in a Neoproterozoic carbonate shelf, Simla Group, Lesser Himalaya, India: An analogue related to Neoproterozoic glacial deposits; Mar. Petrol. Geol. 98 582–606, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2018.08.025.
Thorie A, Mukhopadhyay A, Mazumdar P and Banerjee T 2020 Characteristics of a Tonian reef rimmed shelf before the onset of Cryogenian: Insights from Neoproterozoic Kunihar Formation, Simla Group, Lesser Himalaya; Mar. Petrol. Geol. 117, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2020.104393.
Tobia F H and Mustafa B H 2016 Geochemistry and mineralogy of the Al-rich shale from Baluti Formation, Iraqi Kurdistan region: Implications for weathering and provenance; Arab. J. Geosci. 9(20) 757.
Van Moort J C 1971 A comparative study of the diagenetic alteration of clay minerals in Mesozoic shales from Papua, New Guinea, and in Tertiary shales from Louisiana, USA; Clays Clay Miner. 19 1–20.
Weaver C E 1989 Clays, muds, shales (Developments in sedimentology); Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Wrafter J P and Graham J R 1989 Ophiolitic detritus in the Ordovician sediments of South Mayo Ireland; J. Geol. Soc. Lonon 146 213–215, https://doi.org/10.1144/gsjgs.146.2.0213.
Wronkiewicz D J and Condie K C 1987 Geochemistry of Archean shales from the Witwatersand Supergroup, South Africa: Source-area weathering and provenance; Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 51 2401–2416, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(87)90293-6.
Wronkiewicz D J and Condie K C 1990 Geochemistry and mineralogy of sediments from the Ventersdorp and Transvaal Supergroups, South Africa: Cratonic evolution during the early Proterozoic; Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 54(2) 343–354, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(90)90323-D.
Yeung L Y 2017 Low oxygen and argon in the Neoproterozoic atmosphere at 815 Ma; Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 480 66–74, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2017.09.044.
Young G M and Nesbitt H W 1998 Processes controlling the distribution of Ti and Al in weathering profiles, siliclastic sediments and sedimentary rocks; J. Sedim. Res. 63 448–455, https://doi.org/10.2110/jsr.68.448.
Zhang L, Sun M, Wang S and Yu X 1998 The composition of shales from the Ordos basin, China: Effects of source weathering and diagenesis; Sedim. Geol. 116 129–141, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0037-0738(97)00074-2.
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the infrastructural assistance given by the university authorities. Our gratitude goes to Prof Ravindra Kumar (retired), and Honorary Prof Om Narain Bhargava of the Department of Geology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India, for sharing their immense knowledge about Simla Group and Himalayan geology. We appreciate Dr Moumita Talukdar for sharing her expert knowledge in the field of geochemistry. We are grateful to Central Research Facility, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur for carrying out the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) studies for this study. The authors also thank Sushil Thakur for field assistance.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Priyanka Mazumdar: Conceptualization, writing-original draft preparation, formal analysis, software. Ananya Mukhopadhyay: Supervision. Alono Thorie: Data collection, writing-reviewing and editing, validation. Tithi Banerjee: Data collection, resources, software. Santosh Kumar Rai: Data curation, methodology, software.
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by Santanu Banerjee
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mazumdar, P., Mukhopadhyay, A., Thorie, A. et al. Geochemistry of Neoproterozoic Chhaosa shales, Simla Group, Lesser Himalaya: Its implications on provenance and tectonics. J Earth Syst Sci 130, 175 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-021-01673-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-021-01673-4