Abstract
The Miocene molassic Surma sandstones in parts of the Naga-Manipur hills, in and around Nungba, Northeast India have been studied for their tectonic provenance using petrography and heavy mineral contents. The poorly-to-moderately-sorted sub-litharenite to lithic-arkose type Surma sandstones display predominance of monocrystalline quartz (av. 61%) and include undulose and non-undulose varieties and almost equal amounts of feldspars (av. 22%) and rock fragments (av. 17%). The heavy mineral suite of Surma sandstones is dominated by transparent varieties (96%) that include garnet, zircon, tourmaline, rutile, staurolite, scapolite, phlogopite, chondrodite, humite, wollastonite, hedenbergite. sphene, chlorite, sillimanite, glauconite, glaucophane, and chloritoid. These heavy minerals characterize the granitic and silicic metamorphic complexes (GM) as well as the basic metamorphic rocks (MT) like greenstones, green schist, and amphibolites relating to passive continental margin set-up. The opaque grains constitute nearly 4% of the total heavy minerals. The presence of euhedral, as well as abraded heavy mineral grains, further supports a mixed provenance having substantial contribution from sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. A ZTR index of approximately 45% indicates mineralogically sub-mature nature of Surma sandstones. Based on the light and heavy mineral suites coupled with the type of terrain available in the vicinity of the study area, it may be visualized that the sediment supply was largely made by the Himalaya, the IMR, the Shillong plateau, and the Mikir Hills under the influence of semi-arid to semi-humid climatic conditions. An overall supply from a recycled orogen provenance has been envisaged.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adhikari BR, Wagreich M (2011) Provenance evolution of collapse graben fill in the Himalaya—the Miocene to Quaternary Thakkhola-Mustang Graben (Nepal). Sedim Geol 233:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2010.09.021
Basu A, Young SW, Suttner LJ, James WC, Mack GH (1975) Re-evaluation of the use of undulatory extinction and polycrystallinity in detrital quartz for provenance interpretation. J Sedim Petrol 45:873–882. https://doi.org/10.1306/212F6E6F-2B24-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Blatt H, Christies JM (1963) Undulatory extinction in quartz of igneous and metamorphic rocks and its significance in provenance study of sedimentary rocks. J Sedim Petrol 33:559–579. https://doi.org/10.1306/74D70EBB-2B21-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Chandra M, Kundal P, Kushwaha RAS (2010) Ichnology of Bhuban and Boka Bil formations, oligocene miocene deposits of Manipur Western Hill, Northeast India. Geol Soc India 76:573–586. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-010-0118-5
Devi SR, Mondal MEA (2008) Provenance and tectonic setting of Barail (Oligocene) and Surma (Miocene) Group of Surma-Barak Basin, Manipur, India: petrographic Constraints. J Geol Soc India 71:459–467
Dickinson WR (1970) Interpreting detrital modes of greywacke and arkoses. J Sedim Petrol 40:659–707. https://doi.org/10.1306/74D72018-2B21-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Dickinson WR (1985) Interpreting provenance relations from detrital modes of sandstones. In: Zuffa GC (ed) Reading provenance from arenites. Reidel, Dodrecht, pp 333–362. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2809-6_15
Dickinson WR, Suczek CA (1979) Plate tectonics and sandstone composition. Bull Am Assoc Petrol Geol 63:2164–2182. https://doi.org/10.1306/2F9188FB-16CE-11D7-8645000102C1865D
Dickinson WR, Beard LS, Brakenridge GR, Erjavec JL, Ferguson RC, Inman KF, Knepp RA, Lindberg FA, Ryberg PT (1983) Provenance of North American Phanerozoic sandstones in relation to tectonic setting. Geol Soc Am Bull 94:222–235. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1983)94%3c222:PONAPS%3e2.0.CO;2
Evans P (1932) Tertiary succession in Assam. Trans Min Geol Inst India 27:260
Evans P (1964) The tectonic framework of Assam. J Geol Soc India 5:80–96
Folk RL (1980) Petrology of sedimentary rocks. Hamphill’s, Austin, Texas, p 182. http://hdl.handle.net/2152/22930
Hubert JF (1962) A zircon–tourmaline–rutile maturity index and the interdependence of the composition of heavy minerals assemblages with the gross composition and texture of sandstones. J Sedim Res 32:440–450. https://doi.org/10.1306/74D70CE5-2B21-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Ingersoll RV, Bullard TF, Ford RL, Grimm JP, Pickle JD, Sares SW (1984) The effect of grain size on delrital modes: a test of the Gazzi–Dickinson point-counting. J Sedim Res 54:103–116. https://doi.org/10.1306/212F8783-2B24-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Kushwaha RA, Chandra M (2008) Ichnofossils from the Eocene–Oligocene Deposits between Bijang and Tupul, Manipur, India. J Indian Assoc Sedimentol 27:35–44
Mallet FR (1876) On the coal fields of Naga Hills bordering the Lakhimpur and Sibsagar Districts, Assam. Mem Geol Surv India 12(2):286
Mathur LP, Evans P (1964) Oil in India. 22nd session. In: International Geological Congress, New Delhi, p 85
Miall AD (1984) Principles of sedimentary basin analysis. Springer, New York, p 490. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03999-1
Middleton GV (2003) Encyclopedia of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Springer, New York, p 821
Mishra D, Tiwari RN (2005) Provenance study of siliciclastic sediments, Jhura Dome, Kachchh, Gujarat. J Geol Soc India 65:703–714
Mitchell AHG (1993) Cretaceous-Ccnozoic tectonic events in the western Myanmar (Burma)—Assam region. J Geol Soc Lond 150:1089–1102. https://doi.org/10.1144/gsjgs.150.6.1089
Morton AC (1987) Stability of detrital heavy minerals in Tertiary sandstone from North sea basin. Clay Miner 19:287–308. https://doi.org/10.1180/claymin.1984.019.3.04
Nandy DR (1983) The Eastern Himalaya and the Indo-Burman Orogen in relation to the India plate movement. Geol Surv Ind Misc Pub No 41:153–159
Nechaev VP, Isphording WC (1993) Heavy mineral assemblages of continental margins as indicators of plate tectonic environment. J Sedim Petrol 63:1110–1117. https://doi.org/10.1306/D4267CB7-2B26-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Nesbitt HW, Fedo CM, Young GM (1997) Quartz and feldspar stability, steady and non-steady-state weathering, and petrogenesis of siliciclastic sands and muds. J Geol 105:173–191. https://doi.org/10.1086/515908
Oldham RD (1883) Report on the geology of parts of Manipur and Naga hills. Mem Geol Surv India 19:216–226
Pettijohn FJ (1984) Sedimentary rocks, 3rd edn. CBS Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi, p 628
Sangeeta A, Pandey N (2017) Heavy mineral analysis and provenance studies of Surma sediments in and around Nungba, Tamenlong District, Manipur, Northeast India. Int J Res Innov Appl Sci (IJRIAS) 2:1–9
Sen S, Nath M, Das PK, Borah M, Konwar S (2017) Petrography of the Barail sandstones occurring in and around Mandardisa, North Cachar Hills, Assam, India. Int J Sci Eng Res 8:969–978
Sengupta S, Ray KK, Acharyya SK, de-Smeth JB (1990) Nature of Ophiolite occurrence along the eastern margin of Indian plate and their tectonic significance. Geology 18:439–442. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1990)018%3c0439:N000AT%3e2.3.CO:2
Singh BP, Pawar JS, Karlupia SK (2004) Dense mineral data from the northwestern Himalayan foreland sedimentary rocks and recent river sediments: evaluation of the hinterland. J Asian Earth Sci 23:25–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1367-9120(03)00097-X
Soibam I (1998) On the geology of Manipur. In: Proceedings of 9th Manipur science congress, 25–27 Mar, Department of Earth Sciences, Manipur University, pp 12–18
Srivastava SK, Pandey N (2011) Search for provenance of Oligocene Barail sandstones in and around Jotsoma, Kohima, Nagaland. J Geol Soc India 77:433–442. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-011-0045-0
Srivastava SK, Pandey N, Srivastava V (2004) Tectono-sedimentary evolution of Disang-Barail Transition, North West of Kohima, Nagaland, India. Himal Geol 25:121–128
Suttner LJ, Dutta PK (1986) Alluvial sandstone composition and palaeoclimate. Framework mineralogy. J Sedim Petrol 56:329–345. https://doi.org/10.1306/212F8909-2B24-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Trop JM, Ridgeway KD (1997) Petrofacies and provenance of a Late Cretaceous suture zone thrust top basin, Cantwell basin, Central Alaska Range. J Sed Res 6:469–485. http://doi.org/10.1306/D426859F-2B26-11D7-8648000102C1865D
Uddin A, Lundberg N (1998a) Cenozoic history of Himalayan-Bengal system: Bangladesh. Bull Geol Soc Am 110:497–511. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1998)110%3c0497:CHOTHB%3e2.3,CO:2
Uddin A, Lundberg N (1998b) Unroofing history of the Eastern Himalaya and the Indo-Burman ranges: heavy mineral study of the Cenozoic Sediments from the Bengal Basin, Bangladesh. J Sedim Res 68:465–472. https://doi.org/10.2110/jsr.68.465
Acknowledgements
The first author is grateful to the DST, New Delhi for funding the research programme through Inspire Fellowship No. IF140996. The authors are also thankful to the Department of Earth Science, Assam University, Silchar, Manipur University, Canchipur and ONGC, Sibsagar for providing laboratory facilities and other necessary supports for carrying out the research.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sangeeta, A., Pandey, N. & Kingson, O. Petrography and tectonic provenance of the Miocene Surma Group in parts of the Naga-Manipur hills, in and around Nungba, Northeast India. Acta Geochim 38, 834–847 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-019-00325-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-019-00325-1