Provenance of the Sawa Formation Sandstones, Vindhyan Super Group, Southeast Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Integrated petrographical and geochemical analysis of Sawa Formation sandstones was analyzed to reconstruct their source area weathering, paleoclimate, tectonic setting and provenance conditions. Petrographically, quartz is dominant detrital mineral followed by feldspar, mica, rock fragments and heavy minerals. Sawa Formation sandstones have been classified as quartzarenite with subordinate sub-arkose and sub-litharenite type. Major oxide element abundances revealed the sandstones have high SiO2 concentration, high K2O/ Na2O ratio, which is consistent with the petrographic data. These sandstones were derived mainly from stable cratonic with minor collision suture and fold thrust belt source and deposited in rifted continental margin basin setting, reflecting high maturity of sediments and high stability of the source area. The CIA, CIW and PIA values of these sandstones indicate high intensity of weathering condition in the source area under warm and humid climate.