Russian Journal of Earth Sciences Russian Journal of Earth Sciences Russian Journal of Earth Sciences 1681-1208 46523 10.2205/2020ES000698 ОРИГИНАЛЬНЫЕ СТАТЬИ ORIGINAL ARTICLES ОРИГИНАЛЬНЫЕ СТАТЬИ Geochemical signatures of Lower Gondwana sandstones of eastern Arunachal Himalayas, India: Implications for tectonic setting, provenance and degree of weathering Geochemical signatures of Lower Gondwana sandstones of eastern Arunachal Himalayas, India: Implications for tectonic setting, provenance and degree of weathering Mahanta Bashab N Mahanta Bashab N bn.mahanta@gsi.gov.in; bn-mism@gmail.com Syngai B R Syngai B R Sarmah R K Sarmah R K Goswami T K Goswami T K Kumar Amit Kumar Amit Geological Survey of India ru Geological Survey of India ru Geological Survey of India ru Geological Survey of India ru Dept. of Applied Geology, Dibrugarh University ru Dept. of Applied Geology, Dibrugarh University ru Dept. of Applied Geology, Dibrugarh University ru Dept. of Applied Geology, Dibrugarh University ru Geological Survey of India ru Geological Survey of India ru 20 3 1 11 29 10 2021 https://rjes.ru/en/nauka/article/46523/view

The compositional variability of the sandstones leads to insight about the controlling sedimentary processes and plate tectonic environments. The geochemical composition of the Lower Gondwana sandstones exposed along the Main Boundary Thrust in parts of East Siang and West Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, India was determined to deduce their provenance and tectonic setting governing their deposition. The overall analyses of the samples from the study area reveals the chemically coherent nature of the sediments and derivation from rocks of acidic and intermediate compositions. Trace element concentrations of the rocks of the study area are in concurrence with average Upper Continental Crust (UCC) whereas the Rare Earth Element (REE) values indicate felsic source rocks. Discrimination of tectonic setting using oxide data indicates passive margin setting for the sediments. The Chemical Alteration Index (CIA) was calculated and indicates medium to high chemical weathering during sedimentation of the basin.

The compositional variability of the sandstones leads to insight about the controlling sedimentary processes and plate tectonic environments. The geochemical composition of the Lower Gondwana sandstones exposed along the Main Boundary Thrust in parts of East Siang and West Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, India was determined to deduce their provenance and tectonic setting governing their deposition. The overall analyses of the samples from the study area reveals the chemically coherent nature of the sediments and derivation from rocks of acidic and intermediate compositions. Trace element concentrations of the rocks of the study area are in concurrence with average Upper Continental Crust (UCC) whereas the Rare Earth Element (REE) values indicate felsic source rocks. Discrimination of tectonic setting using oxide data indicates passive margin setting for the sediments. The Chemical Alteration Index (CIA) was calculated and indicates medium to high chemical weathering during sedimentation of the basin.

 Gondwana sandstone Himalayas geochemistry tectonic setting weathering Gondwana sandstone Himalayas geochemistry tectonic setting weathering The authors are gratefull to the Dy. Director General & HOD, Geological Survey of India, NER, Shillong, Meghalaya, India for permitting the authors to publish the work.

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