1 A DETRITAL ZIRCON TRANSECT ACROSS THE SON VALLEY SECTOR OF THE VINDHYAN BASIN, INDIA: CONSTRAINTS FOR BASIN EVOLUTION AND PALEOGEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS FROM U-Pb AND Hf ISOTOPIC DATA By CANDLER COYLE TURNER A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2012
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A DETRITAL ZIRCON TRANSECT ACROSS THE SON VALLEY SECTOR OF THE VINDHYAN BASIN, INDIA: CONSTRAINTS FOR BASIN EVOLUTION AND
PALEOGEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS FROM U-Pb AND Hf ISOTOPIC DATA
By
CANDLER COYLE TURNER
A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
Marwar and Vindhyan Correlations ......................................................................... 67 Provenance of Detrital Zircons from the Marwar and Vindhyan Basins .................. 71
Paleogeographic Implications ................................................................................. 78 Links between Continental Landmasses from Detrital Zircon Records ............ 78 Rodinia and Gondwana .................................................................................... 78
3-3 Hf Isotopic Data ................................................................................................. 61
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure page 1-1 Map of continental India and the locations of Purana basins, distribution of
cratons, and tectonic domains (modified from Rao and Reddy 2002). Important Abbreviations: ..................................................................................... 22
1-2 Geologic Map of the Vindhyan Basin. A) Map of continental India; B) Rajasthan Sector; C) Son Valley Sector; D) Bundelkhand Sector. The Narmada-Son Lineament creates the eastern most boundary of the Vindhyan . 23
1-3 Correlations and Stratigraphy of the Vindhyan Supergroup from both the Son Valley and Rajasthan Sectors. Age constraints provided from Gregory et al. (2006), Sarangi et al. (2004), Ray et al. (2003, 2002), De (2006), and Malone .. 24
1-4 Marwar Stratigraphy and correlations to the Salt Range of Pakistan, the Krol-Tal belt of the Himalayas, and the Huqf Supergroup of Oman. Note that the Krol-Tal and Huqf Supergroup contain stratigraphy from the Marinoan time ...... 25
3-1 Detrital zircon probability plots for the select samples from the Son Valley (Kaimur, Rewa/Kaimur, Rewa and Bhander Sandstone) Sector and Rajasthan. .......................................................................................................... 64
3-2 Detrital Zircon probability plots for select samples from the Marwar Supergroup. Note the appearance of <1000 Ma zircons in these plots compared to upper Vindhyan plots that contain no zircons <1000 Ma ............... 65
3-3 εHf(t) vs U-Pb age data for ~1.7-1.8 Ga detrital zircons from both the Marwar and upper Vindhyan sediments. The majority of samples contain negative εHf(t) values corresponding an affinity with ancient crustal material.. ................. 66
4-1 Cumulative U-Pb age Probability Density Plots for Marwar and upper Vindhyan Detrital zircons. Red shaded area represents zircons dated to <1000 Ma.. ......................................................................................................... 84
4-2 Paleomagnetic pole positions at ~1.0-1.1 Ga from Venkateshwarlu and Chalapathi-Rao (in press) kimberlite and lamporite intrusions in the Dharwar craton, Majhgawan kimberlite, ............................................................................ 85
4-3 Geodynamic Map of the supercontinent Rodinia reconstruction from Li et al. (2008). ................................................................................................................ 86
4-4 Generalized Gondwana reconstruction depicting Neoproterozoic and younger orogenic belts that separate the various cratons of West and East Gondwana (Malone et al. 2008; modified from Gray et al. 2007). ...................... 87
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4-5 Locations of Ediacaran-Cambrian Basins in the Arabian-Nubian Shield, Himalayas, Pakistan and Madagascar that correlate with the Marwar Basin as seen in the ‘traditional’ Gondwana reconstruction. ........................................ 88
4-6 Detrital zircon spectra representing the phases of orogenesis advocated by Runcorn (1962) from data published in Hawkesworth et al. (2009). Supercontinents represented.............................................................................. 89
The Lower Vindhyan sedimentary sequence is often referred to as the Semri
Series (Figure 1- 3). Age constraints on the Semri Series are robust for the bulk of the
sedimentary package. Sedimentation is believed to have started sometime prior to
1721 Ma and continued until about 1600 Ma without any major breaks in deposition
(Ray et al. 2006). The Lower Vindhyan units unconformably lie atop the Bundelkhand
Granite basement rocks of this region dated to 2492 ± 10 Ma (Mondal et al. 2002) or the
1854 ± 7 Ma Hindoli Group (Deb et al. 2003). Geochronologic constraints on lower
Vindhyan sedimentation include a whole rock Pb-Pb age of 1729 Ma on the Kajrahat
Limestone (Sarangi et al. 2004). The Kajrahat is overlain by the Deonar Porcellanite,
Rampur shale and Rhotas limestone. The Deonar Porcellanite yielded two robust U-Pb
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zircon ages of 1630.7 ± 0.4 Ma (TIMS, Ray et al., 2002) and 1628 ± 8 Ma (SHRIMP;
Rasmussen et al. 2002. Zircons from volcaniclastics within the Rampur shale were
dated at 1599 ± 8 Ma (SHRIMP, Rassmussen et al. 2002). Pb-Pb ages from the
Rhotas limestone obtained by Ray et al. (2003) and Sarangi (2004) are comparable
though with somewhat large errors (1601 ± 130 Ma and 1599 ± 48 Ma). Based on
these ages, sedimentation in the Lower Vindhyan basin began <1850 Ma and ended
around ~1550-1600 Ma. A basin wide angular and erosional unconformity separates
the Rhotas limestone from the overlying Kaimur Group.,
Upper Vindhyan Sequence
Ages constraints on Upper Vindhyan sedimentation are more problematic.
Current estimates put the onset of Upper Vindhyan sedimentation in the
Mesoproterozoic (>1100 Ma) and the cessation of sedimentation as young as Cambrian
(Malone et al., 2008, Azmi et al., 2010). The best age constraints for the Upper
Vindhyan sediments are derived from the 40Ar-39Ar age of 1073.5 ± 13.7 Ma for the
Majhgawan kimberlite that intrudes the Baghain sandstone (Kaimur Group; Figure 1- 3;
Gregory et al. 2006). Based on this age, sedimentation of the Kaimur sandstone began
prior to the intrusion and therefore the onset of Upper Vindhyan sedimentation is reliably
constrained to the Mesoproterozoic.
Other attempts to establish the age of the upper Vindhyan sediments give
contradictory results. De (2003, 2006) argued that Upper Vindhyan sedimentation
continued into the Ediacaran based on fossils in the Bhander limestone. Azmi et al.
(2010) reject all geochronological data and argue that sedimentation within the Upper
and Lower Vindhyan sequence is of Ediacaran age.
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Gregory et al. (2006) noted that the virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) from the
Majhgawan kimberlite was identical to previously published paleomagnetic poles from
the Bhander and Rewa Groups. They suggested that this may signify that deposition of
the Bhander-Rewa Groups was confined to the Mesoproterozoic. Additional support for
this hypothesis was given by Malone et al. (2008) based on an analysis of detrital zircon
in the Vindhyan basin along with a comprehensive paleomagnetic study of the Bhander-
Rewa Groups. Malone et al. (2008) noted a lack of detrital input into the basin younger
than ~1000 Ma. While absence of younger detritus can be due to numerous causes,
the paleomagnetic data from the Bhander-Rewa Groups confirmed the suspicions of
Gregory et al. (2006). Subsequent reinforcement of a Mesoproterozoic depositional age
is derived from a paleomagnetic study of the Mahoba dyke in the Bundelkhand craton
(just north of the Son Valley sector; Pradhan et al., 2012). This dyke is dated to 1090
Ma and also yields a paleomagnetic direction indistinguishable from the Majhgawan and
Bhander-Rewa, supporting the hypothesis that a Mesoproterozoic age may be assigned
to these sediments.
Marwar Basin
To the west the Vindhyan Basin, beyond the Aravalli-Delhi Range is the
Neoproterozoic-Cambrian age Marwar Basin (Figure 1- 4; Davis et al. 2011). The
Marwar Supergroup (MS; Khan 1971) is situated in the state of Rajasthan, India and
extends from south of Nagaur in the east to north of Pokaran in the west, with an
estimated thickness of 1000-2000 m (Figure 1- 3 & 1.4; Pandey and Bahadur 2009).
The Marwar Basin is considered by some to be the westerly extension of the upper
Vindhyans across the Aravalli axis (Figure 1- 1; Heron 1932; Pandey and Bahadur
2009). . The assumption of contemporaneous deposition in both the Upper Vindhyan
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and Marwar basins was based upon lithological similarities, the lack of diagnostic fossils
and the lack of penetrative deformation in both basins (Heron 1932; Heron 1936; Verma
1991).
The lithostratigraphy of the Marwar Supergroup is divided into 3 groups: the
lower Jodhpur Group, the middle Bilara Group, and the upper Nagaur Group (Figure 1-
4). The Pokaran boulder bed of the Jodhpur Group lies unconformably above the 750-
800 Ma Malani Igneous Suite, (Figure 1- 3 & 1.4; Gregory et al., 2009; Van Lente et al.,
2009; Pradhan et al., 2010; Torsvik et al., 2001), and contains cobbles of Malani and
older igneous rocks (Meert et al. 2010; Chakrabartu et al. 2004; Ramakrishnan and
Vaidyanadhan 2008). Recent age estimates would place the Lower Marwar in the time
frame for Gaskiers (~ 580 Ma) or Marinoan (~ 635 Ma) glaciations, but there is no
evidence for a glacial origin of these rocks (i.e. dropstones, striated clasts; Meert et al.
2010). The exact age range of the Marwar Supergroup is not precisely known, but it is
typically correlated with the Ediacaran-Cambrian sequences in the Salt Range of
Pakistan, the Krol-Tal Belt of the Himalayas and the Huqf Supergroup (Oman) based on
similar trace fossils, lithologies and macrofossils (Figure 1- 4; Jones 1970; Kumar and
Pandey 2008, 2010; Cozzi et al., 2012).
Summary
Recent geochronologic data support the hypothesis that the Marwar may not be
a continuation of the Vindhyan Supergroup. Malone et al. (2008) examined the age
spectra of detrital zircons in the Sonia and Girbakhar sandstones from the Marwar
Supergroup that showed distinct differences from that of the nearby Upper Bhander
Group in the Rajasthan sector (Figure 1- 2). In particular, Malone et al. (2008) noted
the presence of <1000 Ma zircons in the Marwar Supergroup. Based partly on this
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difference, Malone et al. (2008) argued for distinct basinal histories for the Marwar and
Vindhyan basins. This difference in zircon populations was reinforced by a recent study
of McKenzie et al. (2011). In addition, new fossil finds (Kumar and Pandey 2009;
Kumar et al. 2009) of Ediacaran and younger biota provide firm evidence that
sedimentation in the Marwar basin is confined to the interval from <750 Ma to the
earliest Cambrian (~521 Ma). Davis et al. (2012) and Cozzi et al. (2012) further limit the
age of sedimentation in the Marwar Supergroup to between 635-521 Ma based on the
lack of glacial deposits in the Marwar and intrabasinal comparisons with Oman.
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Figure 1-1. Map of continental India and the locations of Purana basins, distribution of
cratons, and tectonic domains (modified from Rao and Reddy 2002). Important Abbreviations: Delhi Fold Belt (DFB); Aravalli Fold Belt (AFB); Naramada Son Lineament (NSL); Satpura Mobile Belt (SMB; also known as Central Indian Tectonic Zone, CITZ); Godavari Basin (GB); Mahandi Rift (MR); Closepet Granites (CG); Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt (EGMB); Central Indian Suture (CIS); Bhavani-Palghat Mobile Belt (BPMB).
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Figure 1-2. Geologic Map of the Vindhyan Basin. A) Map of continental India; B)
Rajasthan Sector; C) Son Valley Sector; D) Bundelkhand Sector. The Narmada-Son Lineament creates the eastern most boundary of the Vindhyan Basin, while the Great Boundary Fault (GBF) delimits the western boundary. To the west of the GBF lie the Aravalli/Delhi Fold Belts and their successive sedimentary sequences. Further to the west, the Marwar Supergroup (represented by the Jodphur Sandstone in this figure) overlies the Malani Rhyolites. Detrital zircon whole rock samples were selected from the Rajasthan and Son Valley sectors.
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Figure 3: Figure 1-3. Correlations and Stratigraphy of the Vindhyan Supergroup from both the Son Valley and Rajasthan Sectors.
Age constraints provided from Gregory et al. (2006), Sarangi et al. (2004), Ray et al. (2003, 2002), De (2006), and Malone et al. (2008). Note that an unconformity separates the Lower and Upper Vindhyans.
25
Figure 1-4. Marwar Stratigraphy and correlations to the Salt Range of Pakistan, the
Krol-Tal belt of the Himalayas, and the Huqf Supergroup of Oman. Note that the Krol-Tal and Huqf Supergroup contain stratigraphy from the Marinoan time period.
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CHAPTER 2 GEOCHRONOLOGY METHODS
Samples were taken in the Son Valley and Rajasthan sectors of the Vindhyan
basin along with additional samples from the Marwar Supergroup in 2009 and 2011.
The samples were broken down with a sledge hammer and jaw crusher and further disk
milled to reduce sediment into sand grain size. Samples were further separated by size
using a succession of 400 μm (40 mesh) and 250 μm (60 mesh) sieves. Density
separation by water table and heavy liquid was followed by magnetic separation
techniques to isolate individual grains of zircon. These grains were examined with an
optical microscope and handpicked from the appropriate fractions (non-magnetics at 5º,
.5 A). Zircons were then mounted into an epoxy plug and polished to expose surfaces
of the zircons. Cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging was then taken by SEM (Scanning
Electron Microscope), as well as reflected light microscope imaging. The epoxy plugs
were sonicated and cleaned in nitric acid to remove any common Pb surface
contamination.
Zircon U-Pb analyses were carried out at the Department of Geological
Sciences, University of Florida, using the “Nu-Plasma” (Nu Instruments, UK) multi-
collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (LA-MC-ICP-MS). The
mounted zircon grains were ablated using an attached New Wave 213 nm ultraviolet
laser, using a laser spot size of 30 μm for U-Pb analyses. Ar and He carrier gas was
used for sample transport into the mass spectrometer. Before each ablation, a “zero
measurement was taken for 20 s in order to make on-line corrections for isobaric
interferences, especially from 204Hg, a common component of argon gas. Following this
“zero” period, laser ablation commenced for 30 s, keeping a constant ablation pit depth,
27
therefore reducing elemental fractionation. Ablation spot locations were recorded to
insure the direct correlation of U-Pb ages to the data produced from Hf ablation and to
keep record of where the spot was taken (in this case, if the zircon was zoned, spots
would be taken on both the rim and core of the zircon and recorded accordingly).
Ablations occurred in intervals of 10 zircons, directly preceded and followed by ablation
of 2 FC-1 standard zircons.
The U-Pb and Hf isotopic data were recorded using Nu instruments Time
Resolved Analysis (TRA) software. This software allows the user to calculate isotopic
ratios from a desired time segment of data, aiding in the avoidance of complications due
to grain defects or surface contamination. The raw isotopic data garnered from the LA-
MC-ICP-MS were imported into a Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet (Calamari) where
corrections for instrumental drift and mass bias were undertaken by normalization to
standard zircon FC-1from the Duluth Gabbro, dated at 1099.0 ± 0.7 Ma and 1099.1 ±
0.5 Ma by Mattinson (2010). Figures were generated and errors calculated using
Isopolt/Ex plotting software Version 4.11 by Ludwig (2008).
Following U-Pb analyses, Hf isotopic analyses were undertaken on the same LA-
MC-ICP-MS. The same zircons used in U-Pb analyses were ablated, making sure to
note the identity of each zircon so that U-Pb data and Hf data could be compared. A
laser spot size of 40 μm was used for Hf analyses with a 120 s period of ablation and
monitored with FC-1 zircon (Woodhead et al. 2004).
Hf isotopic measurements were made following the procedures outlined by
Mueller et al. (2008). Measured and mass-bias-corrected 176Lu/177Hf ratios were used
to calculate initial 176Hf/177Hf ratios, as described by Griffin et al. (2000, 2002). Overall,
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the difference between the present-day measured and calculated initial 176Hf/177Hf ratios
in most cases is <1 epsilon (ε) unit, due to very low Lu/Hf ratios. Depleted-mantle
values are based on a linear model (εHf = 0 at 4.56 Ga and 16 at 0 Ga) from Mueller et
al. (2008). Chondritic Uniform Reservoir (CHUR) values are after Blichert-Toft and
Albarede (1997), as recommended by Patchett et al. (2004). The 176Lu decay constant
(1:867 × 10-11 yr-1) is after Soderlund et al. (2004). Isotopic BSE values (Bulk silicate
earth) are from Bouvier et al. (2008).
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CHAPTER 3 RESULTS
U-Pb Geochronology
Grains that exhibited a discordance of >10 % were excluded from our analysis. If
analyses produced U-Pb ages of <1000 Ma, 206Pb/238U ages were used in our results,
while ages >1000 Ma are represented by 207Pb/206Pb ages. Discordances for each of
these different isotopic age determinations can be found in Table 3-1 and Table 3-2.
The results of all Marwar and Vindhyan detrital zircon samples are listed in Table 3-1
and Table 3-2 and are shown in Figures 3-1 and 3-2.
Vindhyan Samples
Kaimur sandstone sample I9-GS14 was recovered from a roadcrop just outside
the town of Panna (Lat: 24º 39’ 14.52” N, Long: 80º 16’ 10.38” E). I9-GS14 is a well-
sorted, fine grained, quartz rich sandstone. This sample provided 39 concordant detrital
zircons. These zircons ranged in age from ~1.0 - 2.0 Ga with a modal abundance at
~1.6 Ga.
The Rewa sandstone sample I9-GS16 was collected just above the Kaimur-
Rewa contact near Bhadaphur (Lat: 24º 10’ 49.08” N, Long: 80º 48’ 42.3” E). I9-GS16
is a well-sorted, fine grained, brown sandstone. A total of 33 concordant zircons
exhibited ages between ~1.0-~1.9 Ga along with a single Archean zircon dated at 2555
± 16 Ma. A second cross-bedded Rewa sandstone was collected up section from the
Kaimur-Rewa contact (Lat: 24º 12’ 10.38” N, Long: 80º 48’ 45.66” E). This sample (I9-
GS17) produced 29 concordant ages between ~1.0 –~1.8 Ga, along with two Archean
zircons, dated at ~2.48 Ga and ~2.85 Ga.
30
Three samples from the Bhander sandstones were collected. Sample I9-GS20,
a very fine grained, well-sorted, white sandstone, was collected from a predominately
shale unit near Madhogarh (Lat: 24º 34’ 20.28” N, Long: 80º 52’ 15.90” E). A total of 48
concordant detrital zircons were analyzed, with ages of 1.15–1.8 Ga along with a single
Archean zircon with an age of 3.1 Ga.
Bhander sandstone sample I9-GS23 was collected from folded units within the
Great Boundary Fault zone near Bundi (Lat: 25º 26’ 50.1” N, Long: 75º 36’ 52.26” E).
The sandstone is pink, relatively fine-grained with symmetric ripple marks. A total of 50
zircons yielded concordant ages with ages ranging between ~1.0– ~1.9 Ga. The sample
contains an early Paleoproterozoic zircon dated to 2.3 Ga and an Archean zircon dated
to 2.6 Ga.
Bhander sample I9-GS24 is located near Bundi, but away from the Great
Boundary fault and lower in the section than sample I9-GS23 (Lat: 25º 25’ 51.90” N,
Long: 75º 34’ 56.76”). The sandstone is white, poorly sorted, medium to coarse grained,
and contains pebble sized lithic fragments. This sandstone yielded 64 concordant
detrital zircon ages ranging from ~1 - ~2 Ga. Ages are concentrated in two intervals at
1.6 Ga and 1.8 Ga.
Marwar Samples
Five samples were analyzed from different units of the Marwar Supergroup.
These include(a) Basal Marwar sandstone (contact with Malani Igneous Rocks; I9-GS4)
(b) Marwar sandstone from a quarry in Balesar (I9-GS5),(c) a Nagaur sandstone (I9-
GS6) (d) a Jodhpur Marwar sandstone (G-113), and (e) Lower Marwar sandstone from
the Pokaran area (I11-GS19; Figure 1-4).
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The basal Marwar sandstone that is near the contact with the Malani Igneous
Figure 3-1. Detrital zircon probability plots for the select samples from the Son Valley
(Kaimur, Rewa/Kaimur, Rewa and Bhander Sandstone) Sector and Rajasthan (Bhander Great Boundary Fault Sandstone and Bundi Bhander Sandstone) Sector Upper Vindhyan units. Comparisons between this figure and figure 6 show that Marwar and upper Vindhyan samples can no longer be correlated, strengthening the arguments by Malone et al. (2008) and McKenzie et al. (2011).
65
Figure 3-2. Detrital Zircon probability plots for select samples from the Marwar
Supergroup. Note the appearance of <1000 Ma zircons in these plots compared to upper Vindhyan plots that contain no zircons <1000 Ma
66
Figure 3-3. εHf(t) vs U-Pb age data for ~1.7-1.8 Ga detrital zircons from both the Marwar and upper Vindhyan sediments.
The majority of samples contain negative εHf(t) values corresponding an affinity with ancient crustal material. These zircons also correlate well samples from the Aravalli Mountain Range seen in the study by Kaur et al. (2012), represented by the red shaded cloud. This suggests that ~1.7-1.8 Ga detrital zircons found in both the Marwar and Upper Vindhyan sediments may owe their source to the Aravalli region.
67
CHAPTER 4 DISCUSSION
Marwar and Vindhyan Correlations
Figure 4- 1 shows a complete compilation of detrital zircon data from the Marwar
and Vindhyan basins based on new data reported herein along with data from Malone
et al. (2008) and McKenzie et al. (2011). Data from these three studies are striking in
that there is a complete absence of detrital zircons <1000 Ma throughout upper
Vindhyan sediments in contrast to the Marwar Supergroup that contains abundant
detrital zircons in the 700-900 Ma range.
The difference in the zircon populations between the two basins can have
multiple causes. The two basins may have evolved contemporaneously, but have
different source regions or were separated by a physiographic barrier such as the Great
Boundary Fault (Figure 1- 2). The basins may have evolved at different times as
reflected in the contrasting populations of detrital zircons. Below we lay out our case for
the latter explanation based on several important considerations.
The age of the Marwar basin is certainly younger than the underlying Malani
Igneous Province (<750 Ma; Gregory et al., 2008; Figure 1- 4). We note the lack of
glacially-derived sediments within the Marwar as indicating a post Marinoan age (<650
Ma). Fossil evidence points to an Ediacaran-age for the Jodphur Group (lowermost
Marwar) based on the presence of Arumberia, Beltanelliformis, Aspidella, and
Hiemalora (Kumar and Pandey 2009; Kumar et al. 2009). Pandit et al. (2001) argue
that the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary should be placed near the upper part of the
Bilara Group (Pondlo dolomite; Figure 1- 4) on the basis of δ13C profiles within the
sequence. Srivastava et al. (2012) discovered priapulid-like fossils in the Nagaur
68
sandstone that, along with the earlier finds of Rusophycus, Dimophichnus, and
Cruziana (Kumar and Pandey, 2008, 2010), support the placement of the Ediacaran-
Cambrian boundary (541 Ma) near the base of the Nagaur sandstone. Stratigraphic
comparisons between Oman (Huqf Supergroup), Pakistan (Salt Range), Lesser
Himalayas (Krol-Tal) indicate that deposition in the Marwar can be reliably constrained
to between 570-521 Ma (Ediacaran-Terreneuvian; Figure 1- 4).
This age estimate for the Marwar Supergroup is supported by the detrital zircon
age distributions in our compilation. The youngest zircon in the population yielded an
age of 536 ± 15 Ma consistent with the above-cited range (Figure 4- 1; Table 3.2).
In contrast, our age determination for Upper Vindhyan sedimentation is based on
the following arguments. The most important age constraint for Upper Vindhyan
sedimentation is derived from the 1073 Ma age of the Majhgawan kimberlite (Gregory et
al., 2006) and the age of the underlying Rhotas shale in the Lower Vindhyan sequence.
Since the kimberlite intrudes the Kaimur Group, the onset of Vindhyan sedimentation
occurred between ~1600 Ma and 1073 Ma.
We also note that our compilation of detrital zircon ages confirms the lack of ages
<1000 Ma within the Upper Vindhyan sequence. The lack of younger detritus into the
Upper Vindhyan is consistent with a Mesoproterozoic age for the basin, but it can also
be explained by the presence of physiographic barriers or lack of local younger source
material. If the Marwar and Vindhyan basins evolved contemporaneously, then we can
reject the argument that there was no source region for <1000 Ma zircons because of
the proximity of both basins to the granite-rhyolite Malani province. Sedimentary strata
in both the Marwar Supergroup and Upper Vindhyan sequence were formed at or near
69
sea-level. Therefore it is likely that reworking of zircons along a common coastline
would supply younger detritus into the Upper Vindhyan sediments (Cawood et al. 2012).
A second possibility is that the Marwar and Vindhyan basins were separated by a
significant physical barrier that isolated the two regions. The most logical barrier to
deposition in the region is the Great Boundary Fault (GBF). We note that the Bhander
Group is deformed along the GBF and therefore it seems unlikely that the GBF formed
a significant impediment to input from the west during the time span of Bhander
deposition (see figure 1- 2). Our Hf data indicates that both the Marwar and Vindhyan
Supergoup received input from a region with significant crustal material in the 1.7-1.8
Ga range. The Aravalli Belt appears to be the most likely source region and it may be
that the Aravalli range acted as both a barrier and a source for sedimentation.
The strongest case for a significant age difference between the Marwar and
Vindhyan basins is based on paleomagnetic arguments. Gregory et al. (2006) first
noted the directional similarity between the 1073 Ma Majhgawan kimberlite virtual
geomagnetic pole (VGP) and previously published results from the Bhander-Rewa
Groups (McElhinney et al., 1978; Klootwijk, 1973, 1975). Malone et al. (2008)
conducted a comprehensive study of the Upper Vindhyan and confirmed the
paleomagnetic similarities. More recently, Pradhan et al. (2012) showed that
paleomagnetic data from the Great Dyke of Mahoba (1090 Ma) is also statistically
identical to the Majhgawan kimberlite and Bhander-Rewa (Figure 4- 2). The available
paleomagnetic data are consistent with a Mesoproterozoic age of deposition for the
Bhander-Rewa Groups.
70
Three new paleomagnetic results provide further support for a Mesoproterozoic
age. Venkateshwarlu and Chalapathi-Rao (in press) studied kimberlite and lamproite
intrusions in the Dharwar craton. These intrusions have a variety of U-Pb perovskite
ages that cluster tightly around 1.1 Ga. The paleomagnetic directions match the
aforementioned poles from the Majhgawan kimberlite, Great Dyke of Mahoba and
Bhander-Rewa (Figure 4- 2). Meert (personal communication) also notes similar
paleomagnetic directions from a limited sampling of the 1.0 Ga Sukhda tuff
(Chhattisgarh basin; Figure 4- 2). Finally, Davis (2012) showed that paleomagnetic
directions from the Marwar Supergroup are significantly different from the Upper
Vindhyan directions (Figure 4- 2).
In summary, we feel the most parsimonious explanation for the distinct detrital
zircon populations in the Upper Vindhyan and Marwar sequences is that the basins
evolved independently. The Upper Vindhyan basin closed around 1000 Ma as
collisional events in the Eastern Ghats, CITZ and Delhi belts disrupted sedimentation.
The Marwar basin formed during the final stages of Gondwana assembly during the
Ediacaran-Cambrian interval (~570-521 Ma). The Marwar is one of several Ediacaran-
age basins within eastern Gondwana that included the Krol-Tal (Lesser Himalayas), Salt
Range (Pakistan) and the Huqf Supergroup (Oman; Figure 1- 4) and perhaps the Molo
Group (Madagascar).
It should be noted that our conclusion regarding the age of the Upper Vindhyan is
consistent with recent age determinations on two other ‘Purana’ basins, the Indravati
Basin (Mukherjee et al. 2012) and the Chhattisgarh Basin (Bickford et al. 2011;
Patranabis-Deb et al., 2007). Depositional age constraints in the Chhattisgarh basin
71
suggest closure at ~1000 Ma (age of the Sukhda tuff at the top of the sedimentary
sequence; Patranabis-Deb et al., 2007). A basal tuff in the Chhattisgarh yielded an age
of 1405 Ma (Bickford et al. 2011). Coincidentally, the Indravati Basin contains a tuff unit
located at the top of the sedimentary succession that yields a weighted-mean average
207Pb/206Pb age of 1001 ± 7 Ma (Mukherjee et al. 2012). The corresponding ~1000 Ma
closure ages for the Vindhyan, Chhattisgarh, and Indravati basins are thought to be
controlled by the collision of East Antarctica and India, producing the Eastern Ghats
Mobile Belt (EGMB) of eastern India. This interval of time was likely accompanied by
uplift that could create barriers to any marine influx into the Purana Basins. Our
hypothesis is consistent with the existence of orogenic pulses in the Delhi Belt (to the
west of the Vindhyan Basin) and in the Eastern Ghats (to the east) at around the same
time (Lescuyer et al. 1993; Sivaraman and Raval 1995; Biju—Sekhar et al. 2003; Kaur
et al. 2006; Kaur et al. 2007; Pandit et al. 2003).
Provenance of Detrital Zircons from the Marwar and Vindhyan Basins
Detrital zircon has been proven to be a powerful tool in understanding ancient
aeolian processes, paleodrainage patterns, terrane discrimination, and
palaeogeographical reconstructions (Hieptas et al. 2011 and sources therein). Despite
numerous successes, many detrital zircon studies fail to identify all source terranes for
the sediments under investigation. As an example, studies of detrital zircons derived
from Paleozoic clastic sequences in the Appalachian orogen failed to fully record the
defining tectonic events of the orogeny (Gray and Zeitler 1997; McLennan et al. 2001;
Eriksson et al. 2004; Thomas et al. 2004; Becker et al. 2005). Provenance
determinations for detrital zircon populations in the Upper Vindhyan region are hindered
by the fact that paleocurrent data from the Vindhyan basin are poorly constrained
72
(Akhtar and Srivastava 1976; Kaur et al. in press; Singh 1984). Previous studies on
Upper Vindhyan sediments suggested that sedimentation sources are located to the
present-day south of the Vindhyan Basin. Akhtar (1996) argued that paleocurrent data
from the Rewa and Bhander Groups is dominated by a unimodal westerly to
northwesterly direction. The Dhandraul Sandstone in the Son Valley sector of the basin
indicates west and northwest-sloping paleoslopes (Akhtar 1996). Interpretations based
on paleocurrent indicators, trends of thickness variation within lithostratigraphic units,
and regional stratigraphic relationships for the marine Rewa basin rocks (Jhiri Shale,
Drammondganj Sandstone, Govindarh Sandstone) in the Son Valley sector provide for
a northwest-southeast oriented paleoshoreline and northeast-sloping paleoslope. In
contrast, analyses of coastal environments for the Bhander Group suggest multi-
1649 ± 13 Ma, 1925 ± 110 Ma, and 2569 ± 108 Ma (Rekha et al. 2011). Ages of ~1.3-
1.2 Ga were reported by Chatterjee et al. (2010a) and Chatterjee et al. (2010b) from
monzanite rims in schists from the southern portion of the North Singbhum Mobile Belt
(an eastern extremity of the CITZ; figure 1- 2). If these findings prove robust then it must
be noted that there is limited understanding of whether the process that created the
CITZ, the subduction of the Bastar Craton under the Bundelkhand craton (or vice
versa), would have produced enough uplift and exhumation to provide detrital zircon
input from a crystalline core source to Mesoproterozoic basins from around the region
by ~1 Ga (Bickford et al. 2011). Given this stipulation, it is also possible that ~1.6 Ga
zircons were derived from reworking the underlying Deonar Porcellanites and Rampur
shale from that ages of 1628 ± 8 Ma; 1602 ± 10 Ma and 1593 ± 12 Ma were reported
(Rasmussen et al 2002; Ray et al. 2006).
The Aravalli Mountain region (Figure 1- 2) may be the source for some of the
detrital zircon populations in the Upper Vindhyan sequence. The Aravallis experienced
magmatic and metamorphic events at ~1.7-1.72 Ga (Kaur et al., 2011).
Paleoproterozoic quartzites in the Aravalli region (Khetri Complex) contain an
abundance of ~1.8 Ga zircons and there are numerous 1.85 Ga subduction-related
granitoids. Therefore either reworking of the quartzites or erosion of the granitoids
might be the source of the 1.7-1.8 Ga zircons in the Upper Vindhyan sequence. This
76
seems more likely given the close correlation between the εHf data from Vindhyan rocks
and εHf data from ~1.85 subduction related granitoids and Paleoproterozoic quartzites
from around the same region (Kaur et al., 2011; Figure 3- 3).
It is more problematic to isolate a single source for the 1.0-1.1 Ga populations
that are dominant in the Upper Vindhyan sequence. This interval of time is believed to
be a period of supercontinental assembly and zircons of 1.1-1.0 Ga are found in detrital
zircon populations around the globe (see Hawkesworth et al. 2010; Figure 4- 6). There
are several potential source regions that are close to the Vindhyan basin. Bose et al.
(2011) show that the Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt records episodes of tectonothermal
activity spanning a large time interval, from the Paleoproterozoic (monazite dated to
~1760 Ma);– Mesoproterozoic (zircon and monazites dated to ~1.6-1.0 Ga); Cambrian
(550-500 Ma granulites locally overprinted by amphibolite-facies metamorphism during
this time; Mezger and Cosca 1999). Paleo and Mesoproterozoic zircon populations
matching those cited above are present in the upper Vindhyan. Bickford et al. (2011)
noted that geochronologic/geothermometric/geobarometric studies of EGMB rocks
indicate that collision in the EGMB was ongoing at 1.1 Ga and may be related to the
formation of the Rodinia supercontinent
Bhowmik et al. (2010) suggested that the pre-1.0 Ga Indian landmass consisted
of at least three micro-continental blocks, the North Indian block, the South Indian Block
and the Marwar block, that underwent amalgamation at ~1.0 Ga. Peak and retrograde
stages of metamorphism are recorded in garnet-staurolite-kyanite schist and garnet-
biotite-muscovite-quartz schist from the central domain of the Sausar Mobile Belt as
1062 ± 13 Ma and 993 ± 19 Ma monazite ages (Bhowmik et al. 2012). The
77
Aravalli/Delhi region is also characterized by granitic intrusions with ages of ~1.0 -1.1
Ga (Pandit et al. (2003); Biju-Sekhar et al. 2003; Buick et al. 2006; Just et al. 2011).
Ages of ~1.1 – 0.9 have been obtained from rims of some zircons from granitoid plutons
occurring in the northern part of the Delhi Fold Belt (Biju-Sekhar et al. 2003). Other
granitic rocks from the Aravalli region have been dated to ~1.0-0.9 Ga (Lescuyer et al.
1993; Sivaraman and Raval 1995; Biju—Sekhar et al. 2003; Kaur et al. 2006; Kaur et al.
2007; Pandit et al. 2003).
While we cannot provide a definitive source for the 1.1-1.0 Ga population of
zircon in the Upper Vindhyan sediments, we note the following:
1. 1.1-1.0 Ga zircons form a very small population within the Marwar Supergroup in comparison to the Upper Vindhyan.
2. Point #1 may indicate that the most logical nearby source region for the 1.1-1. Ga zircons is either the CITZ or the EGMB.
3. The presence of 1.1-1.0 Ga zircons may indicate a slightly younger age for basinal closure given that uplift and erosion of source rocks within those regions would not be instantaneous.
4. Future work might focus on Hf isotopes or other isotopic information from the Vindhyan Supergroup in comparison to potential source rocks in the CITZ and EGMB
Marwar Provenance
Our Hf isotopic data shows that the ~1.7-1.8 Ga zircons from Marwar sediments
have strikingly similar εHf values to those in the Aravalli region (see Kaur et al., 2012
and Figure 3- 3). We suggest that the ~1.8 Ga zircons in the Marwar sediments are
derived from either reworked quartzites of the Aravalli orogen that contain significant
abundances of ~1.8 grains, or from ~1.85 Ga subduction-related granitoids also found
in the Aravalli region.
78
A local source also provides a reasonable explanation for the 700-900 Ma
populations in the Marwar sequence. There are abundant sources nearby including the
Malani Igneous Province (750-800 Ma; Torsvik et al., 2001b, Gregory et al. 2008;
Pradhan et al., 2010; van Lente et al., 2009) along with the Erinpura granites and
related felsic intrusions (800-900 Ma; Crawford 1975; Choudhary et al. 1984; Just et al.
2011). If our arguments are correct about the age of the Marwar sequence, then ‘local’
sources might also include the Arabian-Nubian shield and the East African Orogen
region (Figure 4- 4 and 4.5) where there are numerous arc-related source regions with
ages from 700-900 Ma (Mercolli et al. 2006; Bowring et al. 2007 and sources therein).
Because we suggest that detritus for the majority of age populations in Marwar
sediments correspond to the Aravalli/Delhi region, we can also propose that older
zircons (~2.5 Ga) are most likely deriveded from the basement rocks of this area. An
ion microprobe zircon study of granitoid and gneissic basement rocks of the Aravalli
Mountains yielded crystallization ages of ~2.5 Ga (Wiedenbeck et al. 1996).
Paleogeographic Implications
Links between Continental Landmasses from Detrital Zircon Records
We compare data from our study and similar studies using detrital zircon records
to constrain source rock and crustal growth episodes to make connections between the
Marwar and Upper Vindhyan sediments and those of proposed cratonic units involved in
the assembly of the supercontinents Rodinia, and Gondwana (Figures 4.2 and 4.3).
Rodinia and Gondwana
Debate has surrounded the configuration of specific cratons (the Rayner and
Mawson cratonic blocks, Australia, Madagascar, the Seychelles, Sri Lanka and India)
involved in the Mesoproterozoic supercontinent of Rodinia, as well as their successive
79
amalgamation in the supercontinent Gondwana following the Neoproterozoic breakup of
Rodinia (Figure 4- 4; Meert and Van der Voo 1996; Rogers et al., 1995; Weil et al. 1998;
Powell and Pisarevsky 2003; Meert 2003; Meert and Torsvik 2003; Veevers 2004;
Collins and Pisarevsky 2005; Squire et al. 2006; Meert and Lieberman 2008; Malone et
al. 2008; Gregory et al. 2009). Apparent polar wander paths and supercontinent
reconstructions of specific cratonic masses involved in these reconstructions are
hindered by the lack of high quality paleomagnetic data (Meert and Powell 2001;
Malone et al. 2008). Previous hypotheses suggested that a united East Gondwana
(Figure 4- 4) persisted through the Mesoproterozoic as part of Rodinia through the
majority of the Precambrian and until the breakup of Gondwana in the Mesozoic (Powell
et al. 1993; Windley et al. 1994; Dalziel 1997; Yoshida and Upreti 2006). This argument
has been contradicted by high quality paleomagnetic data (Meert and Van der Voo,
1997; Meert, 2001; Torsvik et al. 2001; Collins and Pisarevsky 2005; Gregory et al.
2009). It is suggested that Rodinia was created by ~1 Ga, followed by the
supercontinent fragmenting into separate crustal plates, caused by extension (rifting)
during the Mid-Neoproterozoic (Unrug 1998; Li et al. 2008; Wendorff and Key 2009).
This was then followed by Mid-Neoproterozoic plate collision, with subsequent
extension followed by multiple collisions of smaller crustal plates at ~560 Ma and ~520,
beginning the formation of the Gondwana supercontinent (Figure 4- 2; Meert 2003;
Collins and Pisarevsky 2005; Bingen et al. 2009; Key et al. 2011).
Paleomagnetic data from the Indian subcontinent can be useful in evaluating
these tectonic models. One of the most recent paleomagnetic poles for this time period,
a 771 ± 5 Ma Malani Igneous Suite (MIS; Torsvik et al., 2001a; Gregory et al., 2008),
80
this pole place India at much higher latitudes than coeval poles from Australia (Mundine
dikes; Wingate and Giddings 2000), in a similar position to the Takamaka Dikes in the
Seychelles dated to 750.2 ± 2.5 by Torsvik et al. (2001b), thus negating the idea of an
amalgamated East Gondwana at 750 Ma. Magmatism of this age (~750 Ma) is also
present in Madagascar and the Seychelles (Tucker et al. 2011; Ashwal et al. 2002;
Kochhar 2008; Thomas et al. 2009) and in the Arabian-Nubian shield (Stern and
Dawoud, 1991).
In a best case scenario, we can use detrital zircon data to help determine
whether events corresponding to the amalgamation and breakup of certain
supercontinent cycles may be manifested in upper Vindhyan and Marwar sediments.
Furthermore, similarities/differences in detrital zircon spectra can be used to make a
case for and against proximity to India during specific intervals within these
supercontinent cycles (see Runcorn, 1962; Hawkesworth et al., 2009; Meert, 2012;
Figure 13). Our compilation of detrital zircon ages show input from periods representing
the formation of Rodinia, represented by zircon ages of ~1 Ga, (Vindhyan) as well as
the dispersal of Rodinia and into the amalgamation of Gondwana, seen as zircons with
ages between ~800-500 Ma (seen only in the Marwar Basin; Figures 4.1 and 4.5).
The Marwar basin retains a detrital record that includes zircon populations that
temporally correlate with the assembly and breakup of Rodinia, as well as the assembly
of Gondwana. In a reconstruction of Gondwana (figures 4.4 and 4.5), the Marwar Basin
is positioned near other Neoproterozoic basins in Oman (Huqf Supergroup), Pakistan
(Salt Range) and the Lesser Himalayas (Krol-Tal) and perhaps to the Molo Basin
81
(Madagascar). Numerous authors have noted the similarities among these basins (See
Cozzi et al., 2012; Bowring et al., 2007; figure 1-4).
Previous studies have attempted to correlate the Marwar to similar-aged basins
that would have been in close proximity to the region during Gondwana time such as
the Salt Range of Pakistan, the Ara Formation (Huqf Supergroup) of Oman, and the
Krol Tal succession of the Himalayas, all of which are Ediacaran-Cambrian in age
(Hughes et al. 2005; Jiange et al. 2002, 2003; Kaufan et al. 2006; Maithy and Kumar
2007; Mazumdar and Bhattacharya 2004; Cozzi and Rea 2006; Husseini and Husseini
1990). We suggest that these and other Ediacaran aged sediments, such as the Molo
group correlate well with the Marwar Supergroup, when detrital zircon data are
compared.
The Marwar, Salt Range, and Ara formation of Oman have already been
correlated, due to their nearly identical cycles of carbonate-evaporite deposits (Cozzi
and Rea 2006). McKenzie et al. (2011) provided an age correlation between the Marwar
and the Krol-Tal, due to nearly identical detrital zircon population variations, but while
the Krol-Tal successions contain glacial deposits (Tewari and Sial 2007), neither the
Salt Range nor the Marwar have evidence of glacial deposits. This lack of glacial
detritus is consistent with an age of <635 Ma, marking the end of the Marinoan period
(characterized by worldwide glaciations; Tewari and Sial 2007) and the beginning of the
Ediacaran period. While this might negate the age correlation presented by McKenzie
et al. (2011), the extremely similar detrital zircon age spectra that the Krol-Tal and
Marwar Basins share suggest that the two areas still shared similar provenance,
82
suggesting at least geographical proximity. The Krol-Tal may represent a slightly older
depositional time period.
The Ara Formation of the Huqf Group of Oman from the Arabian-Nubian shield
demonstrate 6-7 nearly identical cycles of carbonate-evaporite deposits (Cozzi and Rea
2006; Figure 1-4). This correlation between the Marwar and the Huqf Group is
strengthened by comparison of detrital zircon records. Notably, detrital zircons analyzed
from key stratigraphic levels of the Huqf Supergroup (basement, Abu Mahara Group,
Nafun Group, and Ara Group of Oman) in a study by Bowring et al. 2007 exhibit ages
that parallel ages in the Marwar Supergroup (~600-900 Ga, in excess of 2.5 Ga),
suggesting proximity of Archean crust during the Neoproterozoic evolution of the
eastern Arabian Peninsula. Bowring suggests that these Archean zircons may originate
from Archean crust in Yemen that ranges in age from about 2.6 to >3.0 Ga. Based on
our hypothesis that the Marwar and Oman basins were in close geographical
relationship to one another, we suggest that this ~2.5 Ga age might be indicative of
basement rock from the Aravalli region that is observed in Marwar sediments. If this is
true, then many of the younger detrital zircon ages seen in the Huqf group may
correspond to areas such as the Erinpura Granites and Malani Igneous suite.
The Ediacaran Molo group of Madagascar, deposited between 623 and 553 Ma
(Cox et al. 2004), also exhibits similar detrital zircon U-Pb spectra to the Marwar
Supergroup. The Molo group contains zircons ranging in age from ~700-1000 Ma as
does the Marwar (Cox et al. 2004). Since it is postulated that the Indian and northern
Madagascar blocks were in close proximity during Gondwana, we submit that these
83
(now metamorphosed) sedimentary rocks formed contemporaneously with the basins in
adjacent Gondwana regions (figures 4-4 & 4-5).
84
Figure 4-1. Cumulative U-Pb age Probability Density Plots for Marwar and upper
Vindhyan Detrital zircons. Red shaded area represents zircons dated to <1000 Ma. Note the absence of ages of <1000 Ma in upper Vindhyan zircons.
85
Figure 4-2. Paleomagnetic pole positions at ~1.0-1.1 Ga from Venkateshwarlu and Chalapathi-Rao (in press) kimberlite and lamporite intrusions in the Dharwar craton, Majhgawan kimberlite, Great Dyke of Mahoba, Bhander-Rewa, Meert (personal communication) paleomagnetic directions from 1.0 Ga Sukhda tuff (Chhattisgarh). Note that the Marwar Supergroup pole from Davis (2012) with paleomagnetic directions differing from Upper Vindhyan directions.
86
Figure 4-3. Geodynamic Map of the supercontinent Rodinia reconstruction from Li et al.
(2008).
87
Figure 4-4. Generalized Gondwana reconstruction depicting Neoproterozoic and
younger orogenic belts that separate the various cratons of West and East Gondwana (Malone et al. 2008; modified from Gray et al. 2007).
88
Figure 4-5. Locations of Ediacaran-Cambrian Basins in the Arabian-Nubian Shield,
Himalayas, Pakistan and Madagascar that correlate with the Marwar Basin as seen in the ‘traditional’ Gondwana reconstruction.
89
Figure 4-6. Detrital zircon spectra representing the phases of orogenesis advocated by
Runcorn (1962) from data published in Hawkesworth et al. (2009). Supercontinents represented by these populations include Columbia, Rodinia, and Pangea, and possibly Gondwana
90
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS
The Marwar and Vindhyan basins are not coeval. The Marwar basin developed
during Ediacaran-Cambrian time along with several other proximal Gondwana basins
(Oman, Madagascar, Pakistan, Lesser Himalayas and perhaps South China).
Deposition in the Upper Vindhyan basin is confined to the Mesoproterozoic along with
several other Purana basins (Chhattisgarh, Indravati).
The Marwar and Vindhyan basins do share a similar source region. This
conclusion is based on the fact that εHf(t) values for ~1.7-1.8 Ga are similar, ranging
from -13.8 to -0.2 indicative of an ancient crustal source. The Hf data are consistent
with published Hf isotopic data from the Aravalli region making it the likely source for the
1.7-1.8 Ga zircons. Other source areas for younger than ~1.7-1.8 Ga zircons may be
the CITZ, the Bundelkhand Massif, or the EGMB. The CITZ may be responsible for
ages of ~1.5-1.6 Ga or these ages may be derived from the reworking of underlying
materials from the Semri Series. The CITZ, Aravalli/Delhi and EGMB are regions are all
also characterized by younger aged events at ~1 Ga, most likely corresponding to
events stemming from the amalgamation of India with other pieces of Rodinia, or the
amalgamation of the North, South, and Marwar blocks of India. We suggest that
detritus from the EGMB is the least likely due to the fact that the CITZ is demonstrated
to have been in existence at a time before ~ 1 Ga, preventing transport of sediment
from the EGMB to the west into the Vindhyan Basin.
While a similar source region is evident, the upper Vindhyans and Marwar basin
sediments developed in completely different time periods. The upper Vindhyans should
be grouped with other late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic sedimentary
91
sequences such as the Upper Chhattisgarh and Indravati Basins. Marwar Supergroup
deposition is now constrained between the Ediacaran and Cambrian time periods,
grouping it with basins such as the Salt Range of Pakistan, the Huqf Group of Oman,
and the Molo Group of Madagascar (Figure 4- 4). The detrital zircon record of the
Marwar basin correlates well with detrital zircon databases from these regions as well,
suggesting that these basins may have shared source regions with the Marwar. If
anything, these terranes exhibited very similar tectonic histories that would have
produced related magmatic emplacement, that in turn was recorded in the depositional
history, strongly paralleling the Marwar Basin.
92
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Candler Coyle Turner was born in the city of Cape Canaveral, Florida, to two
loving parents, William and Mary Turner. Soon thereafter, at the tender age of three, he
and his family moved to the town of Merritt Island, FL, where he completed elementary
and middle school at Divine Mercy Catholic School, after which he graduated from
Merritt Island High in 2005, where he was voted Most Talented for his prowess in the art
that is guitar playing. Just before graduating high school, Candler was accepted to the
University of Florida. He gratefully attended the fine institution in the fall of 2005 where
he realized his passion for more than just music: Geology. Candler would go on to
complete his course work in the Geological sciences tract of the College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences, culminating in the reception of his Bachelor of Science in Geology during
the fall of 2009. The young and bold graduate then decided to stay on as a master’s
student under the advising of Dr. Joseph G Meert. The two began a hectic, but
prosperous, two and a half years of research on the Vindhyan and Marwar basins,
finally culminating in the writing and defending of the thesis that you were so fortunate