Provenance and Weathering History of Mesoproterozoic Clastic Sedimentary Rocks from the Basal Gulcheru Formation, Cuddapah Basin

Abstract

Abstract Geochemical analysis for the Mesoproterozoic clastic sedimentary rocks of the basal Gulcheru Formation of the Cuddapah Basin in the Gugudu-Dadithota-Parnapalle-Palkonda region (extending atleast 40 km) have been performed to highlight their provenance and weathering history. The low K2O/Al2O3 ratios of the representative samples points to the recycled nature of sediments and illite clay in the sediments indicate an overall cold climate (low chemical weathering degree). All the provenance diagrams indicate a mixed source of the Gulcheru sediments with felsic dominancy and Upper continental crust (UCC) signature.