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What is the source of detrital feldspar in the Badami sediments?

My thin-section analysis shows a mix of angular and rounded feldspar in these sandstones and conglomerates. To reconstruct the paleogeography and sediment routing, I need to pinpoint the origin. Are we looking at a local basement source like the Chitradurga schist belt, or could more distant granitic bodies have contributed? The feldspar composition might hold the key.

 

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By Krupa Answered 3 years ago

In my work on Proterozoic basins of southern India, the angularity of your feldspar is a crucial clue. I have seen similar assemblages where the angular grains point to a first-cycle, proximal source. Given your location, the Archaean basement, particularly the granitoids and gneisses within the Chitradurga schist belt, is the most probable immediate source. The more rounded grains could indicate some reworking from older sedimentary units or longer fluvial transport. I would recommend coupling your petrography with feldspar geochemistry or U-Pb dating on the grains to definitively fingerprint the specific plutons.

 

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