Proterozoic Sedimentary Basins of India

Indian Proterozoic geology includes a group of less disturbed and unmetamorphosed platformal sediment packages hosted within cratonic nucleii of Peninsular India and offers scope to study profound and irreversible changes in the atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere during the early history of the planet. Studies in these basin fills in the last two decades have resulted in significant advancements with respect to initiation and evolution of the basins in different tectonic settings, relationship with accretion and breakup of the supercontinents, paleoclimate and paleo-weathering patterns and ancient basin water chemistry. Acknowledging all these aspects, this contribution explored the possible connections of the basins with the ‘supercontinent’ cycles, viz. Columbia and Rodinia through this time period. From collation of geochronologic data, it is concluded that the most prevalent dates obtained from the basin fills fall in 1650–1450 Ma and 1100–1000 Ma. time bracket, concomitant with the breakup of supercontinent ‘Columbia’ and the amalgamation of the following assembly of supercontinent ‘Rodinia’. A few may also be connected with the formation of ‘Columbia’, viz. Aravalli and Cuddapah, and the fragmentation of Rodinia, viz. Marwar.