Petrography and geochemistry of the Middle Siwalik sandstones (tertiary) in understanding the provenance of sub-Himalayan sediments in the Lish River Valley, West Bengal, India

A petrography–geochemistry-based evaluation of the provenance of the sandstones of the Tertiary Middle Siwalik Subgroup in the Lish River Valley, West Bengal, is presented. The framework grains in the sandstones suggest mixing of sediments from spatially separated gneissic, quartzitic and phyllitic source rocks. Modal values of different framework minerals suggest that recycled sediments in an orogenic setting were deposited in the Middle Siwalik basin in the area. The major and trace element ratios suggest dominantly felsic input and mixing with subordinate basic material in an upper continental crustal setup. The major and trace element data also indicate that rocks of a passive margin setting acted as the source to the sediments. The present paper postulates that the Middle Siwalik sediments were derived from pre-Himalayan gneissic and metabasic rocks of an erstwhile passive margin setting and presently forming the Higher and Lesser Himalaya, respectively.