Geochemical characteristics of the Late Cretaceous radiolarian cherts from North Andaman Island, Bay of Bengal, India

Abstract

The radiolarian cherts of Late Cretaceous age are reported in the Andaman-Nicobar ophiolites of Bay of Bengal, India. They are of chocolate-coloured (Type-I) and light pink-coloured (Type-II) varieties, juxtaposed and tectonically associated with phyllites, claystones and basalts and are exposed in eastern part of North Andaman Island. These cherts are composed of radiolarian tests in a fine-grained ferruginous matrix. Type-I radiolarian cherts have low SiO2, and high Al2O3, Fe2O 3 (T) , MgO, Na2O and TiO2 and trace elements as compared to Type-II cherts. Al–Fe–(∑REE–Ce) diagram of the studied cherts indicates a mixed terrigenous and volcanogenic source. LaN/CeN ratios (0.76–0.89 for Type-I and 0.71–0.88 for Type-II) and Ce-anomalies (Ce/Ce* = 1.15–1.33 for Type-I and 1.07–1.38 for Type-II) and other elemental ratios in these cherts suggest that they were deposited in continental margin environments. It has been suggested that the studied samples of cherts were deposited at different places, were scrapped off the subducting plate, became tectonically juxtaposed. They were obducted onto the leading edge of the Eurasian continent during the Late Cretaceous prior to the currently active Andaman–Java subduction, that was probably initiated during the Late Miocene.