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Core sediments from Mullipallam Creek of Muthupet mangroves on the southeast coast of India were analyzed for texture, CaCO 3 , organic carbon, sulfur and acid leachable trace metals (Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn and Cd). Textural analysis reveals a predominance of mud while CaCO 3 indicates dissolution in the upper half of the core, and reprecipitation of carbonates in reduction zones. Trace metals are diagenetically modified and anthropogenic processes control Pb and, to some extent, Ni, Zn and Fe. A distinct event is identified at 90 cm suggesting a change in deposition. Strong relationship of trace metals with Fe indicates that they are associated with Fe-oxyhydroxides. The role of carbonates in absorbing trace metals is evident from their positive relationship with trace metals. Comparison of acid leachable trace metals indicates increase in concentrations in the study area and the sediments act as a sink for trace metals contributed from multiple sources.

The Albian-Danian limestones of Cauvery Basin show a wide range of d13C and d18O values (–13.2 to +1.1% and –9.0 to –2.5%, respectively). The cement samples show negative carbon and oxygen isotope values (–18.9 to –3.9% and –9.0 to –4.3%, respectively). The petrographic study reveals the presence of algae, molluscs, bryozoans, foraminifers and ostracods as major framework constituents. The limestones have microspar and equant sparry calcite cements. The pore spaces and vugs are filled with sparry calcite cement. The bivariate plot of d13C and d18O suggests that most of the samples fall in the freshwater limestone and meteoric field, while few samples fall in the marine limestone and soil calcite fields. The presence of sparry calcite cement, together with negative carbon and oxygen isotope values, indicates that these limestones have undergone meteoric diagenesis.

Major, trace and rare earth elements (REE) composition of sandstones from the Upper Cretaceous Sillakkudi Formation, Ariyalur Group, Cauvery Basin were studied to decipher their weathering and provenance history. Texturally, these sandstones are immature, poorly sorted and grain supported. Abundance of feldspars especially, plagioclase indicates rapid deposition of sediments from a nearby source rocks. Using the geochemical classification diagram the Sillakkudi sandstones are classified as fe-sand, quartz arenite, litharenite, sub-litharenite, sub-arkose, arkose, and wacke types, which is also supported by the petrography study. The transition trace elements like Co, Ni, and V are higher in the Sillakkudi sandstones than upper continental crust (UCC) values. However, the Sillakkudi sandstones are lower in Cr (mean ∼21) content than average UCC value (∼ 35). The poor correlation between Cr and Ni (r = 0.08, number of samples n = 20) imply that these sandstones were derived from felsic source rocks. Similarly, the Eu/Eu* (0.35–1.73), La/Sc (1.93–9.36), Th/Sc (0.41–6.57), Th/Co (0.14–5.01), Th/Cr (0.23–2.94), and Cr/Th (0.34–4.28) ratios support a felsic source for the Sillakkudi sandstones. The significant enrichment of Zr, Hf, and Th in fe-sand, sub-arkose and litharenite could be related to the presence of heavy minerals, especially zircon. However, the zircon geochemistry did not affect the REE distribution and its patterns in the Sillakkudi sandstones. The Chondrite normalized REE patterns of Sillakkudi sandstones are characterized by relatively flat HREE (Gd/YbCN = ∼ 0.73–2.41; subscript CN refers to chondrite normalized value), enriched LREE (La/SmCN = ∼ 3.39–5.82) and negative Eu anomaly (mean value Eu/Eu* = 0.80). The Gd/YbCN ratios (∼0.73–2.50) are less than 2.5, which suggest that these Sillakkudi sandstones were derived from the less HREE depleted source rocks. The comparison of REE patterns and its Eu anomalies to the source rocks reveals that the Sillakkudi sandstones received a major contribution of sediments from Dharwar craton.

International audience; The Rabanpalli Formation exhibits two types of shales, viz. grey and calcareous shales. These shales (grey and calcareous) have been analysed for major, trace, and rare earth elements to fi nd out their source rocks characteristics and paleo-oxygenation conditions. The grey shales have higher concentration of SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, K2O, Zr, Th, U, V, Cr, La, Ce, and Y than calcareous shales, whereas calcareous shales are enriched in CaO, Mn, Sr, Ba, Cu, and Zn, which indicate that the carbonate phase minerals are higher in calcareous shales. The positive correlation of K2O with other elements, and abundance of Al2O3, Ba, Th, and Rb suggest that these elements are primarily controlled by the dominant clay minerals. La/Sc, Th/Sc, Th/Co, Th/Cr, and Cr/Th ratios of shales were compared with those of sediments derived from felsic and basic rocks (fi ne fraction), upper continental crust (UCC) and post-Archean Australian average shale (PAAS) ratios, which reveal that these ratios are within the range of felsic rocks. The La/Sc vs. Th/Co plot also suggests the felsic nature of the source rocks. The shales show slightly light rare earthelement (LREE) enriched and fl at heavy rare earth element (HREE) patterns with negative Eu anomaly, and are similar to the granitoids from Dharwar Craton, which suggest that the Archean Dharwar Craton contributed the sediments to the Bhima basin. The geochemical parameters such as U, authigenic U, U/Th, V/Cr, Ni/Co, and Cu/Zn ratios indicate that these shales were deposited under oxic environment.