U–Pb zircon geochronology of the Proterozoic siliciclastic stratal succession of the Kumaun Lesser Himalaya: Implications for regional stratigraphic correlation.

The siliciclastics make the major part of the Proterozoic Kumaun Lesser Himalaya region. These share similar appearance, sedimentology, and petrography. In the absence of fossils and any other age constraint, these are named differently in literature, i.e., Nagthat, Bhowali, Lariakantha, and Berinag quartzites, based on their locality, sedimentological and petrographical characteristics. Their stratal disposition and their regional correlation are always debatable. The present work addresses the stratal disposition of these Proterozoic siliciclastics using the detrital zircon (DZ) U–Pb geochronology. The study suggests that the siliciclastics of Bhowali, Lariakantha, Nagthat and Berinag in the Kumaun region are equivalent and show the maximum depositional age (MDA) of ~1850 Ma. However, the Nagthat Formation in Garhwal Lesser Himalaya has a Neoproterozoic DZ depositional age (~850 Ma) and is a different identity. This study suggests that in the Kumaun Lesser region (inner and outer), only Palaeoproterozoic siliciclastic is present. Also, they can be grouped under Berinag with its implications about the inner and outer Lesser Himalayan division and the relationship with younger strata of Blaini Formation. Research highlights: U-Pb Detrital zircon geochronology from siliciclastics, Kumaun Lesser Himalaya (inner and outer) region Only Palaeoproterozoic detrital zircon ages for Kumaun Lesser region (both inner (ILH) and outer (OLH)) Continuous Paleoproterozoic sedimentation in a single basin [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]