Science Vision Volume 15 (Supplementary)

2015
Supplementary issue
Colloquium Article ISSN (print) 0975-6175
ISSN (online) 2229-6026

Grain-size analysis of Tipam sandstones near Buhchang village,

Kolasib district, Mizoram

C. Zoramthara 1*, V.Z. Ralte 2 and Lalramdina 2

1
Department of Geology, Government Zirtiri Residential Science College, Aizawl, 796001, India
2
Department of Geology, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, India

Presented at the Symposium on Research Innovation and Popularization on 17 October 2014

ABSTRACT
Grain size analysis is an important tool for classifying sedimentary environment. An attempt was
made to interpret the mode of transport and depositional environment of Tipam sandstone near
Buhchang village, Kolasib district, Mizoram using grain size analysis. In the present study, an ex-
tensive fieldwork was carried out to prepare a detail litho column of the area. 18 samples were
collected for grain-size analysis by conventional sieving method. The study reveals that the Tipam
sandstones of the study area are not restricted to a single depositional environment. It can be
broadly inferred that, these sediments were deposited in a mixed environment or the transitional
environment with fluvial processes dominating over the marine processes.

Key words: Buhchang, grain size, depositional environment, Tipam Sandstones.

INTRODUCTION nates of latitudes N 24º 19’ 55.9” and longitudes

Geologically, Mizoram has a huge succes-
sion belonging to the Tertiary group of rocks
which is in the order of ~ 8000m.1 This Tertiary
succession has been divided into the Barail, the
Surma and the Tipam Groups. It is considered
to be the southern extension of Surma basin.2-4
The study area is positioned near Buhchang Vil-
lage in Kolasib district, in the north western part
of Mizoram. It is covered within the Survey of
India Topo sheet No 83 D/12 within the coordi-
Corresponding author: Zoramthara
E-mail: olivin7@gmail.com
E 92º 42’ 30.5”. The location map and litho col-
umn of the study area are shown in figure 1.1
and field photograph are shown at plate 1. Geo-
logical studies, particularly the sedimentological
aspects carried out in the Tipams are still very
meager, and are not at par with the other group
of rocks like the Surmas. In 2009, Chenkual et
al.5 have also made an attempted to study the
provenance of the sediments by heavy mineral
approach from the Tertiary rocks of the Teiduk-
han anticline, Kolasib district. They have sug-
gested that, the source of the sediment were
complex comprising igneous rock and pegmatite
to high rank metamorphic rocks and reworked

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 Zoramthara et al.
sediment supply. From the palaeontological
studies carried out by Tiwari and Mehrotra6, the
Tipams of Mizoram are inferred to prevalence of
warm and humid climate during the time of
deposition of these sediments. Lahkar,7, in his
doctoral thesis pointed that the sediments of Ti-
pam sandstones exposed at Dilli area, Sibsagar
district, Assam were formed under fluviatile en-
vironment based on the textural analysis.
MATERIALS AND METHOD
18 rock samples were collected in the field
and are brought to the laboratory for disintegra-
tion of grains. Since the rock samples are soft,
loose and friable in nature, they simply soaked
in the water in the containers for about 2 to 3
days. The samples are then boiled in the water
Fig 1. Location map of the study area
along with a dilute hydrochloric acid to remove
the authegenic clay, carbonate and ferruginous
coatings on the grain.8 The samples were again
treated with hydrogen peroxide to remove the
organic compounds binding the grains. After
thorough washing with distilled water, the sam-
ples are dried in the hot air oven for about 3 to 4
hours at the temperature of about 50ºC. 100
grams of the loose grains from the bulk sample
were shaken using sieve shaker. The fraction
lying on each sieve is collected separately and
weighted.9 Test sieves of ASTM standard with a
mesh nos. of 20, 30, 40, 50, 70, 100, 140, 200,
270 and 325 are used for the present study.
RESULTS
The data obtained from the analysis of grain
Fig 2. Litho-column of the study area
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Fig. 3.1 (a-r) Histogram of sample No. 1- 16

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Fig. 3.2 (a-r) Frequency curve of Sample No. 1-16

Fig. 3.3 (a-r) Cumulative fre-

quency curve of Sample No

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size of the Tipam sandstones are represented
graphically in the form of histogram, frequency
distribution curves and cumulative frequency
curves. Statistical parameters of grain size such
as graphic mean size (Mz), Inclusive graphic
standard deviation (σ1), Inclusive graphic skew-
ness (Ski), graphic kurtosis (KG) are also calcu-
lated from the cumulative curves using formula
proposed by Folk and Ward.10
Graphic representation of grain-size distribution
Histogram: In the present work, histogram for
each sample is plotted as shown in the Figure
3.1a to 3.1r. Except for one sample (sample
no.8), all the other histograms show a unimodal
nature and with a sharp peak around 2Ф. Out of
the total 18 samples, 61% has a sharp peak at
2Ф, 17% at 1.5Ф, 11% at 3.5Ф, and 5% each for
2.5Ф and 4Ф..
The frequency distribution curves: The frequency
distribution curves of the sandstone samples of
the study area are shown in Figures 3.2a to 3.2r.
All the samples unimodal pattern of curves in
nature except for sample no. 8 which has a bi-
modal nature. 83% of the samples have the pri-
mary mode lying between 1.5Ф and 2.5 Ф ex-
cept for those sediment such as sample nos. 8,
14 and 15, where the sharp peak lies between 3.5
Ф and 4 Ф.
The cumulative frequency curves: The cumula-
tive percentage obtained from the size analysis
of the sandstone samples were plotted on the
arithmetic (Figures 3.3a – 3.3r) and log-
probability ordinate scales. A close study of the
log-probability curves of the sandstone samples
of the study area shows that, there are three sub
populations produced mainly by three modes of
transportation viz. rolling, saltation and suspen-
sion (Figures 3.4a to 3.4r). It can be observed
here that, sorting is generally excellent to good
in saltation population, whereas sorting is poor
to fair in the suspended and rolling populations.
Statistical parameters of grain size
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Graphic mean size (Mz): The graphic mean size
varies from 1.3 Ф to 3.1 Ф, i.e., the samples fall
mostly within medium grain size to fine grain
size sands (Table 3.2). 61% of the total samples
are of medium-grained sand whereas 39% be-
long to fine-grained sand on the present study,
the skewness values vary from 0.08 to 1.78 and
fall in the classes from very fine-skewed to fine-
skewed, which is an indicative of mixed envi-
ronment where both marine and fluvial influ-
ences are present7.
Inclusive Graphic Standard Deviation (σ1): In-
clusive graphic standard deviation values of the
samples in the present work ranges from 0.39 Ф
to 1.17 Ф. 11 % of the samples are well sorted,
44.5 % are moderately well sorted, 39 % are
moderately sorted and 5.5 % are poorly sorted.
Inclusive Graphic Skewness (Ski): The present
samples shows that skewness values vary from
0.08 to 1.78 and fall in the classes from very fine
-skewed to fine-skewed. 64 % of the total 18
samples are very fine-skewed and the remaining
samples fall under fine-skewed.
Graphic Kurtosis (KG): In the present work,
kurtosis values range from 0.45 (very platykur-
tic) to 3.28 (extremely Leptokurtic). The wide
range of the kurtosis value is an indication of
fluctuation in the energy of the depositing agent.
Only 11.1 % of the total 18 samples fall under
the class of very platykurtic, 22.2 % in platykur-
tic, 16.6 % in mesokurtic, 27.7 % in leptokurtic,
16.6 % in very leptokurtic and only 5 % in ex-
tremely leptokurtic class.
Bivariant Scatter Plots
Graphic Mean Size (Mz) Vs Inclusive Graphic
Standard Deviation (σ1): The scatter plot of
Moiola and Weiser11 in Figure 3.5a shows that
66.6 % of the sediments fall within the beach
field, and the rest of the samples fall in the river
field. From the plot after Glaister and Nelson12
as shown in Figure 3.5b, the concentrations of
the points are towards the delta front, suggesting
mixed or transitional environment of deposition
(fluvial and marine). The scatter plot of Fried-
man13 as shown in Figure 3.5c however, indi-
 Zoramthara et al.
cates a fluvial environment of deposition as all
the scatter plots were concentrated in the river
field.
Graphic Mean Size (Mz) Vs Inclusive Graphic
Skewness (Ski): The points in the scatter plot
mainly concentrated at the river field. Since
most of the samples fall near the marginal line
between the river field and the beach field, this
may suggest a mixed influence of both fluvial
and marine processes.
Inclusive Graphic Skewness (Ski) Vs Graphic Kur-
tosis (KG): 67 % of the samples fall in the river
field whereas the rest of the samples falls within
the beach field. Here, the points lying within the
beach field are clustered near the marginal line
of the river and beach sectors.
Graphic Standard Deviation (σ1) Vs Inclusive
Graphic Skewness (Ski): Almost all the samples
fall in the river field except for one sample.
However, most of the points are clustered near
the margin of the river and beach field.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
The lithology of the study comprises of an
alternate succession of sandstones and shales of
Tipam Group. The sedimentary unit in this area
consists mainly of loose and friable sandstones
and shale only. Grain size analysis of 18 sam-
ples representing 238 m thick medium grained
Tipam sandstone of Buhchang area has been
carried out. The important conclusions drawn
are as follows:
Almost all the histograms show a unimodal
nature and with a sharp peak around 2Ф except
for sample no 8 which has bimodal nature.
The frequency distribution curves showed
that majority of the samples are negatively
skewed. This may be inferred to as the presence
of two processes of depositing medium i.e ma-
rine and fluvial. However, it can be concluded
that the marine processes are more dominant
than the fluvial processes.
The log-probability curves showed the pres-
ence of three sub-populations as a result of three
modes of transportation viz. rolling, saltation
and suspension. It is observed that, sorting is
generally excellent to good in saltation popula-
tion, whereas sorting is poor to fair in the sus-
pended and rolling populations.
The graphic mean size range from 1.3 Ф
(medium sand) to 3.1 Ф (fine sand) where 61 %
out of the total 18 samples are of medium size
sand, and 39 % belongs to fine grained sand.
The variation in sorting from moderately
well sorted to moderately sorted in the samples
of the study area can be an indicative of high
energy fluctuation of the depositing agent in a
mixed environment.
The skewness values vary from 0.08 to 1.78
and fall in the classes from very fine-skewed to
fine-skewed, which is an indicative of mixed
environment where both marine and fluvial in-
fluences are present.
Kurtosis values range from 0.45 (very
platykurtic) to 3.28 (Extremely Leptokurtic).
The wide range of the kurtosis values is an indi-
cation of fluctuation in the velocities of the de-
positing agent.
From the scatter plot of Moiola and Weiser11
reveals that 66% of the sediment samples fall
within the beach. It may be concluded that these
sediments probably must have deposited in a
mixed environment where marine processes has
dominated over the fluvial processes. However,
the scatter plot of Friedman13 indicates a fluvial
environment of deposition as all the scatter plots
were concentrated in the river field.
Bivariant scatter plot proposed by Moiola
and Weiser11 between the two size parameters of
graphic mean size and inclusive graphic skew-
ness shows that all the samples fall within the
river field. The scatter plot of Friedman13 also
suggests a fluvial environment since the entire
sample falls within the river field.
From the scatter plot proposed by Fried-
man13 between the size parameters of inclusive
graphic skewness and graphic kurtosis suggest a
fluvial environment with a minor beach influ-
ence. The scatter plot of Moiola and Weiser11
also suggest a fluviatile environment of deposi-
tion as almost all the samples fall in the river
field except for one sample.
In the light of the above information ob-
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tained from the interpretations of the graphical
and relationship between the statistical parame-
ters of grain size, it can be summarized that the
Tipam sandstones of the study area is not re-
stricted to a single depositional environment. It
can be broadly inferred that, these sediments
were deposited in a mixed environment or the
transitional environment. However, it can be
envisaged that that the fluvial processes domi-
nates over the marine processes.
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