A Tale of Evolution of the Central Indian Tectonic Zone (CITZ) With Glimpses on Pre-Suture Plate Margin Depositional History

Abstract

Comprehending pre-suture geological setting and post-suture intricate tectono-thermal chronicle in a crustal-scale orogeny and discerning the temporal connections among different tectonic domains within an orogen yields valuable insights into worldwide tectonic phenomena leading to the reconstruction of paleogeographic configurations of fragmented crustal components within erstwhile supercontinents. Since the tectonic evolution of the Indian subcontinent during the Proterozoic remains a topic of discussion due to multiple controversial views, the Central Indian Tectonic Zone (CITZ) offers a great archive for the protracted geological history of subduction, collision, and suturing of northern Indian cratonic blocks (NIC; composed of Bundelkhand and Aravalli cratons) and southern Indian cratonic blocks (SIC; composed of Bastar, Singhbhum, and Dharwar cratons). Events belonging to two Supercontinents namely, Columbia (ca. 2100 to 1800 Ma) and Rodinia (ca. 1200 to 900 Ma) are embedded within the geological history of CITZ, as it records multiple events that occurred between the Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic. In this backdrop, the present contribution attempts (i) the deconvolution of pre-suture (pre-CITZ formation) plate margin basin depositional history including tracking of detrital provenance, and (ii) a review of different stages of collision and suturing as the plate margin evolved in the form of an orogen subsequent to the closure of the basin. A back-arc basin setup in a subduction margin is recommended for the Mahakoshal Basin which witnessed several tectonic pulses resulting in the formation of alluvial fans/fan deltas along the basin shoreline. It is suggested that the basin was open, at places, even after ca. 1700 Ma, and received sediments.