Carbonates from the Palaeoproterozoic Sleemanabad Formation, Mahakoshal Basin, Central India

Facies and facies succession analysis from four sections in a ~12 m thick carbonate succession, hitherto undescribed, exposed over an east–west transect over 600 km from the topmost part of the Palaeoproterozoic Sleemanabad Formation, Mahakoshal Group, Central India reveals facies development in a proximal–distal relation. The facies types include microbialite and stromatolite, interbedded limestone–mudstone, intra-clastic conglomerate, pyrite bearing dark-coloured li-mestone and massive/normal-graded conglomerate and fine-grained sandstone. While microbialites and isolated stromatolites (rarely conjoined) with seafloor precipitate are interpreted as a product of proximal peritidal deposition, the dark-coloured pyrite bearing limestone represents the distal platform deposition below storm wave base.