Gondwana Sedimentation in Ramagundam-Mantheni Area, Godavari Valley Basin

The existence of 450 ± 50 m of Barren Measures, underlain by Barakar Formation and overlain by the coal-bearing lower member of Kamthi Formation has been established in this field.

The depositional environment as deduced from the textural analysis, shows that it was initially glacial, followed by glaciofluvial, and flood basin complex of either anastomosed or braided river system, interchanging at times with lacustrine conditions. The till fabric and palaeocurrent analysis indicate an overall northerly current direction, with occasional swings to either north-northwest or north-northeast, hence a northerly palaeosiope with a southerly located provenance is indicated.

Pebble lithology, light and heavy mineral composition of the sediments, together with palaeocurrent data, reveal that the main source of detritus was the Peninsular gneiss, with the associated Proterozoic sediments.