Palynological dating of coal-bearing sediments from the Bottapagudem area, Chintalpudi sub-basin, Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Palynological studies were carried out in bore core MAB-I from the Bottapagudem area of the Beddadanur Block in Chintalpudi Sub-Basin in order to date and correlate the coal bearing sediments. Three palynological assemblages have been recognised in 220 m thick sedimentary sequence of this bore hole MAB-I. Assemblage I is characterised by dominance of striate disaccates, chiefly Striatopodocarpites and Faunipollenites, along with some stratigraphically significant taxa, viz., Falcisporites, Guttulapollenites, Chordasporites, Osmundacidites, Playfordiaspora, Klausipollenites, Strotersporites and Vitreisporites. Assemblage II is also dominated by striate disaccates, together with Densipollenites and rare occurrences of palynotaxa like Falcisporites, Klausipollenites, Playfordiaspora, Lundbladispora, Chordasporites, Strotersporites, Densoisporites and Lunatisporites. Palynoassemblage III is likewise dominated by striate disaccates, with common occurrence of Crescentipollenites and less frequent Falcisporites, Chordasporites, Klausipollenites and Strotersporites. All three assemblages belong to the Raniganj palynosequence and are of Late Permian age. Raniganj palynoflora has been recorded in lithologically designated Barren Measures sequence between 176-220 m.