Organotemplate structures in sedimentary manganese carbonates of the Neoproterozoic Penganga Group, Adilabad, India

Manganese carbonates interstratified with bedded chert in the Chanda Limestone of the Neoproterozoic Penganga Group at Adilabad, south India, have been studied for possible evidence that microbiota played a role in the mediation of early diagenetic Mn-carbonate formation in Precambrian marine sedimentary successions. The manganese carbonate and chert beds occur within a below wave base, deep-water distally steepened ramp succession. High resolution SEM petrography of the manganese carbonates revealed two basic morphologies - spherical to oval-cylindrical shaped microconcretions, and tubular to irregular, elongated, film-like microstructures. Infolded filmy to hollow tubular strand-like internal morphologies of the spherical to oval-cylindrical shaped microconcretions suggest their microbial affinity. The tubular and film morphologies with mesh-like interconnections closely resemble architectures of microbial extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Mineralization took place on these organotemplates by the process of permineralization as well as replacement in an early diagenetic pore-water environment with reduction of higher manganese oxy-hydroxides by organic matter and consequent increase in dissolved carbonate.