Initiation and evolution of forearc basins in the Central Myanmar Depression

Abstract

Abstract The forearc basin in Myanmar is significant in understanding the development of continental forearc basins. We present stratigraphic, sandstone petrographic, and U-Pb detrital data from Upper Cretaceous–Eocene strata of Chindwin and Minbu sub-basins in the Central Myanmar Depression. The Upper Cretaceous lower Kabaw Formation consists of turbiditic conglomerate, sandstone, and mudstone in the Minbu sub-basin. The composition of conglomerates are mainly schist and subordinate quartz. Prominent detrital zircon age probability peaks are between 260 and 223 Ma, similar with that of Upper Triassic Pane Chaung turbidites and Kanpetlet schist on the West Burma plate. In the upper Kabaw Formation, turbiditic volcanic-rich sandstones have major age populations ranging from 103 to 70 Ma in both Minbu and Chindwin sub-basins. The Paleocene slope environment Paunggyi Formation, which overlies the Kabaw Formation, mainly consists of conglomerate, sandstone, mudstone, and tuff beds in the Minbu sub-basin. In contrast, the Paunggyi Formation in the Chindwin sub-basin is composed of sandstone and mudstone; major detrital zircon age populations from the Paunggyi Formation are between 100 and 60 Ma. Eocene strata in both basins are composed mainly of shallow marine to delta sandstone and mudstone. Major detrital zircon age populations are 100–36 Ma and 600–500 Ma. The Late Cretaceous–Eocene ages from Upper Cretaceous–Eocene strata overlap with igneous crystallization ages from the Western Myanmar Arc. We propose that the Chindwin and Minbu sub-basins developed as parts of a forearc basin along the west flank of Western Myanmar Arc (present coordinate). The forearc basin initiated in Albian time atop the continental West Burma plate due to the formation of a structural high along the western margin of West Burma plate.