International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Earth Sciences 2321 - 2527 2 8 2014 September 25 Use of microfossils to decipher the paleo-environment of tertiary sediments of Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India 7 9 EN Parmar V. 1 Post Graduate Department of Geology, University of Jammu, Jammu 180 006, INDIA Jigmet T. 2 Suryawanshi R.A. 1 2 Department of Geology, Yashwantrao Chavan College of Science Karad, 415124, MS, INDIA Golekar R.B. 2 Department of Civil Engineering, Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji College of Engineering, Rahuri, Dist. Ahmednagar – 437006, MS, INDIA > Research Paper 2014 8 21 2014 September 25 The present study area is a part of coastal track, belongs to Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra (INDIA). The geological setting of the area, Deccan basalt are invariably capped by laterite and in subordinate amount of bauxite. The Tertiary sediments are sandwiched between the laterite, while in some sections, they overly directly on the basaltic lava flow. The lignite, shale and carbonaceous shales of these deposits are very rich of leaf cuticles along with the pollens and spores. In present work emphasis has given to decipher environment of deposition of these sediments with the help of microfossils. Hence collect the lignite sample ourselves from well sections of Ratnagiri district. In present study three types of Leaf cuticles recovered from lignite samples as Nypa palm, Diospyros microphylla and Sonneratia type. Ecological distribution of the modern equivalents of these microfossils clearly indicates that these sediments may possibly have deposited in deltaic to estuarine environment. Copyright@ International Science Community Association