###### Abstract  
The sedimentary rocks of the Madzaringwe Formation in the Tuli Basin have been investigated using geochemical and petrographic methods to reveal their source area composition, tectonic setting, provenance and paleoweathering conditions. The petrographic studies show that the rocks consist mostly of clay minerals and quartz. The major elements geochemistry indicates that the rocks of the Madzaringwe Formation have the same source area. Based on the discriminant function plots, it can be inferred that the rocks are of quartzose sedimentary provenance, suggesting that they were derived from a cationic interior or recycled orogen. The binary plots of TiO\({}_{2}\) versus Zr and La/Sr against Th/Co shows that the rocks were derived from silicic or felsic igneous rocks. The tectonic setting discrimination diagrams of SiO\({}_{2}\) against Log (K\({}_{2}\)O/Na\({}_{2}\)O), Th-Sc-Zr/10, and TiO\({}_{2}\) versus (Fe\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{3}\) + MgO) support passive-active continental margin settings of the provenance. The A-CN-K (Al\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{3}\)-CaO + Na\({}_{2}\)O-K\({}_{2}\)O) ternary diagram and binary plot of the index of compositional variability (ICV) against chemical index of alteration (CIA) shows that the rocks have been subjected to moderate to intensive weathering. Geochemical and petrographic characteristics of the rocks point to uplifted basement source areas predominantly composed of sedimentary rocks and/or granite-genesis rocks. These source areas might have been from adjacent areas near the Tuli coalfield which include the Limpopo Belt (igneous and sedimentary rocks), and basement uplifted rocks of the Beit-Bridge Complex, consisting of the granite, granite-gneiss and schists.  
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and tectonism [5]. In geochemical studies, some selected major oxides especially TiO\({}_{2}\) and trace elements like La, Y, Sc, Cr, Th, Zr, Hf, and Nb are sensitive indicators of the source rocks, provenance, paleoweathering, and tectonic setting [6]. This is as a result of their relatively low mobility and insolubility during the aforementioned sedimentary and post-sedimentary processes [7]. Also, comparative distribution of the immobile trace elements with changing concentration in felsic and basic rocks has been employed to deduce the relative contribution from felsic and/or basic sources in clastic sedimentary rocks from different tectonic environments [8].  
The Madzaringwe Formation in the Vele Colliery has about 120 m of coal-bearing unit interbedded within mudrocks and occasionally sandstones and it is the lowermost part of the Ecca Group in the Tuli Basin [9]. Geographically, the study area is located between longitudes 29.56\({}^{\circ}\) E and 29.66\({}^{\circ}\) E and latitude 22.15\({}^{\circ}\) S and 22.22\({}^{\circ}\) S (Figure 1). Previous investigation on the Madzaringwe Formation in the Tuli Basin mainly focused on the sedimentary environment and palaeogeographical analyses [9; 10; 11]. In this paper, we investigate the geochemistry and petrography of the Madzaringwe Formation coal, mudrocks and sandstones from the Vele Colliery in the Tuli Basin, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The purpose of this research work is to assess the source area composition, tectonic setting, provenance and paleoweathering conditions of the formation. The result from this study could give insights into the geologic/tectonic evolution of the Tuli Basin and will also add to the database on the geochemical and petrographic characterization of sedimentary units in the Tuli Basin, which is almost lacking at present.  
Figure 1: Map showing the Limpopo Karoo basins and location of the study area within the Vele Colliery (after [12; 13]).