Geological mapping, construction of columnar sections and carbonate sampling were carried out in the field, and stable oxygen and carbon isotope analyses and thin section analyses were done in the laboratory. Lacustrine facies contained abundant pelletal, charophytic algae, oncolitic algal micritic palustrine limestones with ostracods, and micritic mudstones with root traces. Stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis from the carbonates show a range of ¦Ä13C values from ?0.6¡ë to 11.1¡ë (V-PDB) and ¦Ä18O values from ?13.5¡ë to ?25¡ë (V-PDB).
Discontinuous growth of oncolites and spherical pellets (25-40 ¦Ìm in diameter) in micritic limestone, algal mats and charophyte algae indicate the presence of both shallow and deep water carbonates. Ostracods in dark micritic carbonates indicate quiet and calm water conditions. Microfabrics of the carbonates suggest that they were deposited in a flat and shallow lacustrine environment. The ¦Ä18O values of the investigated limestones of the Thakkhola-Mustang Graben suggest that it attained the current elevation level prior to the east-west extension of the Himalaya.