Geological structure Flashcards
geological division of regions in India?
1) triple Tectonic division
1. 1) Peninsular region incl meghalaya plateau and Kutcch-kathiawar: one of oldest lm, dominated by open senile topography; not undergone marine submergence since Cambrian period; not much affected by tectonic forces
1. 2) extra-peninsular region: Himalayas and their eastern extension incl A&N: most youthful reliefs of earth; origin in tethys sea;prone to tectonic forces
1. 3) Indo-gangetic plain: flat, featureless and monotonous
2) Others recognise only two divisons 1.1 and 1.2-1.3together
Geological history of India: 4 major divisions: Intro?
- > represents a ‘monumental assemblage of rocks of different character belonging to different ages, ranging frm pre-Cambrian to recent times’
- > Sir T. Holland of GSI: 4 rock systems
1) Archaean (2)Purana (3)Dravidian (4) Aryan
Archaean Rock system: intro?
- > J.D. Dana: used ‘archaean’ for rock str prior to Cambrian system
- > oldest in world
- > includes two groups: (1)Archaean system-Gneisses and schists, which are the oldest metamorphosed igneous rocks in india (2) Dharwar system, which are the oldest metamorphosed sedimentary rocks of India
Archaean system-Gneisses and schists: age?
1) Age: oldest; formed at the time of cooling and solidification of upper crust of earth’s surface in pre-cambrian era (4Bn ya)
2) Origin: details of their origin under speculation
3) characteristics: azoic; thoroughly crystalline; extremely contorted and faulted; well defined foliated str; often formed as plutonic intrusions; often lie under strata formed subsequently and thus form core of continents; aka ‘Funadamental complex’or ‘Basement complex’
4) rocks: can be igneous or metamorphosed; 2/3rd Penin India is covered by gneiss; mineral composition may vary leading to granite as well as gabro; foliated or banded str; mostly crystalline like mica, talc, hornblende, chlorite
5) Location: central and southern parts of Penin (KN plateau); to the NE, in Odisha, Meghalaya, MP, Chhatisgarh (Bastar) and chhotanagpur plateau of JH; in isolated outcrops frm along aravallis; also exposed all along Himalayas, forming bulk of high ranges and backbone of the mt system
Archaean system-Gneisses and schists: origin?
details of their origin under speculation
Archaean system-Gneisses and schists: characteristics?
- > azoic;
- > thoroughly crystalline;
- > extremely contorted and faulted;
- > well defined foliated str(though usually igneous rocks do not have layered str);
- > often formed as plutonic intrusions;
- > often lie under strata formed subsequently and thus form core of continents; aka ‘Funadamental complex’or ‘Basement complex’
Archaean system-Gneisses and schists: rocks
can be igneous or metamorphosed; 2/3rd Penin India is covered by gneiss; mineral composition may vary leading to granite as well as gabro; foliated or banded str; mostly crystalline like mica, talc, hornblende, chlorite
Archaean system-Gneisses and schists: location?
central and southern parts of Penin (KN plateau); to the NE, in Odisha, Meghalaya, MP, Chhatisgarh (Bastar) and chhotanagpur plateau of JH; in isolated outcrops frm along aravallis; also exposed all along Himalayas, forming bulk of high ranges and backbone of the mt system
Dharwar system?
1) Age: Acc to Wadia, its the most ancient metamorphosed sedimentary rock system of India, as old as, if not older than the basement gneiss and schists
2) Origin: weathering of earliest Archaean gneiss and schists yielded the sediments which were deposited on the sea bed, which formed the oldest sedimentary strata, known as dharwar system
3) characteristics: mostly enriched in manganese and iron ore; The Champions series containing gold mines lie within this system. This Champion system is named after the Champion reef in the Kolar Gold Fields.
4) rocks: incl highly metamorphosed(so much so that they are indistinguishable frm their primitive formations) rocks of both sedimentary and igneous nature; major rocks incl Hornblende, quartzites, phyllites, slates, limestones nd dolomites
5) Location: very well developed in the Dharwar-Bellary-Mysore belt of KN (hence the name); also in JH(Ranchi, Hazaribagh), MP(balaghat and Rewa), Chhatisgarh (Bastar, Dantewada), odisha keonjhar and sundergarh) and in aravalis betn Jaipur and palanpur. also well represented in HImalayas, in central, nrthern zones and meghalaya plateau.
6) Significance: economically most imp; possess high grade iron ore, Mn, Cu, Pb, Au, quartzites, slate, mica etc.
Dharwar system: age?
Acc to Wadia, its the most ancient metamorphosed sedimentary rock system of India, as old as, if not older than the basement gneiss and schists
Dharwar system: origin?
weathering of earliest Archaean gneiss and schists yielded the sediments which were deposited on the sea bed, which formed the oldest sedimentary strata, known as dharwar system
Dharwar system: characteristics?
mostly enriched in manganese and iron ore; The Champions series containing gold mines lie within this system. This Champion system is named after the Champion reef in the Kolar Gold Fields.
Dharwar system: rocks?
incl highly metamorphosed(so much so that they are indistinguishable frm their primitive formations) rocks of both sedimentary and igneous nature; major rocks incl Hornblende, quartzites, phyllites, slates, limestones nd dolomites
Dharwar system: location?
very well developed in the Dharwar-Bellary-Mysore belt of KN (hence the name); also in JH(Ranchi, Hazaribagh), MP(balaghat and Rewa), Chhatisgarh (Bastar, Dantewada), odisha keonjhar and sundergarh) and in aravalis betn Jaipur and palanpur. also well represented in HImalayas, in central, nrthern zones and meghalaya plateau.
Dharwar system: significance?
economically most imp; possess high grade iron ore, Mn, Cu, Pb, Au, quartzites, slate, mica etc.
Purana Rock system: intro?
- > 1400-600mya (Proterozoic times)
- > word used in India in place of Proterozoic
- > includes 2 divisions: Cuddapah and VIndhyan system
- > Purana and Archaean rock systems are separated by Eparchean discontinuity
Cuddapah system?
1) Age: 1400mya-1300mya
2) origin: deposition of unfossiliferous clay, slates, quartzites, sandstones and limestones in great synclinal basins
3) characteristics: -
4) rocks: steatite, quartzite, limestone, jasper, cherts
5) location:
a) Kurnool district of andhraP: outcrop is irregular crescent shape, concave towards coast suggesting that the rocks were subjected compressive forces directed frm concave side near which stood the high mts that supplied the sediments
(b) Southern Chhatisgarh: Dantewara, bastar, Kanker, Raipur, Durg
(c) some in Singhbhum of JH; Kalahandi of Odisha
(d) along main axis of aravallis frm delhi to Idar in GJ
(e) some in KN too
6) significance:
(a) ores of Fe,Mn, Cu, Co, Ni, asbestos, jasper etc.
(b) building purpose quartzites and cement grade limestones
Cuddapah system: age?
1400my-1300my
Cuddapah system: origin?
deposition of unfossiliferous clay, slates, quartzites, sandstones and limestones in great synclinal basins
Cuddapah system: rocks?
steatite, quartzite, limestone, jasper, cherts
Cuddapah system: location?
a) Kurnool district of andhraP: outcrop is irregular crescent shape, concave towards coast suggesting that the rocks were subjected compressive forces directed frm concave side near which stood the high mts that supplied the sediments
(b) Southern Chhatisgarh: Dantewara, bastar, Kanker, Raipur, Durg
(c) some in Singhbhum of JH; Kalahandi of Odisha
(d) along main axis of aravallis frm delhi to Idar in GJ
(e) some in KN too
Cuddapah system: significance?
(a) ores of Fe,Mn, Cu, Co, Ni, asbestos, jasper etc.
(b) building purpose quartzites and cement grade limestones
Vindhyan system?
1) age: Lower Vindhyan (1300-1100my) and upper Vindhyan (1000-600my)
2) origin:
2. 1) Lower Vindhyan: marine in origin.
2. 2) upper Vindhyan: fluvialtile
3) characteristics: ancient sedimentary rocks super-imposed on Archaean base; stratified formation of limestones, shales and sandstones, often over 4000m thick; general lack of recognisable fossils; the two stratas are separated by an unconformity, which is quite prominent in the north but disappears in southern areas;devoid of metalliferous minerals of Mewar, chittaurgarh etc,
3. 1) Lower Vindhyas: calacareous in nature; tectonic deformation by folding
3. 2) Upper Vindhyas: gently lying in undisturbed horizontal strata
4) rocks: limestones, shales and sandstones
5) location:
(a) Sasaram and Rohtas in western Bihar to Chittaurgarh in Raj with a GAP in Bundelkhand. Large area of this belt is covered by deccan trap.
(b) also in Chhatisgarh, Bhima valley in KN; Kurnool of andhraP
(c) continue to the north under Gangetic alluvium and perhaps even under HImalayas
(d) Lower vindhyan : in Son valley; in chhatisgarh; in Bhima valley; Mewar
(e) Upper: KN
6) Significance:
(a) upper Vindhyas: two diamond bearing horizons-panna and golconda diamond mines
(b) large qty of excellent and durable stones, flagstones, ornamental stones, glass making sand and some coal.
Vindhyan system: age?
Lower Vindhyan (1300-1100my) and upper Vindhyan (1000-600my)
Vindhyan system: origin?
- 1) Lower Vindhyan: marine in origin.
2. 2) upper Vindhyan: fluvialtile
Vindhyan system: characteristics?
ancient sedimentary rocks super-imposed on Archaean base; stratified formation of limestones, shales and sandstones, often over 4000m thick; general lack of recognisable fossils; the two stratas are separated by an unconformity, which is quite prominent in the north but disappears in southern areas;devoid of metalliferous minerals of Mewar, chittaurgarh etc,
- 1) Lower Vindhyas: calacareous in nature; tectonic deformation by folding
- 2) Upper Vindhyas: gently lying in undisturbed horizontal strata
Vindhyan system: rocks?
limestones, shales and sandstones
Vindhyan system: location?
(a) Sasaram and Rohtas in western Bihar to Chittaurgarh in Raj with a GAP in Bundelkhand. Large area of this belt is covered by deccan trap.
(b) also in Chhatisgarh, Bhima valley in KN; Kurnool of andhraP
(c) continue to the north under Gangetic alluvium and perhaps even under HImalayas
(d) Lower vindhyan : in Son valley; in chhatisgarh; in Bhima valley; Mewar
(e) Upper: KN
Vindhyan system: significance?
(a) upper Vindhyas: two diamond bearing horizons-panna and golconda diamond mines
(b) large qty of excellent and durable stones, flagstones, ornamental stones, glass making sand and some coal.