gsi northern region states

8/11/2019 GSI Northern Region States

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GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES

Geology

Jammu and Kashmir, the

northern most state of the

c o u n t r y , h a s t h e

n e i g h b o u r i n g s t a t e s

Himachal Pradesh andPunjab to the south and

international border with

Tibet (China), Pakistan and

Afghanistan. The state,

occupying an area of

222,236 sq km, has been

classified into five distinct

geomorphic units based on

well-marked orographic and geomorphic features. Traversing from

south to north they appear as Terai Zone, Outer Himalayan Zone or

Siwalik Foothills, Lesser Himalayan Zone, Great Himalayan / Higher

Himalayan Zone and Trans-Himalayan Zone.

The state preserves almost a complete geological succession from

Proterozoic to Holocene. Most of the rocks occurring in Lesser and

Higher Himalayan terrains are Proterozoic in age. The Early

Proterozoic rocks comprise a complex suite of gneisses and schists

with interstratified bands of marble and calc-silicate rocks and

quartzite with igneous intrusives. The Middle Proterozoic rocks are

represented by carbonates, calc-arenites, slate, flaggy limestone

and stromatolitic limestone/ dolomite whereas the Neoproterozoic

rocks are mostly calcareous, arenaceous and graphitic

carbonaceous shale.

The Palaeozoic starts with Lolab Formation (Lower Cambrian) and is

followed successively by argillaceous Nutnus Formation (Middle

Cambrian) containing TrilobitesAnomocaresp., Tonkinellasp. andConocorphesp., argillo-calcareous Trahagam Formation, Kunzum

La Formation (Cambrian, Zanskar area), Watarkhai Formation

(Ordovician) representing volcanic flows and ash beds, Marhaum

Formation (Ordovician-Silurian) / Thango (Thaple) and Takche

Formations (Ordovician-Silurian, Zanskar area), areno-argillaceous

Aishmuqam Formation (Late Devonian) comprising plant fossils

viz., Sphenopteridium, Psyllophytalians, Paracalamites and

Rhacopterisand capped by Syringothyris Limestone and Fenestella

Shale Formations (late Carboniferous, Liddar valley), rich in plant

fossils.

The Permian rocks are classified into Agglomeratic Slate,

Nishatbagh, Panjal Volcanics, Mamal and Zewan Formations inascending order. The Agglomeratic Slate Formation has a complex

lithology of slate, quartzite, diamictite and pyroclastics with

charecteristic marine fauna Eurydesma, Deltopecten, gastropods

and fenestellids indicating Late Carboniferous to Early Permian in

age.

In Kashmir basin, Panjal Volcanics (Lower Permian) overlies

Agglomeratic Slate with or without the intervention of Nishatbagh

Formation. These volcanic, covering over 20% of the exposed hard

rock areas in Kashmir valley, comprise lava flows of acid,

intermediate and basic composition. In many parts of Kashmir,

Panjal Volcanics are succeeded by Gondwana plant bearing beds

('Gangamopteris beds') of Mamal Formation which comprises an

assemblage of chert, siliceous and carbonaceous shale, thinly

bedded limestone, gritty sandstone, tuffs and novaculite. The Zewan

Formation (Upper Permian) comprises marine fossiliferous

argillaceous rocks with remains ofProtoreteporaamplaat the basal

part and calcareous with intercalations of shale containing

Cyclolobusat the upper part.

Triassic-Jurassic rocks are represented by Lilang Group

conformably overlying Kuling Group (Late Permian). The

Cretaceous rocks are mainly confined to Indus Suture Zone and

Cretaceous - Eocene rocks are exposed in Shyok-Nubra belt of

Ladakh region in the Trans-Himalaya.

In the Inner Tertiary belt of Jammu region, Jangalgali Formation

(Cretaceous Eocene) is unconformably overlain by Subathu

Formation (Palaeocene-Eocene) which, in turn, is overlain by the

Murree Group (Upper Eocene to Lower Miocene age). The Siwalik

Supergroup is exposed in Mansar-Uttar Bani-Dughor section, east of

Jammu. It has been identified as the reference section for study of

Siwalik rocks in the Indian sub-continent. The Lower Siwalik Group

conformably overlies Upper Murree Formation. Karewa Group

represents the rocks of Pliocene-Pleistocene age in Kashmir region.

Quaternary deposits are present along the vast alluvial tracts, flood

plains, river terraces, talus, scree, fan deposits of major rivers and

their tributaries and fluvio-glacial deposits in Jammu, Kashmir and

Ladakh regions. These have been classified into Older Alluvium

(Middle to Late Pleistocene) and Newer Alluvium (Holocene).

Some basic volcanic suites present in the area are Trans-Himalayan

Basic Volcanic Suite including Dras volcanic and Shyok volcanic,

Tethyan Basic Volcanics (Lower Permian), and Window Zone Basic

Volcanics represented by Sauni Volcanics. Ultramafic rocks also

occur in Indus and Shyok-Nubra belt.

Several occurrences of metallic minerals and deposits of non-

metallic minerals and construction material are reported from the

state. Incidences of gold mineralization has been reported in quartz

veins in Kupwara district, in shear zones traversing Ladakh Granitoid

and as sporadic placers in Kargil district. Some old workings

developed for copper have been reported from Anantnag and

Baramulla districts. Stibnite mineralization has been reported from

quartz veins traversing limestone in Zanskar valley of Ladakh. Veins

and stringers containing asbestos are observed traversing Panjal

Volcanics exposed in Baramulla district. The famous sapphire mines

of the state, situated at an altitude of 4,418 m northwest of Sumjam in

the Padar area, Doda district have been investigated from time to

time. The area is snow bound for a major part of the year. The

sapphire bearing rocks classified under Padar Formation comprises

interbedded sequence of metasediments and metabasics intruded

by a number of pegmatite and quartz veins. Sapphire occurs in

syenite pegmatite veins in actinolite-tremolite rock.

Mineral Resources


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Director General, Geological Survey of India I E-mail: [email protected] I Visit us at: http://www.portal.gsi.gov.in

Geological and Mineral Map of Jammu and Kashmir

Scale


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Geology

The state of Himachal Pradesh,

sprawling over an area of 55,673

sq km is bounded in the north and

northwest by Jammu and

Kashmir, in the east by Tibet(China), in the southeast by

Uttarakhand, in the south by

Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and

in the southwest by Punjab. It's

physiography can be divided into

five distinct parallel zones.

Traversing from south to north, these are Alluvial Plains - the

southernmost zone developed at the foothills of Siwalik Range, the

Siwalik foothills or Sub-Himalayan zone, Lesser Himalayan zone,

Central Himalayan/Great Himalayan zone and Trans-

Himalayan/Higher Himalayan zone.

The state is covered by rocks ranging in age from Proterozoic toRecent. Lesser Himalayan terrain is mainly of Proterozoic rocks. The

Palaeoproterozoic rocks are represented by Jeori-Wangtu Banded

Gneissic Complex, Rampur and Kulu Groups. The Kulu Group is one

of the three principal crystalline nappes of Himachal Pradesh. The

Mesoproterozoic rocks are represented by Shali (Deoban) and Larji

Groups. The Deoban Group mainly consists of carbonate rocks in

association with slate and quartzite. The Shali Group represents a

shallow stable platform type of sedimentation. The Lower

Neoproterozoic rocks are classified under Jaunsar, Simla and

Haimanta Groups. The onset of Palaeozoic age is indicated by

arenaceous sediments of Tal Group occurring in the core of Nigali

Dhar and Korgai synclines. In the Spiti/Kinnaur and Higher Himalaya,

Cambrian rocks are represented by Kunzam La and ParahioFormations. The Sanugba Group represents the Ordovician-

Devonian suite of rocks in the Spiti area. The Devonian period is

represented by Muth Formation, comprising medium to fine grained

white to mottled, locally grey quartz-arenite. Carboniferous rocks are

represented by Kanawar Group, exposed in the Spiti Basin. It has

been divided into Lipak, Po and Ganmachidam Formations. The

Kuling Group in the Spiti / Kinnaur area is of Permian comprising

Salooni Formation in Chamba area and Kukti Formation of Tandi

Group in Chandra-Bhagha valley of Lahaul. The Linag Group

representing Triassic in Spiti valley lies over Kuling Group. The

Gushal Formation of Tandi Group represents the Triassic-Jurassic

sequence. The Lagudarsi Group of Cretaceous age is divisible into

Giumal and Chikkim Formations. The Palaeocene - Eocene

sedimentary sequence in Lesser Himalayan Tectogen is represented

by Kakra Formation and Subathu Formation, mostly occurring as

outliers over diverse pre-Palaeogene formations. The Dagshai

Formation (Late Eocene to Oligocene) overlies the Subathu

Formation. The Early Miocene Kasauli Formation exhibits normal

and transitional contact with Dagshai Formation. The Middle

Miocene to Middle Pleistocene rocks are represented by Siwalik

Supergroup which is divisible into Lower, Middle and Upper Siwalik

Groups. The Lower Siwalik Group consists of sandstone - clay

alternation and has yielded a rich mammalian fauna including

Hipparionsp., Giraffoidgenera, Crocodilussp. and Chelonicerassp.

It succeeds to the Middle Siwalik Group with a gradational contact

and comprises a thick succession of coarse micaceous sandstone

with interbeds of earthy clay. The significant vertebrate fossils

present in these rocks include Bramapithecus sivalensis Lewis,

Dryopithecus punjabicusPilgrim, Ramapithecus brevirostrisLewis

and Sivapithecus sivalensis Lydekker. Other fossils present are

Hipparion theobaldi, Stegodon cautleyi, Hippopotamus sp. and

Girrafokeryxsp. The Upper Siwalik Group consists of thick coarse

sandstone, grit and conglomerate with local clay beds. These have

yielded faunal assemblages Stegodon ganesa, Hypselphassp.,

Equus cautleyi, Hexaprotodonsp., Rhinoceros platyrhinus, Hemibos

triquetricornis, Leptobos sp., Hippopotamus sp., Crocodylus

biporcatusand Gavialis browni. The fresh water Siwalik rocks were

deposited in the foredeep formed in front of the Himalayan range.

Thick pile of fluvial, f luvio-glacial, glacial, lacustrine and gravitational

sediments represents post-Siwalik Quaternary deposits, which aredivided into Older Alluvium and Newer Alluvium. The Older Alluvium

comprises multi-cyclic sequence of brown to grey silt, clay with

kankar and reddish brown to grey micaeous sand with pebbles. The

Newer Alluvium has been sub-divided into Fan Alluvium, Terrace

Alluvium and Channel Alluvium. The undifferentiated Quaternary

deposits of Spiti valley have been classified into glaciogenic, glacio-

fluvial, lacustrine and mass wasting deposits. A number of granitic

rocks ranging in age from Proterozoic to Tertiary era are widely

exposed in the Himachal Himalaya. These can be broadly grouped

as: (i) Mandi - Darla volcanics (ii) volcanic rocks of Manikaran -

Rampur area and (iii) the traps associated with the Salooni

Formation.


Mineral Resources

A variety of minerals are known from the Himachal Pradesh but

except for limestone / dolomite, baryte and gypsum, none has

economic significance. Small occurrences of asbestos have been

reported from Kangra and Mandi districts and in north of Shimla town.

Small occurrences of iron ore as pockets, lenses, veins and

disseminations have been reported from Kangra, Kinnaur, Kullu,

Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur districts. Rock salt reserve of 7.5 million

tonnes has been reported from Mandi district. Stibnite reserves of

10,582 tonnes have been located in Lahaul and Spiti districts.

Angiospermous fossil flower (~4 mm), Kasauli Formation, Solan


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Geological and Mineral Map of Himachal Pradesh


Scale


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Geology

The state of Punjab with an area

of 50,362 sq km and the Union

Territory of Chandigarh with an

area of 114 sq km lie in Indo-

Gangetic plains. The two broadgeomorphic entities, the Siwalik

foothills in the northeastern part

of Punjab and alluvial fills

o f Indus dra inage bas in

physiographically characterize

the area. The dominant

physiographic highs are Lahore-Sargodha ridge in west, Delhi-

Jagadhari ridge in east, series of Siwalik ridges in northeast and the

Delhi-Lahore ridge in south.

The area is covered by the rocks of Siwalik Supergroup (Tertiary) and

Quaternary Alluvium and Aeolian Deposit.

The Siwalik Supergroup is classified into three groups, namely Lower

Siwalik, Middle Siwalik and Upper Siwalik. The rocks of Lower and

Middle Siwalik Groups are exposed as NW-SE trending ridges in the

northeastern part of Gurdaspur district, while Upper Siwalik rocks are

exposed in Ropar, Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur districts. The Lower

Siwalik Group, represented by the Chinji Formation, is chiefly

composed of fine to medium grained, sporadically pebbly sandstone

and chocolate to maroon claystone. The Middle Siwalik Group

comprises Dhok Pathan and Nagri Formations. The former consists

of poorly sorted massive, grey, coarse grained and micaceous

sandstone with minor conglomerate. The Nagri Formation comprises

alternating conglomerate and red clay. The Upper Siwalik Group ismade up of coarse gravel and boulder conglomerate alternating with

clay bands and sandstone. Its contact with the overlying Quaternary

sediments is unconformable.

The Quaternary sediments are about 4,500m thick pile. The basin

configuration indicates that the Punjab basin is deeper in the

northern side and shallower southward, deepest being towards NW.

The Punjab Basin is parallel to the general trend of Siwalik hills i.e.

NW-SE. The Quaternary alluvium has been divided into three

chronostratigraphic units- The Older Alluvium, formed by the

deposition of the pre-existing palaeodrainage system of Middle to

Late Pleistocene period, the Newer Alluvium, formed of

Holocene/Recent streams and the Aeolian deposits. Based on thedegree of consolidation, dunes can be divided into three categories -

stabilized and consolidated older dunes, intermediate and semi-

consolidated dunes, and mobile and reversible newer dunes.

Gold occurs as placers in the present day streams draining the rocks

of Siwalik Supergroup. Some minor occurrences of mineral deposits

viz. alkaline soil/ kallar/ reh, calc-tufa, foundry sand, glass sand,

kankar, potash, salt peter, clay and sand are also recorded.

Mineral Resources

Geotechnical Projects

The Ranjit Sagar Dam, a multipurpose project over river Ravi is a fine

embodiment of inter-state relationship and cooperation between the

states of Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir. Located near Pathankot in

Gurdaspur district of Punjab, the project comprises 160m high and

600m long rockfill dam with a surface Power House of 600 MWcapacity. The association of Geological Survey of India with the

Project stems way back to the time of its conception. The foundation

gallery below the clay core running all through the dam foundation is

a unique feature and first of its kind in a rockfill dam in India.

The project is located on the southwestern limb of regional anticline

comprising 4m to 40m thick sandstone and 4m to 30m thick

claystone / siltstone bands of Lower Siwaliks in the Outer Himalaya.

The disposition of various lithounits is about 45 askew to the dam

axis with traceable continuity of different litho-bands from left to right

abutment. The lithounits are dissected by two major joint sets,

parallel to bedding and striking NE-SW with sub-vertical to vertical

dips. The rocks are traversed by two faults in the left spillway area

and by a group of more prominent, approximately WNW-ESE

trending faults, in the inlet portal area of diversion tunnels.

Development of shears and fractures in rocks, mainly parallel to the

bedding plane, are common. Rock creep was observed in the bucket

portion of the spillway.

The dam area is located in active Seismic Zone-V as per the Seismic

Zoning Map of India (ISI 1895-1970), on the western fringe of Kangra

Seismic Block, which is demarcated by Ravi Tear in the west and

Sundernagar Fault in the east. Hence, suitable seismic co-efficient

have been provided for safe design of the dam.

The project has immensely benefitted the nation, more particularlythe states of Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir by providing the much

needed electricity and water for irrigation to the farmers besides flood

moderation.

A view of Rangit Sagar Dam



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Geological and Mineral Map of Punjab and Chandigarh


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Geology

The state of Haryana, having an

area of 44,212 sq km, is bounded

by Punjab in the northwest,

H i m a c h a l P r a d e s h a n d

Uttarakhand in the north andnortheast, Delhi and Uttar

Pradesh in the east and

southeast and by Rajasthan in

the west and southwest. Three

major geomorphic units, viz.

Structural and Denudation hills,

Alluvial Plains and Aeolian Plains

have been identified. The Structural and Denudation hills are a series

of rugged parallel ridges composed of Siwalik rocks in the northern

part and widely spaced isolated ranges of Delhi Supergroup in

southern parts. The Alluvial plains representing the Late Quaternary

sediments are sub-divided into three zones, namely, piedmont,

central alluvial plains and marginal alluvial plains. The Aeolian plainsare the northeastern extension of the Thar Desert and comprise sand

dunes and sand sheets. The dunes are up to 0.410 m high, upto 5 km

long and stabilized to active in nature. The stabilized dunes are

longitudinal and oval in shape while the active dunes are transverse

and barchans type. The latter shows easterly, westerly and

southeasterly trends of sand migration. Sand sheets are present in

the dunal plain areas adjoining the Thar Desert. These very fine-

grained sand sheets are up to 0.52 m thick

Nearly 95% area is covered by Quaternary Alluvium and Aeolian

sediments and the rest represents the Proterozoic rocks by the Delhi

Supergroup and the Tertiary rocks. The Delhi Supergroup is divided

into an older Alwar Group and a younger Ajabgarh Group. The former

is dominantly arenaceous with argillaceous intercalations while thelatter is mainly argillaceous with arenaceous and calcareous

components. The Alwar Group is represented by Bayal-Pachnota

Formation comprising quartzite with well preserved sedimentary

structures like bedding, cross bedding, ripple marks and load casts.

The Ajabgarh Group comprises slate, phyllite, pelitic schist,

limestone and quartzite, grading upward from calcareous to

argillaceous facies. It is divided into five formations, viz. Golwa-

Gangutana Formation, Deota-Dantal Formation, Thanaghazi

Formation, Asarwas Formaion and Tasing Formation. The rocks of

Delhi Supergroup are intruded by acidic and basic intrusive

rocks.The acid intrusive are granite, granodiorite, tonalite, aplite,

pegmatite, hypabyssal feldspar porphyry and quartz veins while the

volcanic phase is represented by basalt, rhyolite and tuff.

Occurrences of ultrabasic rocks like albitite have also been reported.

The northeastern part of Haryana exposes rocks of Subathu,

Dagshai and Kasauli Formations and Siwalik Supergroup. The

Subathu Formation consists mainly of calcareous and argillaceous

rocks including thick beds of gritty clays. The impure limestone is

highly fossiliferous. This is succeeded by Dagshai Formation

characterising thicker beds of sandstone with purplish tint. The top of

the Dagshai Formation is marked by purple and green sandstone

and subordinate clays. It passes conformably into overlying Kasauli

Formation which comprises essentially sandstone with minor

argillaceous bands. These standstones are grey to greenish, soft,

coarse and more micaceous than the sandstone of Dagshai

Formation. The shales are soft and green. Grey clay slates also

occur in these rocks.

A tectono-stratigraphic domain comprising Neogene-Quaternary

molasses sediments, known as Siwalik Supergroup, sub-divided into

Lower, Middle and Upper Siwalik Groups, occurs in the northern part

of the state. The undifferentiated rocks of Lower Siwalik Group

collectively referred to as Nahan Formation is in contact with the

boulder conglomerate of the Upper Siwalik Group along the Nahan

Thrust. The Middle Siwalik Group, on the basis of frequency of

sandstone and mudstone deposits, has been divided into lower Nagri

Formation and upper Dhok Pathan Formation. The Upper Siwalik

rocks are represented by Saketi, Pinjor and Kalar Formations.

The Quaternary deposits thickening from south to north are mainly

alluvial with minor incursions of aeolian and lacustrine lenses. These

have been classified into Older Alluvium, comprising mainlybrownish silt-clay, clay, and grey micaceous sand, calcretised at

several levels, Newer Alluvium and Aeolian deposits. The Newer

Alluvium comprises mainly Holocene deposits consisting of gravels

and sand near mountain exits and grey micaceous sand and silt in

the downstream (Terrace Alluvium). The Aeolian deposits are brown,

fine sand dunes and sheets. The sand belongs to at least three

episodes of deposition.

Mineral occurrences include both metallic and non-metallic deposits,

but only the latter have been economically exploited so far. The tin-

tungsten mineralization occurs near Tosham, Bhiwani district in an

alteration-environ of acid magmatic rocks, viz. the granites and the

rhyolites associated with metasediments showing quartz-muscovite-

sericite assemblage of greisen type. The zone of tin mineralization

with fine dissemination of cassiterite occurs with altered rocks.

Wolframite occurs as sporadic, coarse, anhedral intergrowth with

gangue and copper-iron sulphide (chalcopyrite). Total resource of tin

Mineral Resources

Erosional Structure in Polycyclic Sequence of Sandstone andMudstone, Tatrot Formation, Upper Siwalik Group



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Quartzite occurs as good quality building material in Faridabad,

Gurgaon, Rohtak and Mahendragarh districts. It is extensively used

as rail ballast and in concrete aggregates whereas fissile quartzite is

used for roofing and as masonry blocks. The sandstone beds of

Ambala district provide large source of good quality building material.

Limestone and dolomite, found in Mahendragarh and Ambala

districts, are also suitable for building material. Unwashed samples

of quartzite from Faridabad district contain more than 95% SiO2. The

quartzite from Bhiwani district is suitable for the manufacture of

window glass and bottle glass. The foundry sand in Sonepat districthas high (79%) silica.

and tungsten are estimated to be 86,220 tonnes and 3,568 tonnes

respectively. The incidence of gold from rocks hosting sulphide

mineralization in Ajabgarh Group of rocks in Mahendragarh district

and also from Yamuna Nagar and Ambala districts have been

reported. Nitre occurs as natural efflorescence at a number of places

in the districts of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Bhiwani, Hissar, Sirsa,

Ambala, Rohtak, Jind, Sonepat and Kurukshetra. Pegmatite veins in

the rocks of Delhi Supergroup have given rise to workable clay

deposits in Faridabad and Gurgaon districts. The clay comprises

kaolinite and little amount of quartz and is of refractory type.

Geological and Mineral Map of Haryana


Scale


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Geology

Ajabgarh Group

The state of Delhi covers an area

of 1,483 sq km and is bounded on

its north, west and south by

Haryana and on its east by Uttar

Pradesh. It exhibits more or lessflat terrain except for a NNE-

SSW trending Delhi Ridge that

occurs in the southeastern part.

The flat portions are occupied by

Quaternary sediments, while

ridge comprises hard rocks. The

eastern side of ridge has an undulating topography and the area on

west is dotted with isolated sand dunes. The main drainage is

Yamuna River. A few palaeo-channel scars have been manually

canalized and drain into Yamuna River. There is considerable

anthropogenic influence on the present topography. A number of

small seasonal rivulets descending from the ridge disappear in theplains. Geomorphologically, Delhi has been classified into following

four geomorphic units, based on dominant land forming processes

responsible for their genesis. Denudational hills or rocky surfaces are

structurally controlled relict, linear ridges and isolated hillocks

representing rocks of Delhi Supergroup whose Mehrauli-Fatehpur

Beri Ridge with trellis/sub-trellis/sub-dendritic drainage has the

overall slope towards southwest and NE-SW trending Masudpur-

Wazirabad Ridge, popularly known as Delhi Ridge, shows steep

slopes on both flanks. The Older Alluvial Plain is a gently undulatory

terrain with soft Quaternary sediments and occurs on either side of

the rocky surface except the low-lying tract along Yamuna. The Flood

Plain of Yamuna River is a low-lying belt of Khadaralong YamunaRiver in the eastern part of Delhi and is marked by a 3m to 4m high

bluff. The flood plain is characterized by abandoned channels, cut-off

meanders, meander scrolls, ox-bow lakes, crevasse splays, point

bars and channel bars. Presence of a number of cut-off meanders

suggests oscillatory shifting of river. The lakes near Bhalsawa, Kondli

and Khichdipur are remnant of such large meanders. The flood plain

has been sub-divided into an older flood plain and active flood plain.

Aeolian surface is characterised by brown sediment deposits of fine

to medium grained yellowish sand with minor salt content.

The Delhi Supergroup is represented by the rocks of Ajabgarh Group

covering nearly 15% area of state mainly in the southeastern part

while the rest is covered by Quaternary to Recent sediments.

The Ajabgarh Group in Delhi is referred to as Bharkol Formation

(equivalent to Asarwas Formation in Haryana). It is essentially an

arenaceous sequence with thin argillaceous bands. This formation is

dominantly represented by quartzite with interbands of phyllites, tuffs

and schists. The quartzites are grey to light blue, massive, hard and

highly jointed assuming boulder nature because of its spheroidal

weathering. The oxidation of pyrites imparts a reddish tinge. The

primary sedimentary structures like ripple mark, cross bedding,

convolute lamination and load casts are preserved. The

asymmetrical ripple marks are the most prominent sedimentary

features. The quartzites contain very thin interbands of quartz-mica

schist, muscovite-biotite schist, staurolite-garnet schist and

garnetiferous-mica schist. At some places within the quartzites there

are bands of very fine grained, grey to greenish-grey, compact,

soapy to rough ash and tuffaceous rocks. These are interbedded with

friable feldspathic quartzites and schists. In the vicinity of pegmatite

intrusions, garnet and pyrite are found within these bands giving rise

to amygdaloidal appearance.

The pegmatites have intruded into the rocks of Ajabgarh Group along

joints of varied orientations, shears and fault zones. It comprises

quartz, K-feldspar and mica with tourmaline and rarely beryl. The

alteration of K-feldspars in pegmatites has resulted in the formation

of kaoline deposits.

Most of the area of Delhi state is covered by unconsolidated younger

Quaternary sediments, which unconformably rest over the hard

rocks of Delhi Supergroup. Based on the sediment characters, these

can be classified as Older Alluvium which is a thick sequence of

brown oxidized fluvial sediments comprising silt, clay and micaceous

sand with disseminated nodules and bands of kankar, clay and sand

are its two major components and Newer Alluvium which is about 25

m thick sequence of loose sediments deposited by Yamuna River. It

occurs as terrace deposit (Terrace Alluvium) as well as channel

deposits (Channel Alluvium). The Terrace Alluvium disconformably

lies over the Older Alluvium, and is composed of grey to light brown

silt, clay and fine to coarse-grained micaceous sand. The Channel

Alluvium occurs along the active channels of Yamuna and comprises

grey, fine to coarse-grained micaceous sand constituting point and

channel bars and overbank sediments. The Aeolian Deposits are

minor sandy deposits occurring as isolated, stabilized mounds and

humps. However, in most of the cases characteristic dune features

have been obliterated due to cultivation. The disposition of these

dunes indicates predominant wind direction from west to east.

Quartzite, occupying a fairly large area along Delhi Ridge provides a

large source of good quality building material and road metal.

Weathering of quartzite produces reddish brown morrum and

angular sand, suitable for building purposes (mortar & plaster etc.)

and is found to accumulate in the numerous rivulets traversing the

quartzite hills. The alluvial sand suitable for masonry work is being

extracted at various places from the Yamuna bed.

Post-Delhi Intrusives

Quaternary Sediments

Mineral Resources


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China clay (Kaolin) is the only major mineral produced in Delhi state.

The total resource of china clay deposits are of the order of 5289

thousand tonnes, out of which 857 tonnes are in measured category.

Kaoline found in this belt is generally high in iron oxide and is suitable

for ceramic industry. Fire clay resource available in Delhi is estimated

at 64,000 tonnes, out of which 6,000 tonnes are in measured

category. The fire clays are used in manufacturing bricks, crucibles

and the low grade variety is used in manufacturing sanitary wares,

such as pipes, bath tubs etc.

Large quantities of silica sand (white variety) are being mined at

Mahipalpur, Badarpur, Masudpur and the areas between Dhaula

Kuan and Chanakyapuri. It is used in glass industry, foundry, ferro-

alloys and refractory industries and as building material.


Geological and Mineral Map of Delhi

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Geology

The Extra Peninsular Region

The states of Uttar Pradesh (UP)

and Uttarakhand (UK) together

cover an area of 294,413 sq km

and have state boundary with

Himachal Pradesh, Haryana,

Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya

P r a d e s h , C h h a t t i s g a r h ,

Jharkhand and Bihar while China

and Nepal mark international

boundary. Physiographically, the

terrain has broadly been divided

into Extra-Peninsula, Gangetic

Plains, and Peninsular Uplands. The northern mountains in

Uttarakhand are a part of the Himalayan mountain chain known as

Extra Peninsular Region. Various streams have cut through deep

gorges to enter into the Ganga Plain. The higher Himalayan range is

characterized by glaciers and lofty snow-covered peaks in the

region. The Ganga Plain is the youngest Quaternary fluvial plain.

The area is made up of rocks ranging from the oldest Archaean

metamorphites / granitoids to the youngest Quaternary deposits.

Major part of Uttar Pradesh is covered by Alluvium which constitutes

the Ganga Plain.

The Himalayan tectonogene comprising Late Proterozoic and

Phanerozoic rocks has been sub-divided into four major morpho-

tectonic belts from south to north namely, Sub or Outer Himalaya,

Lesser Himalaya, Higher Himalaya and Tethys Himalaya. Higher

Himalaya and most of the Lesser Himalaya comprise mainly

Proterozoic weak- to un- metamorphosed sedimentary sequences,

which host some stromatolites and records of early life. These

metamorphic rocks and associated granite gneisses and migmatites

of Palaeoproterozoic age have been referred as 'Crystallines'.

Mesoproterozoic rocks are characterised by extensive development

of quartzite with penecontemporaneous volcanic flows and

carbonates. This sequence is succeeded by carbonate predominant

lithounits of Deoban and Garhwal Groups. The carbonate zone

passes upward into quartzite impregnated with volcanic flows

forming the Berinag Formation in Garhwal-Kumaon region and

Naugaon metavolcanics in Tons-Yamuna region. The

Neoproterozoic sequences, that constitute a major part of the outer

Lesser Himalaya, commences with the older Mandhali Formation, a

conglomerate predominant rock, overlain successively by shaly /

slaty Chandpur Formation and Nagthat Formation of quartzite with

minor shale. These three formations together constitute the JaunsarGroup which is overlain by Neoproterozoic rocks of the Blaini-Krol-

Tal sequence.

The Palaeozoic rocks are mainly exposed in Tethyan Himalaya and

sporadically in the Lesser Himalaya. The contact of the Tethyan

sedimentaries with the underlying crystalline sequence of the Higher

Himalaya is tectonic. The beginning of Palaeozoic Era is marked by

appearance of Redlichiasp. in Milam Formation (Late Proterozoic to

Early Cambrian) that succeeds to Ralam Formation and Garbayang

Formation (Ordovician) of Martoli Group. The Variegated Formation

(Silurian) is followed by quartzite of Muth Formation (Devonian)

which has yielded brachiopod fossils viz. Pentamerus oblongus,

Pentamerifera sp. Seven metre thick white ferruginous quartzite

overlying the Muth quartzite has been assigned Late Devonian-Early

Carboniferous age. A thick sequence of predominant carbonates

overlying the Muth Formation in Kali valley has been named as Kali

Formation (early Carboniferous). This passes upward into GirthigalFormation, which has yielded Upper Carboniferous brachiopods.

The Kuling Formation (Permian) is unconformably overlying the Kali

and Girthigal Formations and has yielded Marginifera himalayansis,

Cyclolobas oldhamiof Upper Permian age. The Palaeozoic in Lesser

Himalaya is represented by the Tal Group followed by the lower Bijni

Formation or Boulder Slate Formation. The Tal Group has been sub-

divided into lower Deo-Ka-Tibba Formation and upper Dhaulagiri

Formation. On the basis of discovery of Redlichiasp., and other fossil

assemblages from upper part of the lower Tal, the Precambrian -

Cambriam boundary has been placed between chert and

arenaceous member of the Deo-ka-Tibba Formation. The

Carboniferous period is represented by the Boulder Slate Formation.

Lower part of overlying Bijni Formation has yielded fossils of LatePalaeozoic age.

The evidence of Mesozoic life is well preserved in rock sequences

exposed in Tethyan Himalaya. The Chocolate Formation has yielded

ammonoids and some vertebrate fossils of Early Triassic age. The

argillaceous dominant facies passes upward into Kalapani

Limestone which, in turn, is succeeded by Kuti Shale. On the basis of

fossil records from underlying and overlying sequences, Late

Triassic age has been assigned to this formation. The Kioto

Limestone Formation, Laptal Formation and Spiti Shale represent

Jurassic sediments while Giumal Sandstone, Chikkim and Sangcha

Malla Formations in ascending order represent Cretaceous.

The Tertiary period is represented by two contrasting sequences

exposed in Lesser Himalaya and Sub-Himalaya. In Lesser Himalaya,

the marine facies Tertiary rocks have been grouped as Subathu

Formation (Palaeocene-Middle Eocene). The younger fluvial

sediments constitute the Siwalik Supergroup which is exposed in the

Sub-Himalaya. The rocks of Dharamshala Group (Oligocene and

Early Miocene) occupy a position between Subathus and Siwaliks

and are only exposed in the western part of Uttarakhand. The

Neogene (Middle Miocene to Lower Pleistocene), represented by a

thick sequence of claystone, sandstone and conglomerate beds is

commonly referred to as the Siwalik Supergroup, which is divisible

into a basal sandstone-claystone sequence of Lower Siwalik Group

overlain by grey coarse sandstone dominant sequence of Middle

Siwalik Group and arenaceous to pebbly-conglomeratic facies

interbedded with orange clay of Upper Siwalik Group. The upper partof the Upper Siwalik Group is of Lower Pleistocene age. Vertebrate

fauna, larger and smaller bovideans etc. have been reported from

Siwalik rocks of eastern Uttarakhand.

Unconsolidated glacial deposits occurring as lateral and terminal

moraines of Lower Pleistocene age are present in Higher Himalaya.

The fluvial deposits are represented by Dun Gravels (Middle to Late

Pleistocene) and multi-level terraces, developed along major rivers.

Lacustrine deposits are widely developed in the outer Lesser



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Himalaya of Kumaon region. These glacial, fluvial and lacustrine

deposits range in age from Middle Pleistocene to Holocene.

The granitoids of Uttarakhand are of foliated and nonfoliated types

and occur at different tectonic levels; and both are associated with

Central Crystalline rocks. The granitoids occur as klippe in the Lesser

Himalaya and form parts of the Almora - Ramgarh, Baijnath-Askot

and Garhwal nappes.

The Peninsular region is represented by rocks of Bundelkhand

Granitoid Complex (BGC), made of a wide variety of plutonic and

hypabyssal rocks dominated by porphyritic granite of several

generations, gneisses, migmatites and leucogranites, Dudhi

Gneissic Complex (DGC), consisting mainly of granite gneiss,

migmatites and non-foliated granite with enclaves of metamorphites

and veins of pegmatite, aplite and quartz, and Mahakoshal Group,

Bijawar Group and Vindhyan Supergroup. Rocks of Mahakoshal

Group, Bijawar Group and Vindhyan Supergroup constitute the

Proterozoic sequence. Mahakoshal Group represents the

Palaeoproterozoic period and includes metasediments with

interlayered metavolcanics and granitic

bodies intruding it. The suite of igneous

rocks was formed in the faulted troughswithin Mahakoshal Group in the Jungel

valley of Sonbhadra district and is called

Jungel Volcanics of Palaeo- to Meso-

proterozoic period. The Neoproterozoic

is represented by the rocks of the Rewa

and Bhander Groups of Vindhyan

Supergroup.

The r oc k s o f the Gondwana

Supergroup occupy a small area in

S onbhad r a d i s t r i c t r ep r es en t

Palaeozoic time.

On the basis of lithology, the Quaternary

sediments of the Gangetic plain have

been broadly classified into Older

Alluvium (Banda Alluvium and Varanasi

Alluvium) and Newer Alluvium. The

Banda Alluvium, which has provenance

in peninsular/cratonic region rests over

the Precambrian rocks. The sediments

of Varanasi Alluvium of (Middle to Late

Pleistocene age) derived from the

Himalayan provenance overlie Banda

Al luv ium . The Ne we r Al lu vi um

represents the youngest sequence.Generally, this sequence is confined

within the flood plain limits of present

day rivers.

Several gold occurrences have been

reported from peninsular region and

extra-peninsular regions as well as in

the gravels and sand of Gangetic Plain.

The Peninsular Region

The Gangetic Plain

Mineral Resources

Basemetal mineralisation is confined to the rocks of Proterozoic age.

Tungsten mineralisation is known from Almora and Chamoli districts

in Uttarakhand, and Sonbhadra and Hamirpur districts in Uttar

Pradesh. Limestone occurs in Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts of

shield area and in almost all the districts of Uttrakhand. Important

deposits are located in Dehradun, Nainital, Pauri Garhwal,

Pithoragarh, Tehri Garhwal, Sonbhadra and Mirzapur districts.

Phosphorite deposits occur in Lalitpur and Dehradun and Tehri

Garhwal districts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, respectively.

Silica sand, suitable for glass industry, are found to occur inAllahabad, Banda, Chandauli, Lalitpur and Varanasi districts of UP,

and Uttarkashi district of UK. The magnesite and talc deposits are

reported from Almora, Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts. Mineable

slates occur in Almora, Chamoli, Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh districts.

Graphite is reported from Almora and Pauri Garhwal districts.

Gypsum deposits are known from Dehradun, Nainital, Pauri Garhwal

and Tehri Garhwal districts. Occurrences of Barytes have been

reported from Almora, Chamoli, Dehradun, Nainital, Pauri Garhwal,

Tehri Garhwal and Pithoragarh districts. Marble is found in Dehradun

district.

Geological and Mineral Map of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand


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