A Geological Field Report on Jaintiapur and its

adjoining areas, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Submitted by
Name: Md. Ashikur Rahman
Year (Session): 2015-16
Exam Roll: 150404
Class Roll: 2459
Registration No.: 41392

Submitted to field supervisors

Department of Geological Sciences

The study area lies in the north-eastern part of Surma basin as well as greater Bengal Basin. The investigated
area is situated at the south of Shillong Massif and lies in between latitude -2505'N to 2512'N, longitude
9201'E to 9212''E which studied into six sections

The jaitiapur and its adjoining area is a tectonically complex zone. The area is controlled by the active ‘Dauki
Fault system’. The investigated area lies between two different tectonical condition in opposite side. In the
north the uplifted Shillong Plateau and in the south subsiding Surma Basin.

The area forms a narrow east-west elongated strip along the foothills of Khasi-Jaintia hill range. The exposed
rocks can be classified into nine lithostratigraphic units- Gravel with silt and sandy matrix, Variegated
sandstone, Mottled clay, Yellowish brown sandstone, Sandy shale, Silty shale, Pinkish sandstone,, Black shale,
Sylhet limestone .These formations were correlated with the standard Formation of Assam on the basis of gross
lithology.

It appears from the rock records that the depositional conditions in the basin varied quite considerably and were
at time cyclic in nature. Analysis of different facies associations that observed in different formation and
application of different facies model indicates that the Sediments of different formations were deposited in
continental, continental fluviatile, deltaic, marine and shallow marine environment. The depositional
environment for these rock units is marked by both marine transgression and regression.

The area is good for Economic Geology, there is rich amounts of Boulders, Sand, Shale which is very useful.

Page-1
Content
Chapter Page no.

Abstract 1

Content 2

1.Introduction 3

2. Sedimentary lithofacies 3-4

3. Stratigraphy and correlation 5-6

4. Depositional environment 6

5. Structure 7

6. Conclusion 8

Acknowledgement 9

References 10

Appendix 11-12

Page-2
Introduction
Field Geology is the capstone course for the Geology program and requires knowledge gained in Geomorphology,
Petrology, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Paleontology-micropaleontology, Structural Geology and GIS.

The Jaintiapur and Adjoining areas, Sylhet District is bounded by Shillong Plateau to the North separated by E-W running
Dauki Fault, South-Western Margin Of Assam to the East and Madhupur-Tripura High to the South.

Location of the area: latitude -2505'N to 2512'N, longitude 9201'E to 9212''E

During our field investigation we worked out along the following sections:

o Jaflong -Tamabil Road Cut section

The key objectives include-

1. Practice identifying rocks in the field,

2. Learn how to use basic field equipment,

3. Identify sedimentary structures and understand the depositional environments,

4. Determine the stratigraphic relationships and correlation of the strata,

5. Understand the structural relationship of the rocks based on field measurement,

6. Identify major structures in the area and to construct geologically valid 2D cross-sections to show style of deformation,

7. Synthesize the geological history of the area

Field equipment: clinometer, hammer, pocket lens, HCL, measuring tape, camera, sample bag.

2. Sedimentary lithofacies
Lithofacies means the mappable subdivision of a designated stratigraphic unit distinguished from adjacent subdivisions on
the basis of lithology. Sedimentary facies is a mass of sedimentary rock which can be distinguish and defined from others
by geometry, lithology, sedimentary structure and paleocurrent patterns and fossils i.e. sedimentary facies is the aspect or
character of the sediment.
Limestone facies:
Limestone (Fig-1) characterizes whitish grey in color, poorly porous, very hard and compact, thickness about 50m, blocky
in nature. It is non-clastic and highly fossiliferous. The Nummulitic fossils are identified in naked eyes white to dirty white
color and concentric appearance which is classified as macrofossil. Besides, microfossil and crystalline limestone observed,
observed in Unit-A only in Dauki river area in Jaflong-Tamabil road cut section.
Shale dominant facies: Bluish grey in color, fissile in nature, argillaceous cementing material, laminated shale, silty shale
present (Fig-2). Highly organic rich material can act as a good source rock. Paper lamination, microcross lamination,
lenticular bedding characterizes the facies
Lenticular bedded shale facies:
Fine grained, greyish color. Argillaceous cementing material. Mud ratio higher than sand comprise this type of facies. It is
found in shale mainly in Silty Shale and Alternation of Sandstone and Shale unit (fig-3).
Wavy bedded facies: Gray in color, Shale, mudstone, with sandstone, lenticular, wavy bedding structures (fig-4).
Page-3
Flaser bedded sandstone facies:
Yellowish brown color, medium to fine grained (fig-5). Here the amount of deposited sand exceeds mud deposits. Observed
in Silty Shale, Alternation of Sandstone and Shale rock unit.
Trough cross bedded facies: Pinkish, yellowish brown, reddish, pinkish white colors, . Highly weathered, medium to coarse
grained, mixed clay silt and mudstone found. Planar and trough cross bedding and clay galls etc structures present , pebble
found (fig-6).
Hummocky cross sandstone facies: dark gray in color, cross lamination, sandstone dominant, fine-medium grained (fig-
7).
Low angle cross laminated sandstone:
Low angel cross laminated sandstone(fig-8) facies characterizes yellowish brown color, fine to very fine grain size,
moderately compacted, and the cementing material is ferruginous. We found it Sari river section which was approximately
30m in thickness. It indicates shore face environment.
Massive bedded sandstone:
Pinkish, yellowish brown color, moderately hard and compact, ferruginous cementing material, no sedimentary structure
developed. This type of facies studied in Alternation of Sandstone and Shale, Yellowish Brown Sandstone rock unit (fig-
9).
Pinkish sandstone facies:
Pinkish sandstone facies (Fig-10) mainly pink in color, fine to medium grained, highly permeable, hard and compact,
ferruginous cementing material. Parallel lamination, microcross lamination, clay streak, mud clast observed. It is widely
spread in Pinkish Sandstone rock unit.
Conglomerate facies:
It is dark brown to reddish brown in color, very hard, highly weathered and highly oxidized. This conglomeratic bed is extra
formational because the source area is so far from the depositional basin. It indicates unconformity. Found as a distinctive
geological boundary between Pinkish Sandstone and Silty Shale rock unit(fig-11).
Black shale facies:
Dark grey to black in color contain high organic material, fissile in nature, parallel lamination, planar lamination, cross
lamination sedimentary structure found, dominantly shale, and silty shale present. High organic content results in dark grey
to black color indicate a good source rock. This facies observed in Black Shale rock unit (fig-12).

Page-4
 3. Stratigraphy and correlation
Rock unit Major Lithology Depositional Lithologic Age
rock type environment Symbol

Unit -H Gravel Boulder and pebble beds, poorly consolidated, Fluvial Recent
with silt matrix sorted conglomerate.
and sandy
matrix

Unit -G Variegate Yellowish, pinkish colored coarse grain sandstone. Fluvial Pliocene
d loosely compacted, numerous amount of pebble, to
sandstone cobble, petrified wood, carbonaceous material Pleistoce
ne
present.

Unit -F Mottled Mottled in nature, bluish gray claystone. plant Fluvial Upper
clay impression, crack when dry. Pliocene

Unit –E Yellowish Yellowish brown colored, medium to coarse grained, Fluvial Pliocene
brown moderately compacted, ferruginous cementing
sandstone material

Unit –D2 Sand Grayish to bluish gray and Yellowish-brown Sand Deltaic Upper
shale Shale Alteration, Miocene
alternatio medium to fine grained, argillaceous cementing
n material. lenticular-flasher-wavy bedding, and
ferruginous cementing material also present

Unit –D1 Silty shale Bluish gray shale, paper laminated ,micro cross Shallow marine Lower
laminated , lenticular shale. Miocene

Unit -C Pinkish Yellowish grey colored, Medium to fine grained, Deltaic Oligocene
sandstone moderately compacted, and moderately sorted,
argillaceous and arenaceous cementing material.

Unit -B Grayish Bluish to Black colored, fine to very fine grain, Shallow marine Upper
black Argillaceous cementing material and carbonaceous Eocene
shale cementing material, huge organic matter present

Unit -A Sylhet Highly deformed Limestone, presence of calcareous Shallow marine Middle
limestone cementing material, weathered, Microfossils Eocene
present, Slightly metamorphosed.
Age Stratigraphy of Assam, India (Evans 1932) Stratigraphy of Jaintiapur and adjoining area

Grou Formation Lithology Unit Formation Lithology

Rece Dihing Unconsolidated grey light to Gravel with silt Loose, unconsolidated, heterogeneous,
nt clay and silt with fine sand and sandy matrix mixer of fine-grained sand, silt and clay,
H gray to light yellow color

Pleist Dupi Dupi Sandstone and subordinate Variegated Color Variegated color (yellowish brown,
ocene Tila claystone, friable, medium to pinkish, whitish), fine to medium
Tila course grained G Sandstone grained, moderately sorted, loosely
compacted, clay gall, trough cross
bedding present

E. Tipa Girujan Mottled clay, sandy clay and Mottled Clay Gray to bluish gray in color, having high
Plioc m clay mottled subordinates with plasticity and molted nature Clay gall and
ene clay fossils wood and lignite F mud ball and iron incrustation present.

L. & Tipam Massive, cross bedded Yellowish Brown Yellowish Brown in color, medium to
M. Sandstone ferruginous sandstone, Sandstone loosely compacted, friable & highly
Plioc medium to coarse grained E porous, massive to thinly bedded.
ene with Subordinate silty-shale.

Early Sur Bokabil Bluish grey color, alteration Sandy shale Dark brown color, hardly compact, fine
Mioc ma of siltstone and shale, to medium grain size and calcareous
ene lamination is present D2 cementing material. Lenticular bedding,
flaser bedding, herringbone cross
structure, climbing ripple lamination

L. Bhuban Bluish grey in color, mainly Silty Shale Grey shale fine to medium grain,
Mioc shale and subordinate with lenticular bedding within the sand lens.
ene silty-shale D1

Oligo Bara Sandstone, medium to fine Pinkish Sandstone Pink in color, fine to medium grain,
cene il grained, moderately sorted cementing material ferruginous, highly
and sub-ordinate with shale C permeable. With subordinate bluish grey
shale.

Uppe Jaint Kopili Dark bluish grey alteration Black shale Black in color, fissile in nature,
r ia shale of shale and sandstones with cementing material carbonaceous,
Eoce bands of calcareous B conchoidal fracture, containing very fine
ne sandstones and shale. grained clay minerals

Midd Sylhet Light yellowish grey in color Fossiliferous Whitish grey in color, massive, porous,
le limestone hard and compact crystalline. very hard and compact. These limestone
Eoce A Limestone give effervescence with cold diture Hcl.
ne It is highly fossiliferous

4.Depositional environment
Depositional environment of the investigated area is determined mainly on the basis of lithology, sedimentary structure and
association of different lithofacies.
Limestone (unit- A): The oldest rock unit in the Jaintiapur and its adjoining areas, Fossiliferous, whitish grey color. The
presence of Nummulitic index fossils indicates warm, humid climatic condition and shallow marine depositional
environment of Eocene time.

Black Shale (unit-B): Rock unit is highly organic material rich. Parallel lamination, planar lamination, cross lamination
sedimentary structure found. Dominantly shale, and silty shale present, indicate the shallow marine depositional
environment.

Pinkish Sandstone (unit-C): This rock unit comprises massive medium‐grained sandstone interbedded with siltstone, cross
lamination, parallel lamination. Micro-cross laminated sandstone facies indicate deltaic environment.

Silty Shale (unit-D1): Rock unit characterized by local transgression of environment and fluctuation of energy. Presence of
flaser bedding, parallel lamination, micro-cross lamination, paper lamination and characterized by flaser bedded sandstone
facies, micro-cross laminated facies, siltstone facies, mudstone, claystone facies. The greater percentage of clay, mud, silt
indicate shallow marine environment.

Sandy shale (unit-D2): Rock unit characterized by dark gray shale, siltstone, fine to coarse-grained sandstone. Lenticular
bedding, wavy bedding, flaser bedding, nodular structure, calcareous band in siltstone, all the sedimentary structure
indicates tidal environment.

Yellowish Brown Sandstone (unit-E): This unit characterized by yellowish brown color, medium to coarse grained,
massive, moderately hard and compact contains thin streak of coal, mud clast and enormous clay gall. Low angle cross
bedding, planer cross lamination, trough cross bedding, large scale cross bedding, channel lag deposit. The sedimentary
structures and huge amount clay gall indicate fluvial depositional environment.

Mottled Clay rock (unit-F): Comprises bluish gray color, poorly permeable, soapy feel, and cementing material carbonaceous,
overbank deposit. Its nature is sticky and plastically when wet and formed clay stone when dry, massive in structure. It is
entirely composed of clay sized particles also indicate lower energy meandering influence, fluvial environment.

Variegated color Sandstone (unit-G): This rock unit characterized by whitish, brownish, yellowish, pinkish color, loosely
compact, enormous presence of pebble but less clay gall. Large scale cross bedding, trough cross bedding, flute cast, wood
fragments, plant fossil present. Claystone, mudstone, siltstone facies are associated. All the evidences found in this rock
unit fluvial depositional environment.

Gravels with silt and sandy matrix (unit-F): Comprise mixture of pebble, cobble, sand, silt, yellow and grey, medium-
grained, occasionally pebbly sandstone and clayey sandstone subaerial deposit. Most part of the formation poorly
consolidated. The recent deposition of gravel bed indicate channel deposition which indicate alluvial depositional
environment.

5.Structure
Generally structure means a megascopic feature of a rock mass or rock unit, which can be seen best in the outcrop such
as fold, fault, joint, unconformity etc.

Major Structures:
The major structures found in the investigated area are:
Monoclinal fold: Where the bedding is relatively flat the strata may assume a steeper dip, such a fold is a monocline
[Billngs, M.P., 1974]. Jaintiapur and adjoining areas comprises a monoclinal fold. There are some local anticlinal folds in
the area may be formed due to the diastrophic movement.
page-7
Fault: Fault is a fracture within the rock along which the two blocks are displaced. Jaintiapur and adjacent areas form an
east-west narrow strip along a major thrust, called Dauki Fault. The northern part of this fault was uplifted with the
rising Shillong Massif.

Minor Structures:

The minor structures found in the investigated area are:

Joint: Joint is a fracture in a rock without displacement. Conjugate joints and block joint are found in Jaflong-Tamabil
Road Cut section.

Dragging effect: Dragging effect occur when a competent bed slides past an incompetent bed [Billings M.P., 1986].
Dragging effect observed at Jaflong-Tamabil Road Cut, Nayagang-Kamalabari section and Shari River section.

Unconformity: An unconformity is a surface of erosion or non deposition usually the former that separates younger
strata from older rocks. [Billings, M.P., 1974]. A local unconformity was found in Dauki River section between limestone
and shale. A regional unconformity was found in Nayagang section between pinkish sandstone and bedded sandstone.

Conclusion
The investigated Jaintapur and adjoining areas situated in the North eastern part of Bangladesh and an area of sylhet
district lies in the northern part of Surma Basin which is a sub basin of greater Bengal Basin.

The exposed rock in the investigated area are Limestone (Unit A), Black Shale (Unit B), Pinkish Sandstone (Unit C), Silty
Shale (Unit D1), Sandy Shale (Unit D2), Mottled clay (Unit F), Variegated Color Sandstone (Unit G), Gravels with silt and
sandy matrix Respectively. The characteristics, mineralogy, structure and special features of the rock units indicate that
the depositional environment rapidly change during deposition.

Economically workable deposits in the study area are very few except gravels, conglomerate, limestone and sand.

The investigated time of this area was from 8th February 2020 to 15th February 2020. This is an excellent area for detail
investigation which requires more time, more equipment, more scope and higher knowledge. It’s been a great
experience working on this area.

Page-8
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I want to express my cordial thanks to the authority of our department of Geological Sci
ences, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka for arranging the field work on Jaintiapur and adjoining
areas, Sylhet District which helps us to achieve both theoretical knowledge and practical geology.
I am greatful to my respectable teachers and field supervisors Associate Professor Dr. Hossain Md.
Sayem, Associate Professor Dr.Rashed Abudullah, Associate Professor Dr. Abu Sadat Md. Sayem,
Department of Geological Sciences, Jahangirnagar University for their proper instruction, suggestion,
cordial guidance, careful observation, valuable advice and inspiration during our fieldwork and to
prepare our field report.
For our safely tour, transportation system is important so I also want to thank the transport
committee and Associate Professor Dr. Hossain

Md. Sayem. I want to thank the authority of Jaintiapur Upazilla for solving our accommodation
problem. I also thank our cookers and office staffs.
I would like to thank all of my classmates, seniors and juniors. without their help it was impossible for
me to make our field trip properly.

Finally I am thankful to my parents for their support and the Almighty of ALLAH.

MD. ASHIKUR RAHMAN

Page-9
REFERENCES
1. Billings, M.P., 1974, Structural Geology, Printice-Hall of India Ltd., p.606, New Delhi.
2. Boggs, S. (1995) Principle sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Library of congress cataloging- in
publications data, 2nd edition.
3. Khanam F., Rahman M.J.J., Alam M.M. Abdullah R., (2020). Sedimentology and basin-fill history of the
Cenozoic succession of the Sylhet Trough, Bengal Basin, Bangladesh. International Journal of Earth
Sciences. DOI: 10.1007/s00531-020-01946-1
4. Khanam, F., Rahman, M.J.J., Alam, M., Abdullah, R. (2020) Sedimentology and basin-fill history of the
Cenozoic successions of the Sylhet Trough, Bengal Basin, Bangladesh. International Journal of Earth
Sciences (IJES) DOI: 10. 1007/s00531-020-01946-1 (Springer) (in production)
5. Ahmed, S.T., & Husain, M.M., 1987, The microfossils in the exposed sediments of the Limestone
Quarry, Dauki Nala, Sylhet; Bangladesh Journal of Geology., vol. 6, p. 11 -27, Dhaka.
6. Rahman, MJJ., Sayem, A.S.M., Bhuiyan, M.H. (2014) Geochemistry of the Plio-Pleistocene Dupi Tila
sandstones from the Surma Basin, Bangladesh: Implications for provenance, tectonic setting and
weathering. Himalayan Geology, Vol. 35 (2), 2014, pp. 1-9.
7. Alam, M.K., Hasan, A.K.M.S., Khan, MR, & Whiteney, J.W., 1990, Geological map of Bangladesh, scale
1:1,000,000; Geological Survey of Bangladesh, Dhaka.
8. Sayem Hossain Md., KONG Ling-wei and YIN Song, 2016, Effect of Drying-Wetting Cycles on Saturated
Shear Strength of Undisturbed Residual Soils, American Journal of Civil Engineering, 4(4): 143-150.
9. Chowdhury, K.R., Bishwas, S., 1996, The structural & tectonic set-up of Jaintiapur and adjacent areas,
Sylhet district, Bangladesh; Bangladesh Geoscience Journal., v.2, p,1-14.
10. Khan, F.H., 1991, Geology of Bangladesh; Wiley Eastern, New Delhi.
11. Khan, M.A.M., 1978, Geology of the eastern and the north eastern part of Sadar subdivision Sylhet
district, Bangladesh; Records of G.S.B., vol.2, part.4.
12. Khan, M.R., & Muminullah, M. 1988. Stratigraphic lexicon of Bangladesh-, Records of G.S.B., vol.5, part.l.
13. Khan, S.H. ; Biswas, S. ; Singh, S. ; Pitambar, P.,2006, OSL chronology of Dihing formation and recent
upliftment rate along Dauki fault, NE Bangladesh.
14. Evans,P., 1964, The tectonic framework of Assam; Journal of Geological Society of India., v.5, p.80-86.
15. Krishnan, M.S., 1982, Geology of India and Burma; CBS Publishers & Distributors, Delhi.
16. Krishnan, M.S., 1987, Geology of India and Burma; Higginbotham, Madras, India.

Page-10
Appendix

Figure 1:Fossiliferous Limestone facies observed along the Figure4:11 Photograph showing Wavy bedded facies
Dauki river at Jaglong-Tamabil road cut section observed along the Sari river section

Figure 2:Shale dominant facies observed along the Dauki river Figure 5: Flasser Bedded facies observed along the Sari river
at Jaglong-Tamabil road cut section. section

Figure 3:Lenticular bedded facies observed along the Sari river section. Figure 6:Trough cross Sandstone facies observed along the
Sari river section.

Page-11
Figure 7:Hummockey cross sandstone facies observed along
the Sari river section. Fig 10:pinkish sandstone facies observed Jaflong tamabil roadcut section

Figure 8: low angle cross lamination sandstone facies observed Fig 11: conglomerate facies found in Jaflong-tamabil roadcut section
along the Sari river section

Figure 9: Massive sandstone facies observed along the Dupigaon section. Figure 12: black shale facies in Jaflong-tamabil roadcut section

Page-12