Geological Field Work Carried out along The

Traverse from Umiam to Jowai Road, Ri-Bhoi

District, Meghalaya (India)

A Report Submitted for Partial Fulfilment of

the Requirement of the B.Sc. 4th Semester
(Honours) in Geology,2022.

Submitted by:
Name:

B.Sc. 4th Semester

Roll: US-201-032 No:

Department of Geology
Panoramic views of the study area
 Locational map of Jowai, Meghalaya

Geological map of Ri-Bhoi district, Traverse of 60 km from Umiam lake,

Meghalaya.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The success and final outcome of this field work and report requires a lot
of guidance and assistance from many people and I am extremely
fortunate to have got these all along the completion of my field work.
Whatever I have done is only due to such guidance and assistance and I
would not forget to thank them. At the very outset, I acknowledge, Dr.
Manoj Kumar Mahanta, Principal, Pragjyotish College, for his kind
permission and support extended toward us for the execution of the
geological field work. Then, I acknowledge, Dr.Manjit Kumar Mahanta,
Head, Dept. of Geology, for giving me the opportunity to go for field
work and have a wonderful experience and for providing all necessary
supports and guidance through all possible means.

I gratefully acknowledge Dr. Mridul Rabha and Mr.Rewata Chowhai for

their valuable guidance during field work, with utmost care and pain
and also for advice till the completion of the field trip. I thank them for
providing all necessary ideas and information for capable documenting a
good field report.

I am also thankful and fortunate enough to get constant

encouragement, support guidance from all the teachers of our
department which help me to successfully complete my field report. Last
but not the least, I am thankful to all my classmates who helped in
completion of this field report.

Name:
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that ______________________________a student of

B.Sc. 4th Semester, Geology (honours) of 2020-2023 batch bearing
Roll_______ _____No________ has actively participated and
successfully completed the geological fieldwork carried out in different
areas and location in Jowai (Meghalaya) area carried out on 5th of
September, 2022 collecting primary data and submitting the field report
as prescribed by the syllabus of Gauhati University, Guwahati-14.

This report is the original work of the student prepared under our
guidance.

Teachers in charges:
Dr. Mridul Rabha Mr.Rewata Chowhai

Asstt.Prof. Asstt.Prof.

Department of Geology Department of Geology

Pragjyotish College, Ghy-09 Pragjyotish College, Ghy-09

Group Members of Geological Field work 2022, B.Sc. 4th semester
(Honours)
 CONTENTS
• Purpose of the present geological field work
• General introduction of the study areas
A) Location and accessibility

B) Physiography

C) Climate

• Regional geology

• Lithostratigraphic succession of Meghalaya (Shillong plateau)

• Details of the field study:

A) Introduction

B) Equipments used during field work

C) Methods of field study

D) Station wise lithological and structural delineation of the study

area

• Conclusion.
1) PURPOSE OF THE PRESENT GEOLOGICAL FIELD WORK:
The present geological field work is carried out with a view to fulfill
the requirements as per prescribed in B.Sc.4th Semester (Honours,
Paper No: GLG-SE-4036). However, Geology is a subject where a
field work is an integral part in the process of learning in order to
have the co-relation between the theoretical and practical aspects of
field exposures. For the same purpose a detailed work field work was
carried out in the Ri-Bhoi District, Jowai leading road along a
transverse of 60km from Umiam lake, Meghalaya.

• The main purposes are:

1) To identify the various exposures/litho units, structural unit in that

area.

2) To measure the attitudes (i.e. dip and strike) of the exposed

structural units.

3) Location-wise collection and marking of sample numbers using

GPS.

4) Delineation an interpretation of the area based on available data

created during the field study

5) Interpretation and preparation of the field report based on

extensive field work.
2) GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY AREAS :
A) Location of the study areas:

The locations of the study areas fall within the state of Meghalaya.
Meghalaya is one of the Seven Sister States of northeast India. The
state of Meghalaya is a hilly terrain, with stretches of valley and
highland plateaus, and it is geologically rich. The Shillong is the
capital of Meghalaya, which means "The Abode of Clouds”. It is the
headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. It is said that the rolling
hills around the town reminded the British of Scotland. Hence, they
would also refer to it as the "Scotland of the East". Meghalaya lies
between 25°1´-26°5´ latitudes and 85°49´ and 92°52´ E longitudes.
The state is bounded by Assam on its East, North and North west and
by Bangladesh on the South and South West. The Khasi and Jayanti
hills, which form the central and eastern parts of Meghalaya,
respectively, are imposing plateaus with rolling grasslands, hills and
river valleys. is as low as 4oC in the month of January. The rainfall in
the state is variable, and receives an annual rainfall of about 241.5
cm. The maximum rainfall of 1180.3 cm is recorded in Meghalaya the
world’s wettest place.

• Accessibility:
The Shillong is the capital city of Meghalaya as well as the district
headquarter of East Khasi Hills District. Shillong is the only hill
station in the country that is accessible from all sides. It is situated at
an altitude of 1491m above sea level. This beautiful city is
103Kms from Guwahati, the nearest air and road link. Buses and
Taxis are available means of transportation to Shillong from the
major cities, while Taxis are the easiest way of transportation in and
around Shillong. For the entire field trip we hired a bus along with a
small car which took us to all our desired stations for doing
fieldwork. Also presence of many

geological structures make Shillong plateau the hub of Geology of

India.

B) Physiography of the area under study:

1) Topography: The Shillong plateau exhibits a rugged topography

with numerous hills and hillocks, alluvial plain, dissected hill, plateau,
plain, cliff, U-shaped valley, V-shaped valley. The northern part of the
area is quite steep and gradual decrease in slope towards the
southern part.

2) Vegetation: The region is characterized by beautiful high Pine

trees along with some shrubs covering some extensive areas.

3) Drainage pattern: The drainage pattern is presents a spectacular

feature revealing extraordinary straight courses of river and streams,
evidently along structural lineaments. The magnificent gorges
scooped out by the rivers are a result of massive head ward erosion
by antecedent streams along joints of sedimentary rock. The north
ward flowing rivers meet the mighty Brahmaputra in the Assam
valley and the south ward flowing rivers follow steed gradient and
abruptly falls down to face the Bangladesh plains. Many waterfalls
and gorgeslikeMawsmai and Cherrapunjee falls under this belt the
limestone terrain towards south presents typical karsttopography.
C) Climate: The region experiences tropical monsoon climate; the
summer temperature is as high as 25o C in the month of June and the
mean the mean winter temperature.

• Regional Geology:

The Shillong Plateau is the northeast most extension of the Indian

Peninsula and stands out as a rigid cratonic block. The Precambrian
cratonic block was tectonically detached from the Indian Peninsula
by a large-scale Garo-Rajmahaltectonic graben and is the only
isolated Precambrian terrain of the northeastern region of the Indian
sub-continent. It occupies a pre-eminent status in Indian geology
acting as horst and bordered by Brahmaputra lineament to the north
dextrally moving Dauki fault to the south, Naga-
Disangtharustedschuppen belt to the east and Dhubri-Yamuna
lineament to the west. The Tertiary sediments occupying the
southern parts of Shillong Plateau had inferred to be an extension of
the Bengal Basin, where they exhibit a more or less complete
geological succession from Eocene to Pleistocene. The Shella
Formation of the Jaintia Group mainly occupies the study area that is
the part of the greater Meghalaya shelf south of the Shillong Plateau.
The Geology of Meghalaya characterized by the presence of
diversified rocks. The marine incursion on the south of Meghalaya
Plateau during the Cretaceous-Tertiary time and shallow marine
shelf was responsible for the formation of contrasting shelf facies
sedimentary rocks (Goswami, 1960 and Krishnan, 1968). In contrast,
however, the geosyncline condition was prevalent in the neighboring
areas, namely Assam (Mathur and Evans, 1964). The Lower Tertiary
sequence of Meghalaya shelf comprises an alternating thick
succession of clastic and carbonate sedimentary rock sequence. The
sedimentation of this clastic and carbonates deposited in a variable
depositional environment during the post Sylhet trap effusion. The
rock sequences exposed in a linear belt along the southern fringe of
the Meghalaya plateau.

The sedimentation cycle in the shelf continued across the Cretaceous

Tertiary giving a complete history of sedimentation.

In general, the state of Meghalaya is occupied by rocks belonging to:

(A) Archaean-Proterozoic Gneissic Complex

(B) Khasi basic-ultrabasic Intrusive of Proterozoic age

(C) Shillong group of metasediments of Proterozoic age

(D) Granite plutons viz. Nonpoh and Mylliem Granite plutons and
South Khasi Batholith of Neo-Proterozoic- Lower Palaeozoic age

(E) Lower Gondwana sedimentary rocks of Carboniferous-Permian

age

(F) Cretaceous volcanic rocks represented by Sylhet trap and

Alkaline-Ultramafic–Carbonatite complex of Sung valley

(G) Cretatious-Tertiary shelf sediments, and

(H) Pleistocene to recent fluvial sediment

4) Details of field study:
A) INTRODUCTION

The Shillong plateau of NE India may be considered as a natural

museum where different rock sequencesfrom Proterozoic
toPleistocene-Recent sediments are observed. The plateau is clearly
confined by surrounding tectonic discontinuities / lineaments such as
Garo-Rajmahal tectonic graben to the west, Brahmaputra lineament
to the north, Dauki fault to the south and towards east belt of
Schuppen. The EW trending Dauki fault (tear fault of Evans, 1964)
separates Surma valley / Bangladesh from the Precambrian plateau
and sets the southern International boundary. The Dauki tear fault
with 250 km movement is a dextral strike-slip fault. Towards east the
Shillong plateau is separated from Indo-Myanmar Mobile belt by NE-
SW trending belt of Schuppen. Garo-Rajmahal tectonic graben marks
the western delinked margin from Indian shield. Towards north, the
basement of the Shillong plateau is buried under Brahmaputra
alluvium and basement is noted at a depth of 4 to 6 km in the
northern bank of river Brahmaputra and probably appears in the
Himalayan belt. Within the Shillong plateau an intracratonic
depression took place in the central and eastern part of Meghalaya
during Proterozoic time where dominantly pelitic and arenaceous
sediments were deposited along with basic igneous intrusions in the
form of sills and dykes. These rocks were subsequentlytransformed
into metavolcanic and metasedimentary rock units. The high to
medium grade PaleoProterozoic gneissic complex acts as a basement
of Shillong plateau, overlain by Mesoproterozoicmetasediment and
metavolcanics of Shillong Group and associated metadolerite
(locallynamed as Khasi Greenstone).

Instruments required:
1. Brunton compass
2. Clinometer
3. GPS
4. Hammer
5. Chisel
6. Haversack’s
 7. Marker
8. Pen
9. Note-book etc
• STATION 1 (Jowai road 1)
Latitude: N25°41’22”

Longitude: E 91°55’48”; Location: Near Ri – Bhoi Meghalaya

• A large outcrop of quartzite is observed along with two sets of

joints intersecting at an angle 55°-70°NE.

Fig1: Well developed two sets of joints observed in quartzite.

• Moreover, a large outcrop of fold was observed at this location

recorded by dominant quartzite variety of rock.
• Also phyllite rocks are found as impregnation within the
quartzite or as enclaves. Phyllite is found in between quartzite
as a result of regional metamorphism occurred as shales of
mudstone, which was differentiated from the sandstone i.e, the
parent of quartzite.

Fig.2: Small enclaves of well foliated phyllite, observed to be hosted within regionally
extended quartzite
 Fig.3: Intercalation of well foliated phyllite-suite along with regionally extended quartzite

• STATION 2 (Jowai road 2)

Latitude: N25°38’4’’

Longitute: E92°3’2”

• In this location soil profile has been observed. A soil profile is a

layer parallel to the soil surface whose physical, chemical and
biological characteristics differ from the layers above and
beneath. The layers may be defined as many cases by obvious
physical features, mainly colour and texture.
 Fig.4: Soil profile showing the various horizons

(i) A horizon-topsoil (minerals with humus)

(ii) B horizon-subsoil (deposited minerals & organic matter)
(iii) C horizon- parent rock (partly weathered rock)

• A dome like structure has also been observed in this location. In

geology a dome is any large elliptical structure formed by the
fracture less upwarping of rock strata.it is a type of anticline
that lacks clear cut elongation and that slopes outward in all
directions from the highest point.
Fig.5: Regionally extended folded structure recorded by well foliate quartzite resting above
non-foliated massive quartzite with a random network of veins of quartz and feldspar.

• Concordant and discordant intrusive veins of feldspar have also

been observed in this location.
 Fig.6: Concordant and discordant intrusive veins of feldspar, hosted by well foliated regionally
occurring quartzite suite

STATION 3 ( Jowai road 3)

Latitude: 25°36'32"

Longitude 92°2'52"

In this location quartzite rock is found in outcrop. Foliation is

observed in vertical direction due to tectonic activity. That foliation is
straight and inclined. There has some slight cross stratification. By
taking measurement with clinometers, we get Dip direction in NW.
By taking measure with clinometers in one place we get,

30°-->18°

Here 30° is dip amount and strike is 18°.

Again, by taking measurement in another place we get, 30°-->136°

Here, dip amount is 30° and strike 136°.

Fig.6: An extensive outcrop of well foliated quartzite

Fig.7: An extensive outcrop of well foliated quartzite was observed which sandwiches one vertical
column of 3 feet width quartzite bed

STATION 4 ( JOWAI ROAD )

Latitude- 25°35’29” N

Longitude- 92°3’24” E

In this location which exposure we observed there have massive non

foliated quartzite which record prominent structure i.e current
bedding or cross stratification.

Fig.8: Prominent current bedding/ cross stratification marked within massive quartzite.
 • STATION 5
Location: Thangshalai, Meghalaya
Latitude: 25°34’15” N
Longitude: 92°03’39” S
At this station, we observed a large outcrop of massive but weathered
sandstone, which implies the prominent development of herringbone
structures within a metasedimentary rock, meaning sandstone is
partially metamorphosed to quartzite.
Herringbone structure is a type of sedimentary structure which
indicates the episodes of multiple cross stratification under energy
variant fluvial environment system. In this type of structure, the forests
in successive sets are directed in opposite directions, hence producing a
structure which somewhat resembles the bones of a fish.

Fig.9: Herringbone Cross-stratification

Fig.10: Multiple episodes of current/ cross stratification and development of typical
herringbone structure observed within sandstone
• STATION 6
Location: Diengpasoh, Meghalaya
Latitude: 25°35‘42” N
Longitude: 92°02‘40” S
o At the final station of our geological field trip, we observed a
prominent development of foliation plane within phyllite.
However, co-occurrence of phyllites were observed either as a
large enclave with dominant quartzites variety or sometimes as
lenses within quartzite itself.
o A sharp contact between shale and quartzite was also observed in
this exposure.
o Moreover, a well-developed lamination in shale was observed.

Fig.11: Prominent Development Lamination Plane within the Shale.

o Two sets of joint cross-cutting across quartzite is observed as well
at this particular station.

Fig.12: Development of Joint Cross-Cutting across quartzite.

 Conclusion

The present study area belongs to shillong group of rock, located in Ri-
Bhoi district, of Meghalaya. The dominant rock type in this area is
quartzite, followed by phyllite, and sandstone along with minor
occurrence of shale variety. However, along the road section some
isolated porphyritic granitic masses were also observed which suffered
from spheroidal weathering (Exfoliation). These isolated granitic bodies
were assumed to be intrusive in nature occurring as discordant bodies
with respect to metasedimentary group of rocks. On the other hand,
the area under study records some episodes of deformation as
evidenced by the presence of fold, foliation, joints etc. Besides, some
prominent episodes of intrusion of either quartz veins or feldspar veins
were also observed within the regionally occurring quartzites.