Proterozoic sedimentary basins of India in general

Seminar on
“Proterozoic Sedimentary Basins
of India in General”

Contents
Introduction
Geological map of India-Purana Basins
Classification of Purana Basins
Palaeoproterozoic Basins
Meso-Neoproterozoic Basins
Economic Mineral Deposits
Conclusion
References

Introducti
on
“Purana Basins”.
Cratonic or Epicratonic basins.
Platform Basins.
Witness to the story of early crustal evolution.
Useful for global comparison with similar basins.
Importantly, these basins unveil the prelude to the
cambrian explosion of life.
Occupies 20% of the area of the Precambrian of the
Peninsular India.

Proterozoic sedimentary basins are divided into 2
types based on age:
(a).Paleoproterozoic basins:
1.Bijawar and Sonrai basins Bundelkhand
and Harda Inlier craton
2.Gwalior basin
3.Abujhmar basin Bastar craton
4.Papaghni sub-basin Dharwar craton
[Cuddapah basin]

(b).Meso-Neoproterozoic basins
1. Vindhyan basin Bundhekhand craton
2. Chhattisgarh basin
3. Khariar basin
4. (a)Ampani basin,
(b)Keskal, Singanpar Bastar craton
and Chedrapal outliers
5. Indravathi basin
6. Sabari[Sukma] basin
7. Pranhita-Godavari basin b/n Bastar and Dharwar
cratons
8. Cuddapah basin
9. Kaladgi basin Dharwar craton
10. Bhima basin

Palaeoproterozoic Basins
1. Bijawar Basin- trends ENE-WSW for about 100km with a
width of 4 to 20km from Ken River in the east to sonari in
the west. Sandwiched b/n Bundelkhand granite and
Vindhyan sediments.
2. Sonari Basin- 28km long and 5km wide, E-W trending
situated to the west of the ‘type’ Bijawar basin.
3. Harda Inlier- it exposed at Harda within the-Vindhyan
succession and Deccan Trap of Narmada valley.
4. Gwalior Basin- extends E-W for 80km with a width of
25km,near Gwalior to the north of Bundelkhand
granite,almost 200km N-W of Bijawar basin.
5. Abujhmar Basin- named for ‘abujh mar’ or ‘unknown hills’
in the remote bansal region, covers an area of
3000sq. km
6. Papaghni sub-basin :
This sub-basin is described under Cuddapah basin.

Meso-Neoproterozoic Basins
1.Vindhyan basin
Largest single Purana basin, spectacular, sickle shaped,
ENE trending, situated on Bundelkhand craton.
Includes 4 groups: (d). Bhander group (1300-1500m)
(c). Rewa group(100-300m)
(b). Kaimur group(400m)
(a). Semri group (3000-4000m)
Major structure is synclinorium with the axis curving
along the middle of the sickle-shaped basin.
Recent robust dating has fixed the beginning of
Vindhyan sedimentation around 1600-1720 Ma.
Life: Stromatolites are abundant in Vindhayan record but
they have long time range and hence have only limited
correlative value.

Geologic map of the Vindhyan basin, central India.

2.Chhattisgarh basin
Larget Purana basin in Bastar craton, covering an
area of about 36000 sq. km is situated on the
northern edge of Bastar craton.
Lithostatigraphy:
(c). Raipur Group[1900m]
(b). Chandrapur Group[400m]
(a). Singhora Group[400m]
Lithology: Felspathic arenite, arkose, basal
conglomerate, sandstone, dolomite shale, limestone.
Evidence of life- Microbiota include prokaryotic
cyanobacteria, unidentified algal remains and
acritarchs.

3.Khariar Basin
It is an irregular, oval-shaped basin occupying the N-
S trending Nawagarh-Khariar plateau.
Covering an area of 1500sq.km and containing 1000m
thick sediments.
Sediments are called as Pairi Group(600-1000m)
Stromatolites indicate Lower to Upper Riphean age,
but no radiometric data are available.

Occupying an area of 220 sq.km on a small plateau
south of Khariar near Ampani consists of a 280m
thick sandstone – shale sequence.
The sediments are domed up around hornblend
granodiorite at Khaligarh,which is thought to be
intrusive.
5.Indravati Basin
Irregular rhomboid basin covering an area of 900
sq.km and containing orthoquartzite-shale-
carbonate sequence of about 500m thick on the
average.
Cement grade limestone and dolomite are
important economic minerals.
4.Ampani Basin

6.Sabari Basin
A triangular basin of 700 sq.km
Sabari group consists of a basal conglomerate and
thick-bedded ortho-quartzite, overlain by a cream
to grey coloured limestone and followed by purple
to grey shale.
7. Pranhita-Godavari Basin
Occurs in two parallel NW-SE trending sub-basins,
situated at the junction of Dharwar and Bastar
cratons.
Developed after amalgamation of the cratons in
Palaeoproterozoic.

The western sub-basin is called the Pakhal belt and
the eastern sub-basin as the Albaka belt.
The P-G basin is extends for a length of ~400km
with width of ~100km.
Includes the width of ~40km for Godavari graben of
Gondwana sediments occurring in the middle and
separating the two sub-basins.
The aggregate thickness of the sediments of the P-G
basin is estimated at about 6000m.
Divided into 4 major groups, namely Mallampalli,
Mulug, Penganga and Sullavai separated by 3
unconformities.

8.Cuddapah Basin
Crescent shaped,easterly concave and N-S
trending,covers an area of 44000 sq.km in the east-
central part of Dharwar craton.
Characterised by quartzite-carbonate-shale cycles
having an aggregate thickness i.e estimated b/n 6 to
12km.
The western half of the basin is undeformed and
consists of 4 sub-basins: the Papaghni, Kurnool,
Srisailam and Palnad.
Life-Stromatolites are abounding,carbonaceous
microfossils like Tawuia, Chuaria, trace fossils,
calcareous algae indicate Neoproterozoic age.

9.Kaladgi Basin
E-W trending irregular basin,covers an area
8300sq.km
The older succession of Kaladgi basin is called the
Bagalkot Group that correspond to the Cuddapah
supergroup
The upper succession is called the Badami Group
i.e the possible equivalent of Kurnool Group.
Bagalkot Group is divided into the lower Lokpur
Subgroup and the upper Simikeri subgroup.
Life - Bagalkot Group contains microstromatolites
suggest early Riphean age, Badami Group also
contains acritarchs & trace fossils that suggest
Vendian age.

10.Bhima basin
Irregular,NE trending,consisting dominantly of
limestone covers an area of 5200sq.km,situated to
the northwest of Cuddapah basin and northeast of
Kaladgi basin.
Aggregate thickness of sediments is about 270m.
Well known for its large reserves of limestone and the
newly discovered uranium occurrence near Gogi.
Sediments are practically horizontal, but disturbed
along transverse faults.

Economic mineral deposits
Diamond- Vindhyan and Kurnool formations
Pyrite- the Bijaigarh shales of the Lower Kaimurs
Coal- Semris and Kaimurs group
Lime stone- in the Sone Valley in Bihar and U.P., in Rewa,
in Jabalpur, in Guntur and in the Bhima Valley in
Hyderabad
Building and decorative stones- Lower Vindhyan and
Lower Bhander stages, limestones of the Palnad region
Glass Sand- Some Vindhyan sandstones near Allahabad,
U.P

Conclusion
Purana basins are vast repositories of limestone and dolomite
and other economic minerals like bedded barytes, phosphorite,
chrysotile asbestos, base metals and building stones and are a
good source of diamonds.
Well –documented multicelled lower level forms of life in the
form of Acritarchs and other variety of fossils are found in
several Late Proterozoic localities. Animals were widespread at
this time but because all lacked durable skeletons their fossils
are not common.
Most of the world’s iron ore production is from Proterozoic
banded iron formations(BIF). Other important resources
include nickel and platinum.
Recently GSI and ONGC organizations are looking hydrocarbon
deposits from these Proterozoic sedimentary basins.
Presence of Stromatolites will helps in the study of atmosphere
evolution and introduction of oxygen (Green Algae).

REFERENCES
Mukerjee,P.K.(2010) A Textbook of Geology. World Press.pp.370-379.
Ramakrishnan.M.,Vaidyanadhan.R.(2010). Geology of
India.Geol.Soc.India,v.1,pp.70-77,455-519.
Reed Wicander.,James S.Monroe(2004)Historical Geology, 4th
Edn.,THOMSON,pp.153-171.
Krishnan,M.S(1982) Geology of India and Burma,6th
Edn.,CBS Publishers
and Distributors,Darya Ganj,New Delhi,pp.182-196.
Mahmood Naqvi.S.,John J.W.Rogers(1987)Precambrian Geology of
India,Oxford Monographs on Geology and Geophysics No.6,pp.15-77.
Ajit Bhattacharyya(1996) Recent Advances in Vindhyan Geology,1st
Edn.,Geol.Soc.India,p.x+331.
Gyani.K.C.,Kataria.P(March 2000)Tectonomagmatism Geochemistry and
Metamorphism of Precambrian Terrains. University Department of
Geology,M.L.sukhadia University,Udaipur.pp.75-95
Jayaprakash.A.V(2007) Purana Basins of Karnataka.Geol.Survey of India
Mem.vol.129,p-137.

Proterozoic sedimentary basins of India in general

Proterozoic sedimentary basins of India in general

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