Iii Geology of The Area
Iii Geology of The Area
CHAPTER – III
GEOLOGY OF THE AREA
3.1 Introduction
Jharkhand is the richest state in the country as far as the availability of mineral
resources is concerned (Dutt, and Datta 2000). The minerals found in abundance in
Jharkhand are bauxite, coal, iron ore, pyrite, limestone, copper ore, china clay, fine
clay, graphite, soap stone, silica sand and quartz sand.
The Kayada block covers an area of 1.82 Sq.Km and forms integral part of
Mahuagrahi basin. The Mahuagrahi basin occupies south central Part of Rajmahal
Group of coal fields. The Kayada block is bounded by North 240 24’47.8”- 240 25’
0.2”and East 870 28’ 12.5” - 870 28’ 44.10”falling in the Survey of India Topo sheets
No 72 P/7, extending over a strike length of 5.07 km & dip length of 2.68 km.
the Southeast to Northeast part of the block. Location map shown in figure-3.1 and
the study area shown in figure-3.2.
The terrain is undulatory, with surface relief varies from 135m in the east
northeast to 245m in the southern part above MSL. The ground slopes gently
towards east northeast part of the block. The perennial stream Tirpatia is the main
stream which drains the block. It passes from northwest to east part of the block. The
drainage is dendritic type.
3.2.3 Climate
The area experiences a typical Tropical climate and a cool winter. The
temperature raises up to 46°C in summer and the annual maximum rainfall of
1840mm is recorded in 2000.
3.3 Topography
The total block area of 1.82 Sq.km was covered by topographic survey
bringing all the surface features villages, nalas, and road on the map. The Kayada
block is bounded by Latitudes 240 24’47.8”, 240 25’ 0.2”and Longitudes 870 28’ 12.5”,
870 28’ 44.10”falling in the Survey of India Topo sheets No 72 P/7. Topographic
Survey is shown in figure-3.3.
Kayada block lies on the eastern slope of NW-SE trending central hill ranges
in two areas, one in the south of Gariapani village and the other near Amtala-
Chaudhar area, east of the Gandharap area (Mitra, 1965). These two areas are
separated by NW-SE trending hill ranges, north-west of Dalahi village.
The rock units occurring in this area belong to Precambrian basement,
overlain non- conformably by the Gondwana Super Group represented by Talchir,
Barakar, Dubrajpur and Rajmahal formations. Talchir formation which is encountered
only in a solitary borehole, does not crop out in this part of the basin. Barakar
formation which is the sole repository of prolific coal seams occupies the entire lower
undulatory terrain under the cover of alluvium and soil and is intermittently laid bare
along nala and stream courses. The Dubrajpur formation occurs along the eastern
flank of the NW-SE trending hills, which are capped by Rajmahal formation,
represented by basaltic flows and intertrappeans.
Surface and subsurface data reveal that the Precambrian rocks are overlain
unconformably by lower Gondwana rocks of Talchir and Barakar formations, and the
latter in turn is overlain by Dubrajpur formation with apparent disconformity as
evidenced from the occurrence of pebble bed at the base of Dubrajpur formation and
bedding parallelism (Jodha, et al 2000) Rajmahal formation occupying the higher
ground overlaps Dubrajpur Formation ( Ramswamy, and Raja Rao, 1956). Detail
geology shown in figure-3.5.
The general stratigraphic sequence in this area as established on the basis of
geological mapping and subsurface data, generated from exploratory drilling is given
in this part of the basin
3.6 STRUCTURE
The Mahuagrahi basin occupies south central part of the Rajmahal Group of
coal fields. It lies between the Panchwara basin in the northeast and a Brahmani
basin in the south. The western boundary is demarcated by a prominent NNW-SSE
trending boundary fault along which the Precambrian basement on the west is
juxtaposed with the lower Gondwana sediments. The boundary fault shows varying
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