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Stratigraphy of Singhbhum
Craton
Singhbhum Craton lies in vicinity of two Proterozoic
mobile belts: Satpura Mobile Belt in the east, north
and north-west; Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt in the
south.
Singhbhum Craton is separated from Bastar Craton by
Mahanadi Graben.
Age: Archean to Paleoproterozoic
-comprises of Paleoarchean and Mesoarchean tonalitic and granodioritic granites and gneisses
and abundant occurrences of BIFs, closely associated with basic volcanics and ultrabasic
intrusives.
-all these rocks have
undergone regional
metamorphism of the
amphibolite facies.
-Singhbhum Craton is believed to
have evolved as a consequence of
multiple phases of compressive
deformation related to Singhbhum
Orogeny.
Northern Boundary
marked by Singhbhum
Shear Zone (Copper
Belt Thrust)
Southern Boundary marked by
Sukinda Thrust (amalgamates the
low grade metamorphics of
Singhbhum Craton with the high
grade metamorphics of EGMB)
Singhbhum Shear Zone
separates the Singhbhum
Craton from the Chhotanagpur
Gneiss
Sukinda Thrust separates the
Iron Ore group from the
Gondwanas
LITHOUNITS OF THE SINGHBHUM CRATON
PALEOPROTEROZOIC
SINGHBHUM
DHANJORI DALMA VOLCANICS
GROUP
SIMLIPAL VOLCANICS
SINGHBHUM DALBHUM FORMATION
NEOARCHEAN
GROUP
CHAIBASA FORMATION
DARJIN GROUP TG
SINGHBHUM
GRANITE TYPE B,
PHASE III)
MESOARCHEAN
IRON ORE
GROUP
BESOI GRANITE
(SINGHBHUM
SARAIKELA GRANITE TYPE A,
GNEISS (OMTG) PHASE I &II) PALEOARCHEAN
CHAMPUA
GROUP (OMG)
ARCHEAN LITHOUNITS
DARJIN GROUP TG
NEOARCHEAN
SINGHBHUM
GRANITE (TYPE
B, PHASE III)
MESOARCHEAN
IRON ORE
GROUP
BESOI GRANITE
(SINGHBHUM GRANITE
TYPE A, PHASE I &II)
SARAIKELA
PALEOARCHEAN
GNEISS (OMTG)
CHAMPUA
GROUP (OMG)
• 6 major lithotectonic units are recognizable
• five exhibit amphibolite-facies metamorphism;
sixth is free from deformation and metamorphism
• these five lithounits have undergone multiple
phases of deformation during the Singhbhum
Orogeny.
CHAMPUA GROUP:
-oldest lithostratigraphic unit of the Singhbhum Craton
- south of the SSZ
- known as Older Metamorphic Group and consists of predominantly hornblende-schists with
quartzites and quartz mica-schists, metamorphosed pelites and sandstones associated with
ferromagnesian lithologies to the SW of Champua.
- transformed by amphibolite-facies metamorphism.
- age: 3600 to 3300 My
SARAIKELA GNEISS:
- intrusion of tonalite in the Champua
Group led to the evolution of
metamorphics and tonalites.
- known as Older Metamorphic Tonalite
Gneiss.
- derived from partial melting of
amphibolites of the OMG.
BESOI GRANITE (SINGHBHUM
GRANITE TYPE A):
- a large batholithic complex, which
embodies a number of plutons, was
emplaced in three pulses, first two of which
occurred at a very short temporal span.
- divided into Singhbhum Granite Type
A (phase I & II) and Singhbhum Granite
type B (phase III).
- different bodies of granite are separated
by partition of metamorphic rocks.
- xenoliths of rocks of Champua Group and
Saraikela Gneiss occur all over the granite.
- biotite granodiorite, grading to
trondhjemite.
- age: 3300-3200 My
Iron Ore Group:
- lies unconformably over Besoi Granite
- mildly metamorphosed, predominantly
ferrugenous sediments associated with basic
volcanics
- occurs in three belts- Noamundi-Jamda-Koira,
Gorumahisani-Badampahar and Tomka-Daitari
- in all the three belts the BIF is closely
associated with lavas and tuffs.
- IOG forms a synclinorium in the Jamda-Koira
valley.
- age: 3145 My
- sedimentation started before the intrusion of
3120 My old Singhbhum Granite Type B.
Stratigraphic
Succession of
IOG in the iron
ore belts
Singhbhum Granite (Type B, phase III):
- makes the larger part of the batholithic complex
- represents the third phase of magma emplacement
- intrudes IOG at some places
- biotite-granodiorite to adamallite, biotite trondjhemite
and leuco-granite
- age: 3163 to 3042 My
Darjin Group:
- lies to the west of Singhbhum batholith complex
- little metamorphosed and undeformed sedimentary rocks
- cross-bedded and ripple marked conglomeratic sandstones, arlosic sandstones, shales,
carbonaceous phyllites and dolomitic limestones
Tamperkola Granite:
- intrudes Darjin Group
- pink coloured alkali feldspar dominated granite
- marks the last thermal event of the Neoarchean in the eastern part of the Indian Shield.
Evolution of Singhbhum Craton lithology in the Archean
DEPRESSION
PROTOCONTINENT
CHAMPUA GROUP
TENSIONAL (OMG)
PROTOCONTINENT STRETCHING Sediments which got
DURING ARCHEAN deposited in the basin
were metamorphosed
CRUST to amphibolite facies
Partial melting of
MANTLE PLUMES protocontinent and
PLUME underlying crust
generated tonalitic
magma
Emplacement of tonalitic
magma contributed to SARAIKELA
BESOI GRANITE (SINGHBHUM
the synkinematic growth GNEISS (OLDER
GRANITE TYPE A, PHASE I & II) of OMTG + + + + METAMORPHIC
Continuation of granitic +
++ ++ ++ + magmatism + + + + TONALITE
GNEISS)
++ ++ ++ + + + + + +
+ + + +
++ ++ ++ + + + + + +
+ + +
+ + + + + + + + +
+
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
OMTG +
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
+
+ + + +
+ +
OMG
+ + +
OMG + +
+ +
NNE-SSW ORIENTED
SHALLOW WATER BASIN
SBG-A IOG
Ferrugenous and siliceous
OMTG - | - sediments; emplacement
OMG -/ \- of BIF and basic lavas;
intrusion of gabbro and
related ultrabasic DEFORMATION AND METAMORPHISM
magmas CONTINUED AND FOLDED IOG AS A
SYNCLINORIUM
THERMAL PERTURBATIONS IN THE
SUBCRUSTAL LEVEL OF THE
ELONGATED MICROCONTINENT SINKING OF SIALIC
CRUST
SINGHBHUM GRANITE
IOG
TYPE B; PHASE III
SBG-A
+ + + +
+ OMTG
SBG-B + + + +
+ +
+ + + + OMG
IOG + +
+ + +
SBG-A + + + + +
+ + + + DIFFERENTIAL
OMTG
+ + + + MELTING
OMG + + +
TAMPERKOLA GRANITE
Subsidence in the western part
DARJIN
+ + ++
+
SBG-B SBG-B +
+
IOG IOG
+ + ++
++
+ +++
SBG-A ++
Shallow basin of the
SBG-A + ++ ++
OMTG + +
Darjin Group OMTG
little metamorphosed + + ++
and undeformed OMG OMG ++ +
sediments + +
Last thermal event of the
Neoarchean in the eastern part
of the Indian Shield
