Downloaded from http://mem.lyellcollection.org/ by guest on September 26, 2021 Chapter 1 Precambrian basins of India: stratigraphic and tectonic context RAJAT MAZUMDER1* & PATRICK G. ERIKSSON2 1School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia 2Department of Geology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa *Corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected]) The Indian shield represents a vast repository of the Precambrian northwestern Proterozoic basins of India. Roy & Purohit (2015) geological record. The Precambrian sedimentary basins were present lithostratigraphic, geochronological and depositional set- developed on four major Archaean nuclei (Dharwar, Bastar, tings of the Precambrian succession of the Aravalli Mountains Singhbhum and Aravalli–Bundelkhand; Fig. 1.1) and are compar- and adjoining areas, Rajasthan. Precambrian basins preserved on able to those of Australia, South Africa, Canada and Brazil in scale the Aravalli basement exhibit an unusual association of three and importance for global studies of Precambrian crustal evolution. major basin-fills, each succeeded by an orogeny over the period Some of the Indian basinal successions, as elsewhere, contain valu- 2.2–0.85 Ga, in which rift-type depositories exhibit stable able economic resources. Notwithstanding their global relevance, platform-style sedimentation in each case. Despite cratonization many aspects of the Indian Precambrian basins and even entire being completed by only 0.85 Ga, essentially stable basin-fills basins are not well known to international readers. Although characterized the Aravalli Craton both long before this event and specialist papers, a book (Naqvi & Rogers 1987) and special publi- after it. Chakraborty et al. (2015a) discuss various controls on cations (e.g. Mazumder & Saha 2012) have been written by several sedimentation in the poorly studied Gwalior and Bijawar basins authors on specific aspects of the Precambrian geology of India, a that overlie the Bundelkand granite-gneiss basement. These two comprehensive account of the time–space distribution of the Pre- basins continue the inferred theme of rift-related depositories (in cambrian supracrustal successions is lacking; in particular, the this case both continental margin rift basins) characterized by interrelation between tectonics and sedimentation, and the simi- largely chemical stable shelf deposits, one characterized by phos- larities and dissimilarities of their evolutionary histories with phorites and the other by iron formation. The different chemical other comparable successions in other parts of the world are yet evolution reflects responses to rising sea-levels dictated by subsi- to be addressed in any detail. The purpose of the present memoir dence regime, bathymetry, biological activity and the oxidation is to fill in this knowledge gap. In addition, the memoir will assess state of waters within each specific basin. This underlines the the potential mineral resources of Indian Proterozoic basins and critical evaluation of both basin-specific characteristics and glo- integrate piecemeal information to provide a comprehensive bal-scale secular change in Precambrian palaeoenvironmental picture of Indian cratonic evolution during the Precambrian. parameters in understanding Precambrian basin-fills. The con- The content of the memoir has been divided into six sections; the figuration and evolution of the Vindhyan Basin are discussed first gives an overview of basin classification and of the evolution by Bose et al. (2015). The importance of rifting in controlling of Peninsular India during the Precambrian, to provide a frame- deposition within this famous basin of the Aravalli–Bundelkand work for the following four sections. The latter are devoted to Craton continues the prime tectonic control inferred for deposi- basins preserved in the four Archaean nuclei or cratons that tories on this craton. However, a much more complex model is per- make up the subcontinent. The sixth section addresses Precam- tinent to the Vindhyan, with two major east–west ridges defining brian mineralization of the cratons and is completed by a synthesis long-lived sub-basins in the Vindhyan, while keeping separate this of basin evolution of Peninsular India as compared with the inter- basin from a coeval depository underlying the Gangetic plain to the nationally accepted basin classification framework. The first north. Horst-rift-style tectonic control in the Vindhyan thus per- section begins with an overview (Allen et al. 2015) on the classi- sisted throughout basin-filling, in contrast to other basins, where fication of sedimentary basins with examples from Proterozoic rifting was followed by essentially stable platform deposition basins of major cratonic blocks of the world. While presenting and relative tectonic quiescence. an authoritative discussion of the basis, strengths and weaknesses The third section (Singhbhum Craton) encompasses Palaeoarch- of the many classification schemes, these authors also emphasize aean to Mesoproterozoic sedimentation and tectonics of eastern that no one scheme provides a panacea framework for Precambrian Indian basins; Hofmann & Mazumder (2015) summarize the (or younger) basins. Real basin examples are discussed by Allen Palaeoarchaean history of the Singhbhum Craton with insights et al. (2015) for several cratons around the world as a foil to from the Older Metamorphic Group (OMG) and the Older Indian depositories detailed in the balance of the volume. The Metamorphic Tonalite Gneiss (OMTG). They interpret a classic most important finding of this chapter is that many Precambrian cratonic evolutionary model of high-grade granitoid gneisses basins might require elements of several defined ideal basin (OMTG) and interleaved greenstone belts; importantly they see types in their evaluation, many have complex polyhistories and these OMG greenstones as having low-grade equivalents in some depositories will merely defy classification altogether. In a the Iron Ore Group of this craton rather than the latter sedi- complementary chapter, Meert & Pandit (2015) examine the mentary rocks being seen as a separate succession. Ghosh et al. evolution of the Precambrian sedimentary basins of India within (2015) present a detailed tectono-sedimentary inventory on a unifying chronological and tectonic framework, and evaluate the Palaeoarchaean–Mesoproterozoic successions of the west- possible correlation between different Indian Purana-type basins. northwestern margin of the Singhbhum Craton. They define two Their seminal work provides an essential basis for understanding new formations, an older distal (deeper-water) equivalent of the the more detailed individual basin studies making up the body of IOG followed unconformably by a younger deposit reflecting this book, within a unitary context. fault-controlled basin opening (conglomeratic) and subsequent The second section (Aravalli–Bundelkand Craton) con- stable shelf sedimentation. Van Loon & De (2015) critically tains three chapters on the sedimentology and stratigraphy of analyse the conglomerates of Jharkhand and discuss their From:Mazumder,R.&Eriksson, P. G. (eds) 2015. Precambrian Basins of India: Stratigraphic and Tectonic Context. Geological Society, London, Memoirs, 43, 1–4, http://dx.doi.org/10.1144/M43.1 # 2015 The Geological Society of London. For permissions: http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/permissions. Publishing disclaimer: www.geolsoc.org.uk/pub_ethics Downloaded from http://mem.lyellcollection.org/ by guest on September 26, 2021 2 R. MAZUMDER & P. G. ERIKSSON Fig. 1.1. Sketch map showing four Archaean nuclei in India. Note Proterozoic sedimentary basins (dark grey patches) and the large Deccan basaltic province. SGT, Southern Granulite Terrain; NFB, Nallamalai fold belt; CITZ, Central Indian Tectonic Zone; PG, Pranhita Godavari Valley; Ab, Abujhmar Basin; Am, Ampani Basin; Bh, Bhima Basin; Ch, Chattisgarh Basin; Idv, Indravati Basin; Kal, Kaladgi Basin; Suk, Sukma Basin; Ban, Bangalore; Cd, Cuddapah; Hyd, Hyderabad; K, Kurnool; Kh, Khariar; Nel, Nellore; Ong, Ongole; Vij, Vijaywada (after Saha & Mazumder 2012). Archaean sedimentation patterns on the Singhbhum Craton. Both are discussed by Mazumder et al. (2015). Post-Singhbhum Gran- IOG and subsequent immature conglomeratic facies thus appear itoid cooling and later possibly plume-related crustal doming to have been relatively widespread on the Singhbhum Craton, during the Chaibasa–Dhalbhum transition appear to have been thus supporting possibly broadly correlatable greenstone succes- prime controls on subsequent sedimentation. sions, as for example also found in the Pilbara Craton of The Palaeoproterozoic basinal successions of the Bastar Craton Western Australia, and in contrast to accretionary greenstones of (Section 4) are discussed in four chapters. Mohanty (2015) pre- the Superior or Kaapvaal cratons, which young across preserved sents a brief overview of the Palaeoproterozoic supracrustals cratonic nuclei. Issues related to the Archaean–Proterozoic tran- of the Bastar (Dongargarh Supergroup and Sausar Group). The sition in the Singhbhum Craton and the relation of Singhbhum c. 2.5–2.1 Ga Dongargarh Basin-fill suggests post-orogenic col- Craton-specific geological events to possible global equivalents lapse and concomitant rift basin formation followed by stable Downloaded from http://mem.lyellcollection.org/ by guest on September 26, 2021 PRECAMBRIAN BASINS OF INDIA 3 shelf development, while a rift basin