Stratigraphic Succession of Precambrian of Singhbhum: Evidence from Quartz Pebble Conglomerate

Though the stratigraphic succession in the Precambrian of Singbhum-Orissa region of the Indian shield given by Saba et al. is widely accepted, there are several contentious issues whieh have been hotly debated over the years. The occurrence of uraninite and pyrite bearing quartz-pebble conglomerate at the base of Iron Ore Group (lOG) as well as the Dhanjori Group has indicated the necessity for a revision in the stratigraphic succession in view of the temporal significance of such conglomerate the world over.

The conglomerate contains a significant population of zircon, chromite and shows a typical minor and trace element composition. The zircon has morphometric properties similar to those found in several members of the Singhbhum Granite Complex. The presence of detrital chromite and high Cr content indicate the occurrence of older mafics/ultramafics in the provenance along with the Singhbhum Granite Complex. It is suggested that some mafic and ultramafic members presently grouped within the IOG may represent such "older greenstones". The IOG as well as the Dhanjori Group with basal QPC horizon lie over a basement of Singhbhum Granite-Greenstone Complex. From available evidences it is surmised that both IOG sensu stricto (the BIF sequence and associated ferruginous cherts. greywackes and acid-intennediate volcanics) and the Dhanjori Group represent late Archaean (2500-3000 Ma) supracrustals and hence are nearly coeval. The Singhbhum Group north of the shear zone represents early Proterozoic supracrustals.