Distribution, stratigraphy and economic importance of cuddapah
1. Distribution, Stratigraphy &Economic Importance of
Cuddapah Supergroup
Guided By Presented By
Dr. Vishnu Gadgil Rajendra Kumar Barmandaliya
Class – M.Sc. ( I Sem.)
Govt. Holkar Science College Indore (M.P.)
2. Content :-
General Introduction
Distribution & Lithography
Stratigraphy & Division of the System
Fossils Content
Geological Age
Economic Importance
Conclusion
Reference’s
3. Introduction
Cuddapah basin is an important Proterozoic basin.
It is the second largest Proterozoic basin in India after Vindhyan basin.
The system is developed in the form of a crescent (half-moon shaped) basin, with concave
side facing eastwardly and the convex side facing westward. Its approximate dimensions are:
• Length: About 44500 sq.km. extending from Singareni (north) to Nagarihills (south),
• Width: Maximum 145 km in the middle part of the basin,
• Thickness: Variable in all directions; it is deepest on the concave front, where it acquires
thickness of more than 4000 m.
The rocks have been named after the district of Cuddapah in Andhra Pradesh , where it is
best developed.
These rocks have been formed as a result of erosion and sedimentation of the rocks of
Dharwar system. These are also sedimentary rocks.
It is part of the Purana Rock system in Indian Stratigraphy whereas Cuddapah Group is
Older and Vindhyan group is Younger group.
4. The arcuate north, south and western boundary of the cuddapah basin marks the
profound unconformity on basement granites enclosing greenstone belts of kadiri,
Veligallu and Tsundupalle in the south and Raichur, Gadwal and Peddavuru in the
north- Epa-archaean unconformity.
The Eastern margin is marked by a prominent thrust which is believed to be
associated with the tectonism of the Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt.
William King Jr. (1871) is the first person who give a detailed accountt of
stratigraphy, structure and tectonics of the Cuddapah basin, extensive field studies
have been carried out later in the last 2-3 decades (Narayanaswami, 1966; Murthy,
1981; Meijerink et al. 1984; Nagaraja Rao et al. 1987 etc.)
6. DISTRIBUTION :-
The Cuddapah system derives its name from the district in the Madras
Presidency where it is well developed. The Cuddapah and Kurnool rocks here form a broad
crescent-shaped outcrop whose concave border is on the east where the folded strata form the
Velikonda range which forms part of the Eastern Ghats. Between here and the large basin in
Chhattisgarh there are small outcrops in Raipur and Baster. The Chhattisgarh area and the
smaller outcrops in Eastern India appear to have constituted one large basin which has been
separated into several parts by folding, faulting and denudation. Here also the concave and
highly disturbed eastern margin is clearly seen. The Cuddapah rock formation mainly in four
areas :-
Cuddapah Basin in Andhra Pradesh
Bijapur District of Maharashtra (Kaladgi Group)
Chhattisgarh area of Madhya Pradesh
Along Aravalli mountain in Rajasthan Delhi Super group.
8. Lithology :-
The succession of the Cuddapah supergroup is composed of mainly quartzites and slates
or shales. The limestones occur only in subordinate amounts. The total thickness of the
succession is over 6 kilometers.
The Delhi System comprises of huge thickness of sediments estimated at 6000 m which have
undergone metamorphism changing them to phyllites, schists. gneisses and quartzites.
Arkose grits are also abundant in the main synclinorium.
The schists are of calc-schist type and interbedded with thin flaggy limestones that form their
source.
9. Stratigraphy & Division of Cuddapah system -
The Cuddapahs are divisible into two main divisions, the lower one being associated with
volcanic rocks and their hypabyssal equivalents.
The two divisions are separated by a well-marked unconformity.
The Upper Cuddapahs are less altered and disturbed than the Lower and resemble the
overlying Vindhyans in some measure.
The maximum thickness of the whole system exceeds 20,000 ft., indicating geosynclinal
conditions of deposition.
There is also some evidence to show the sediments were derived to a large extent from lofty
Mountain which lay in proximity to the concave side.
12. Upper Cuddapah
The Nallamalai Series :-
The Nallamalai series, which occupies the largest area of the division of the Cuddapah.
It is the deformed and feebly metamorphosed shale-siltstone-quartzite-dolomite sequence
of the Nallamalai fold belt.
In this series, Cumbum Formation consists of shales, chert, dolomite, etc.
Pullampet Formation consists of quartzite, quartz, shale, tuffs, barite, etc.
Bairenkonda Quartzite consists of quartzite, quartz, shale, etc.
Nagri Quartzite consists of quartzite, shale, conglomerate, etc.
13. Kistna Series :-
The rock of this group are exposed along the Krishna River.
The lower beds, the Irlakonda quartzites, form the plateau on the western side.
The Kolamnala shales forming the middle stage are found in the area traversed by the
stream of that name.
Overlying these are the Srisailam quartzites forming the plateau on the north and east
and named after the well known Srisailam temple on the Kistna river.
In this series - Srisalam quartizites, Kolamnala shales, & Irlakonda quartizites -
Quartzites & Shales are major rocks types.
14. Kaladgi Series :-
The Upper Cuddapahs are represented by the Kaladgi series divisible into two
groups.
The lower group consists of basal conglomerates, sandstones and quartzites followed
by siliceous limestones, hornstones, shales and again by thick beds of limestones and
shales.
The latter beds are exposed near Kaladgi where the limestone are vari-coloured and
capable of yielding beautiful marbles.
The Upper Kaladgis, consisting of quartzites, conglomerates, shales, limestones and
hematite-schists, are about 3,500 ft. thick, the hematite-schists being sometimes rich
enough to be used as iron-ore.
16. Lower Cuddapah
Bijawar series :-
This series, first recognized in the Bijawar State in Bundelkhand (Central India) occurs
in a series of outcrop extending from Bundelkhand to the south of the Narbada and has a
thickness of less than 800 ft.
Quartzites and sandstones, sometimes conglomeratic, form the basal beds resting on
gneisses.
These are irregularly distributed and are of less than 200 ft. thickness.
These are overlaid by ferruginous sandstone containing pocket of hematite.
The Bijawars are associated with lava, tuffs, sills and dykes of basic composition with
micro Pegmatitc patches.
The dykes of the Bijawar igneous suite are supposed to be the parent rocks of the
diamonds found in the conglomerates of the Vindhyan and Kurnool system.
17. Cheyair Group :-
The Cheyair (Cheyyeru) series takes its name from the Cheyyeru river.
It is well developed in the two areas traversed respectively by the Cheyyeru and
Penner rivers and separated by a strip of the Kurnool system.
In the northern (Penner) area the lower beds are called the Pulivendla stage.
Lower beds comprises sandstones, quartzites, conglomerates, grits and flags.
The upper beds of the Penner area are called Tadpatri slates which conformably overlie
the Pulivendlas.
Upper beds comprises slaty shales dominantly, while limestones with chert, bands and
trap sills are also found.
Upper beds also consists shale, felsic tuffs, stromatolitic dolomite, quartzite.
18. Gwalior series :-
The Cuddapah system of rocks found in the vicinity of Gwalior is called Gwalior series.
This series consists of sandstones, shales and quartzites overlain by shales, limestones,
hornstones, jaspers and basaltic lavas of the Bijapur type.
The lower part of this series is called Par morar.
The upper part pf this series is called Morar series.
Dr. Heron considers the Gwalior series as an isolated outcrop of unmetamorphosed
Aravalli series.
19. Papaghani Group :-
The rocks of this group are exposed in the Papaghani river valley.
This series is divided into two divisions
• Gulcheru formation
• Vempalle shales
The Gulcheru formation consists conglomerates, sandstone, grits and shales.
In Vempalle shales formations consists of shales, slates and limestones which are partly
dolomitic.
This stage is of considerable economic important, since deposists of barites and
asbestos are found.
21. • Other equivalent formation :-
Pakhal Group :-
It occurs in the Godavari valley and consists of rocks like quartzite’s, shale’s and flinty
limestone.
The succession is composed of coarse pebbly, sandstones, conglomerates, siliceous
limestone, shales and slates.
It total thickness of the 6300 ft. This group considered to be a Cuddapah age.
Penganga Beds :-
Rocks similar to the Cuddapahs, as comprising a lower limestone group and an
upper shaly group, have been described as occurring in the upper Pranhita valley
to the west of the Wardha valley coalfield. The limestone contain bands of ribbin
jasper.
22. Fossils content :-
The Cuddapahs are of ideal constitution for the preservation of fossils, it is
remarkable that so far they have yielded no fossils. The limestones may probably have been
chemical precipitates. The absence of fossils may be attributed to the fact that the animals
living in that period had no hard skeletons.
However, the presence of Stromatalites (Collenia Vajurkari) have been reported from
Vempalle limestone.
23. Geological Age :-
Pre-Cuddapah basement dykes are of two prominent ages at 2100 and 2400 Ma
Rb-Sr dating of dolerite and picrite sills of Pulivendla Formation gives an age of
˜1800 Ma
K-Ar ages of some dolerite dykes underlying the basin are also similar at 1800 Ma
The age of galena and micas in Cumbum shales is 1350-1450 Ma
Rb-Sr age for Dolerite dyke intruring Kurnool basin is 980 Ma that suggests
Mesoproterozoc age for Kurnool group
24. Economic Importance :-
Uranium- Found in Vempalle Formation of Papaghani Group, host rock is
phosphatic dolostone , promising mineralization at Tummalapalle, Rachak-
untapalli and Gadankipalli
Barytes- Found in Pullampet Formation of Nallamalai Group at Mangameta,
forms the single largest deposit of bedded barytes in the world, has been declared
as a National Geological Monument.
Diamond- Found as placer deposit in Banganapalle quartzite of Kurnool Group
Limestones and Dolomites found in Tadpatri Shales & Vempalle formation.
Chrysotile- asbestos and steatite- Vempalle Formation of Papaghani Group
Ornamental stones like jasper, chert in Cheyair group.
Asbestos-
26. Conclusion :
Cuddapah is a very important Palaeo-Meso Proterozoic sedimentary basin and is
typically arcuate shape
It is the second largest Purana Basin next to the Vindhyan.
Cuddapah Supergroup comprises of the Papaghni, Chitravati, Nallamalai and
Srisailam quartzites.
Cuddapah Basin is a storehouse for many rich mineral resources.
Cuddapah Basin is the storehouse for many rich minerals resouces likes barytes,
chrysotile, asbestos etc.
It us the only Indian site, where the great Eparchean unconformity exposed.
27. Reference
The Geology of India by D.N. Wadia. ( Page : 71-76)
Geology of India And Burma by M. S. KRISHNAN ( Page: 171-186)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257789802_Tectonics_of_P
roterozoic_Cuddapah_Basin_Southern_India_A_Conceptual_Model
https://www.slideshare.net/pramodgpramod/cuddapah-supergroup
