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in
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PGSI. 306
700-2009 (DSK-II)

GEOLOGY
AND
MINERAL RESOURCES
OF
MEGHALAYA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
Miscelleaneous Publication
No. 30 Part IV Vol 2(ii) Meghalaya
150
YEARS
in the service of the nation

Published by the order of the Government of India

2009

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Copy right India, Geological Survey, 2009

First Edition : 2009
Second Reprint s: March, 2011

Manuscript processed for printing by:

G. K. KESARI
Geologist (Sr)

under the guidance of :

G. DAS GUPTA B. V. R. REDDY DR. H.S.M. PRAKASH

Director Director AND Director
Publication Division Publication Division Publication Division

Overall supervision by:

B.K. Mohanty Sudipta Lahiri U.K.Behara
Ex-Dy. Director General Dy. Director General AND Director In-Charge

Geological Survey of India

NORTH EASTERN REGION
Shillong- 793 003

Printed at
ESSAR OFFSET
Janapath Lane, G.S. Road, Ulubari, Guwahati-781007, Mobile : +91-9435106080

Price:
Inland : Rs. 84/-
Foreign : 3.31 or $ 4.61

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FOREWORD

The Miscellaneous Publication 30 Series of the Geological Survey of India

brings out concise information on the geology and mineral resources of the states of
India. The present volume Part IV, Vol. 2(ii) of the series, pertaining to the state of
Meghalaya, is a revised and updated version of the first edition published in 1974.
During the span of three decades since the first edition was published, enormous
knowledge has been added in the sphere of geology of the area warranting of a revised
edition of this volume. The Geological and Mineral Map presented in this volume
is a modified version based on the 1:2 million scale geological map of North-East
India published in 1998.

Geological Survey of India continues its dedicated work in different realms

of earth science. Revisions have been necessary in the lithostratigraphy of the rock
based on the recent geological mapping and laboratory works.

To augment the mineral resources of the region, exploration was carried out
to find out additional resources of limestone in the Litang valley. An extensive belt
of good quality limestone has been delineated along the southern border of the state
which has opened a new era of establishment of cement and other industries in the
state.

Coal occurrences are mainly confined to the Tertiary sequence and in the
Lower Gondwana sediments located in the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills. There are
other mineral occurrences which will boost the economic development of the state
of Meghalaya, if exploited scientifically and in planned manner.

This publication with update knowledge-base on the geology and mineral

resources of the state of Meghalaya will be of immense use to the professionals,
entrepreneurs and students of geology.

(N. K. DUTTA)
PLACE : Kolkata Director General
November, 2009 Geological Survey of India

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With their four-dimensional minds, and in their inter disciplinary ultraverbal

way, geologists can wiggle out of almost anything.
John McPhee

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CONTENTS
GSI Misc. Pub. 30 Pt. 4 Vol. 2(ii)

Page
1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1
(I) PHYSIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................... 1
(ii) CLIMATE ........................................................................................................................................... 3
(iii) FLORA AND FAUNA ......................................................................................................................... 4
(iv) PREVIOUS WORK ............................................................................................................................. 4
(vi) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................. 4

II. GENERAL GEOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY ............................................................................ 6

(A) GNEISSIC COMPLEX ........................................................................................................................ 8
(B) SHILLONG GROUP ........................................................................................................................... 9
(C) KHASI BASIC-ULTRABASIC INTRUSIVES ..................................................................................... 11
(D) GRANITE PLUTONS ....................................................................................................................... 12
(i) Kyrdem Granite Pluton ................................................................................................................... 12
(ii) Nongpoh Granite .......................................................................................................................... 12
(iii) Mylliem Granite ........................................................................................................................... 13
(iv) South Khasi Granite ..................................................................................................................... 13
(E) LOWER GONDWANA GROUP ........................................................................................................ 14
(F) SYLHET TRAP ................................................................................................................................. 14
(G) ALKALINE-ULTRAMAFIC-CARBONATITE COMPLEX OF SUNG ............................................... 15
(H) KHASI GROUP ................................................................................................................................ 16
(I) JAINTIA GROUP .............................................................................................................................. 17
(J) BARAIL GROUP .............................................................................................................................. 18
(K) GARO GROUP ................................................................................................................................. 18
(L) DUPI TILLA GROUP ....................................................................................................................... 19
(M) QUARTERNARY AND RECENT DEPOSIT ..................................................................................... 19

III. TECTONIC SET UP ................................................................................................................ 20

IV. STRUCTURE ......................................................................................................................... 22

V. GEOLOGICAL HISTORY ........................................................................................................ 24

VI. MINERAL RESOURCES ......................................................................................................... 25

(i) LIME STONE ................................................................................................................................... 27
(ii) COAL ............................................................................................................................................... 28
Contd.

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(iii) SILLIMANITE .................................................................................................................................. 33

(iv) BASE METAL ................................................................................................................................... 34
(v) FELDSPAR ....................................................................................................................................... 34
(vi) GLASS SAND ................................................................................................................................... 34
(vii) KAOLIN / CLAY .............................................................................................................................. 35
(viii) DIMENSION STONE ....................................................................................................................... 35
LOCALITY INDEX ................................................................................................................ 36
LOCALITY INDEX FOR COAL FIELDS .................................................................................... 38
REFERENCE ......................................................................................................................... 39

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Geology and Mineral Resources of Meghalaya

Introduction

Meghalaya, The abode of clouds, was created as civil sub-divisions. All these administrative units are con-
an autonomous state within the State of Assam on 2nd trolled by the above-mentioned seven districts.
April 1970. The full fledged state came into existence on
21st January, 1972 with Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills dis-
(i) PHYSIOGRAPHY
tricts which previously formed a part of Assam State. In
E-W trending Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hill ranges
1981 West Khasi Hills district was carved out from former
occupying the central part of Meghalaya State form ap-
Khasi Hills district and West Garo Hills district was
proximately the watershed for Brahmaputra basin in north
carved from former Garo Hills district, thus creating two
and Meghna basin in south. The Brahmaputra basin oc-
more districts. In 1992, two sub-divisions were upgraded
cupies northern part of the area and comprises three sub

Table 1: Basic Statistics of Meghalaya

Capital City Shillong
Population 2,318822 Forest cover 15690 sq. km
Area 22,489 sq. km Road length 22489 km
Population Density 103 persons/sq. km Total Hard rock area 21,585 sq. km
Villages 5782 nos. Quaternary area 904 sq. km
Literacy 63.31% Hard rock mapping coverage * 21,585 sq. km
Total no. of districts 7 Quaternary mapping coverage * 475 sq. km
Major Minerals Coal, Limestone, clay and Sillimanite.
Minor Minerals Base metals, Bauxite, Phosphate, Glass sand, Iron ore, Platinoids, Rare earths, Gold
and Construction materials.
* Till Field Season 2006.

to district level thus creating two more districts, namely
Ri-Bhoi district and South Garo Hill district. Meghalaya
has total geographical area of 22,489 sq. km and is
bounded in northwest and north by Dhubri and Kamrup
districts of Assam; in northeast, east and parts of south-
east by Karbi Anglong , North Cachar Hills and Cachar
districts of Assam and the entire south and southwest by
Sylhet plains of Bangladesh. There are 32 community de-
velopment blocks under direct control of 7 sadars and 8
basins, namely Jinjiram, Kulsi and Kopilikalong. The
Meghna basin covers cusp sagiform water divide in the
southern part of the state and is sub-divided into two sub-
basins, namely bigger Soneswari Piyaaihgong and smaller
Barak.
Almost all the rivers emerge from central hilly tracts.
These rivers have wide variations of discharge during lean
and flush periods. They have straight courses which are

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2 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

punctuated by rapids and water falls as they are structur-
ally controlled. The rivers of Meghna basin in southern
part of Khasi and Jaintia Hills have formed deep gorges
due to headward erosion of streams along joints in the
sedimentary rocks. The rivers flowing towards the north
meet Brahmaputra river almost perpendicularly, whereas
in the northwestern part (West Garo Hills) they run par-
allel to Brahmaputra river prior to the confluence.
Important rivers of Meghna basin are Bugi,
Someswari, Rongkhal, Jadukata, Umngot and Lubha and
those of Brahmaputra basin are Kopili, Nynteng ,
Umiam, Umtru, Umngi, Ronga, Dudhnoi, Singra, etc.
The areas of central hills have an average annual am-
bient temperature of 20C. Elsewhere average annual am-
bient temperature is more than 20C. Hence high altitude
areas have temperate climate and low altitude areas have
tropical to sub-tropical climate.
The state of Meghalaya is physiographically a pla-
teau region. The top of this regional plateau is about 1500
m above msl and at the base; the altitude is below 300 m.
The western and northern slopes of this regional plateau
are gentle compared to the eastern and southern slopes.
The southern face of this plateau is deeply dissected by
gorges. The northern part is dotted with numerous dis-
sected hills as outliers. In the north, the foot hills gradu-
ally merge with the plains of Assam, but in the south,
abrupt drop in elevation marks the topographic break.
Moreover, in the south, a narrow stretch of plain borders
between India and Bangladesh.
Meghalaya is divisible into three physiographic do-
mains manifested by the following hill sections.
(a) The Western Meghalaya (Garo hills)
(b) The Central Meghalaya (Khasi hills)
(c) The Eastern Meghalaya (Jaintia hills)
Garo Hills: -
The principal ranges in the western Meghalaya are
the Tura range and the Arbela range. The Tura range
passes through the heart of the Garo Hills from southeast
to the northwest. It is 50 km long extending towards the
central Khasi Hills. In the north of the Tura Range, the
Arbela range runs almost parallel to the Tura range along
the east-west alignment.
Nokrek Peak (1411m) situated about 12 km to the
east of Tura town is the highest peak in the western
Meghalaya. The predominant part of Garo Hills range in
height from 450m to 600m.
Gneissic rocks are generally exposed in western
Meghalaya. The southern part of Garo Hills is covered by
limestone. The Siju cave is located in this limestone ter-
rain
In the western Meghalaya, Simsang is the biggest
river. The other rivers are Nitai and Bhugoi. All these riv-
ers originate in Nokrek region. These rivers flow towards
south.
The rivers which flow towards the north to join the
Brahmaputra river are Kishnai, Dudhnai, Rongra, Jimari,
Gonai etc. The southern rivers are larger than the north-
ern ones.
Khasi Hills:
The plateau region of central Meghalaya can be
broadly sub-divided into three physiographic units:
(a) The low hills of the northern belt
(b) The central upland zone
(c) The hills and deep gorges of the southern belt.
In the northern belt, a number of low hills lie in the
rain shadow of the main plateau and are devoid of deep
gorges and steep escarpments. The river Umtrew origi-
nates from the foot of the Sohpetbneng peak.
The central upland zone may be rightly called as
Shillong Plateau. This plateau is also called the Ri Khasi.
The ranges have east-west alignment. The highest peak of
the state is Shillong Peak (1966 m) which is located in the
central zone. In this zone, many of the peaks are 1500 m
above the sea level. The Laitkor Peak is another impor-
tant peak in this zone. To the north of Shillong peak, there
are many smaller peaks like Mawthorew peak (1485 m),
Diengei peak (1770 m), Sohpetbneng (Mai parbet) peak

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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii)
(1320 m) and Mawpat peak (1590 m). A little north-west
of Shillong peak is Kyllang Rock (1705 m) which is com-
posed of hard granitic rock. In between Mairang and
Nongstoin, there lies a peak (1893 m), which is the sec-
ond highest peak of central Meghalaya.
As the main plateau (i.e. Shillong Plateau) of cen-
tral zone acts as a water divide, a number of rivers flow
either towards south or north of Shillong plateau.
The rivers flowing towards north and north-east are
Umiam, Umkhen (Barapani), Untrew, Khri etc. the riv-
ers Umiam, Umtrew and Umkhen finally join with
Brahmaputra.
In the south of Shillong Plateau (of the central up-
land), away from the Laitkor and Shillong Peak, there lies
a belt of low hills and deep valleys facing Surma Plains.
In many places, the hills slope very very steeply and
abruptly. The steep and near vertical cliffs and precipices
overlook deep gorges in many places. The hills in this belt
are in north-south alignment.
Constant erosion of the faces of escarpments by
winds and rain water led to the formation of structural
platforms/plateau remnant. Notable among these plat-
forms are the Cherrapunjee Platform (1337 m),
Mawsynram Platform (1305m) and Langkyrdem Plat-
form.
The rivers which flow toward south are Kynshi
(River Jadukata-in Bangladesh), Uniew, Umngi and
Umrilang. These rivers have cut deep gorges in Cretaceous
sandstones and tertiary limestones. In many places, older
rocks like gneisses and schists have been exposed.
In this southern belt, there is a hot spring at
Umjarain, near Jakrem. There are also a number of spec-
tacular waterfalls. The Mawsmai (Seven Sisters) falls at
Cherrapunjee is the fourth largest falls in India. It falls
from a height of 406 m.
Jaintia Hills:
The eastern part of Meghalaya i.e. Jaintia Hills is
bordered in the north-east by North Cachar and Karbi
Hills, while in the southern part it is bordered Sylhet
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plains. The central part is the plateau extension, on which
Jowai (1350 m) is located. The southern portion has some
steep escarpments parallel to the southern belt of central
Meghalaya. The height of the peaks and ridges vary be-
tween 1050 m to 1350m. One of the important ranges in
the south of eastern Meghalaya is Marangkshih range
(1601 mm) from where the famous Barail Range rims
eastwards to North Cachar.
The rivers of Jaintia Hills flow towards northeast,
excepting river Tubha, which flows south-west and joins
river Surma in Bangladesh. The most important river is
Kopili, which rises from the plateau region east of Passi
and flows towards north-west in Karbi Anglong ultimately
joining Brahmaputra. A major hydel project is located on
this river just adjacent to the border between Jaintia Hills
and Karbi Anglong.
(ii) CLIMATE:
As the name suggests, Meghalaya is the abode of
clouds. It receives fairly good quantity of annual rainfall.
It has also the distinction of being worlds wettest place.
The rainfall distribution pattern is strongly controlled
by physiography of the region. The clouds formed during
monsoon season and low pressure depression in the Bay
of Bengal, after travelling through Sylhet plains of
Bangladesh, enter into the state from its southern border.
Abruptly rising hills along the border check the movement
of the clouds. Hence they rise and get precipitated. Maxi-
mum rainfall of over 1500 cm has been recorded in the
Cherrapunjee, Mawsynram area. IMD data of 1901 to
1950 reveals that rainfall decreases towards north and
northwest. The central highland plateau areas receive a
rainfall of about 200-400 cm. Nongpoh area is a low rain-
fall area of less than 200 cm. A vast area stretching from
Jowai in east to northern parts of Tura in the west experi-
ences a rainfall of about 200 to 400 cm. More than 70% of
annual rainfall takes place in the monsoon season extend-
ing from June to September. About 20% of rainfall, owing
due to depression in Bay of Bengal, occurs during pre-
monsoon period of March-May and the rest during the
period from October to February.
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4 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
(iii) FLORA AND FAUNA:
Forests by virtue of their locations at different alti-
tudes are best suited to various kinds of flora and fauna in
Meghalaya. But rapid and unplanned destruction of for-
ests are fast depleting our natural resources. Many species
of orchids, ferns and rare plants are nearing total extinc-
tion. The exotic orchids for which Meghalaya was once
famous are fast dwindling. Forest fires, cattle grazing, fell-
ing of trees and bushes are some of the causes for their
disappearance. The famous pitcher plant is observed in
the Jaintia Hills only.
Meghalaya is famous for butterflies. Some of the rare
butterflies, which used to breed in the interiors of the
jungles, also face near extinction because of deforestation.
Forest fires are often responsible for destruction of
habitats of the wild animals, reptiles and birds. The slow
loris of Meghalaya jungles are now on the verge of extinc-
tion.
Poaching caused near extinction of wild life. El-
ephants, bison, wild goat, deer, tiger, clouded leopards,
pangolin and big birds like hornbill, peacock, pheasant are
rarely observed.
(iv) PREVIOUS WORK:
The earliest geological work on a part of Khasi Hills
was done by T. Oldham (1859). There after geological ac-
counts of parts of Khasi and Garo Hills were outlined by
H.B. Medlicott (1869), Godwin Austin (1869), La Tou-
che (1883,1887) and F.R. Mallet (1887). Their accounts
helped considerably in taking follow-up geological map-
ping of different parts of Jaintia, Khasi and Garo Hills
by later workers viz. R.W.Palmer (1923), C.S.Fox (1936-
38), V.R.Khedkar (1938-39), P.N. Mukherjee (1938-39)
and A.M.N.Ghosh (1936-39), which established a broad
geological outline of various rock units and the
stratigraphy. H.C. Dasgupta (1934), P.Evans (1932) and
others made valuable observations on the Precambrian
tectono-stratigraphy of the Meghalaya Plateau.
Since inception of the Assam Circle (later Assam-
Meghalaya Circle/Regional Geology Divisions of
Meghalaya and Assam) of Geological Survey of India at
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Shillong in 1961, a program of systematic geological map-
ping of the Meghalaya Plateau was undertaken which is
still continuing. The contributions by K. Gogoi (1961-62,
62-63, 65-66, 67-68 and 72-73), K.Gogoi and
M.D.Limaye (1963-64), M.M.Munshi (1964-65),
M.K.Das and B.Dayal (1964-65), M.K.Das (1965-66 and
66-67), S.K.Majumdar (1965-66, 66-67 and 67-68) and
M.G. Rao (1966-67 & 67-68), N.N. Chatterjee (1937),
J.M.Choudhury et. al, (1966) are worth mentioning.
The shelf sediments over the southern part of
Meghalaya Plateau were mapped in parts by A.C.
Goswami, M.K.Das, S.C.Talukdar, A.C.Bhattacharyya,
G.Barman, B.K.Duara, C.Chakravarti, B.D.Adhikari,
K.K.Sen and S.K.Srivastava during the period from 1961-
62 to 1972-73. S.C. Talukdar (1966-68) investigated Sylhet
Trap volcanism along the southern Khasi Hills.
The systematic geological mapping was continued
in the Meghalaya between 1973 to 84. Various geologists
who contributed (in part) during this period were
K.Gogoi, S.V.Satyanarayana, R.Bandopadhyaya, A.K.
Roychowdhury, B. Bhattacharyya, M.K.Das,
K.Chandrashekhar, K.Parida, S.Karan, R.N.Parida,
S.K.Wadhawan, G.V.K.Rao, S.S.Nayak, A.B.Dutta,
D.P.Das, P.R.Golani, A.K.Burgohain, R.P.S.Pahuja,
S.C.Mehrotra and H.S.Srivastava.
From 1985 to 1997 the officers who carried out geo-
logical mapping in various toposheets to fill the gap ar-
eas left out by the earlier workers are P.R.Golani,
S.C.Mehtra, S.D.Pimprikar, R.P.S. Pahuja, U.P.Singh,
Aizaz Akhtar, R.S.Rajawat, H.Sarma, P.S.Gill, S.Sarkar,
A.K.Ray, K.K.Gagopadhyay, P.Kapali. A.V.
Gangadharan, B.Chatterjee, N.Jha, M.P.Chawade,
S.Y.Katti, N.K.Agarwal, S.Nag, Tapan Paul, Anshuman
Acharya, D.D.Bhatacharya, H.S.Saini, H.Kariyanna, and
M.A.Khonglah.
(v) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
The present compilation of Geology and Mineral
Resources of North Eastern Region under the Misc. Pub-
lication: 30 is an endeavour as per the broader framework
of comprehensive write up of Geology and Mineral Re-
sources of the states of India as formulated by the CHQ.
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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii)
The Director General, Geological Survey of India,
conceived of the project on the write up on geology of
the different states of India and this work in North East-
ern Region comprises a part of the larger, all India project
of Geological Survey of India.
Publication Division, Geological Survey of India,
North Eastern Region, Shillong, is indebted to a number
of officers of Geological Survey of India but for their ef-
forts this publication would not have been brought out.
Different divisions of Geological Survey of India,
Northeastern Region have provided the draft material
which has been compiled, recast and modified as per the
prescribed format of this publication. Since the work for
this volume started some years before the actual publica-
tion, some of the manuscripts were irretrievable and por-
tions had to be rewritten. This would not have been pos-
sible without the background information on the data
sources provided by the divisions. Coal Wing, Geologi-
cal Survey of India provided the material pertaining to
the coal chapters of this volume.
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The material has been updated from critical reviews
from the publication & information division-I CHQ,
Kolkata. An overall co-ordination from Central Head-
quarters was needed to orient the objective of this publi-
cation as per the guidelines set by CHQ.
The co-ordinated efforts of the Deputy Directors
General, Geological Survey of India, North Eastern Re-
gion, Shillong along with officers of Regional head quar-
ters and Operational units of NER facilitated availability
of manuscripts of the different states. Dr.U.K.Mishra,
Dr.V.V.Sesha Sai and Shri.P.K.Das, Geologists (Sr.), GSI,
NER, Shillong, are thankfully acknowledged for scruti-
nising and attending to the modifications in the manu-
script.
The support provided by Miss Lamonsie Laitflong,
Smt. Aradhana Saikia, and Smt. Dorothy L. Fanai, Li-
brary Information Assistants of the Publication Division,
GSI, NER, during the composing, editing, and retrieval
of available material for authentication of details is thank-
fully acknowledged.
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General Geology and Stratigraphy

The State of Meghalaya is occupied by rocks belong-
ing to (a) Archaean (?)Proterozoic Gneissic Complex (b)
Khasi Basic-Ultrabasic Intrusives of Proterozoic age (c)
Shillong Group of metasediments of Meso-Proterozoic
age (d) Granite Plutons viz. Kyrdem, Nongpoh and
Mylliem Granite Plutons and South Khasi batholith of
Neo ProterozoicLower Palaeozoic age (e) Lower
Gondwana sedimentary rocks of CarboniferousPermian
age (f) Cretaceous volcanic rocks represented by Sylhet
Trap and Alkaline-Ultramafic-Carbonatite Complex of
Sung (g) CretaceousTertiary shelf sediments and (h)
Pleistocene to Recent fluvial sediments.
The generalized stratigraphic succession of different
litho formation is given below:

2.1.1 STRATIGRAPHIC SUCCESSION OF MEGHALAYA

Age Group Name Formation Lithology

Holocene Newer Alluvium Unclassified Sand, silt and clay

(Thickness not known)

Pleistocene Older Allumium Unclassified Sand, clay, pebble, gravel and

(Thickness not known) boulder deposit

------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unconformity ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mio-Pliocene Dupi Tila Formation Mottled clay, feldspathic
(1050m) sandstone and conglomerate

------------------------------------------------------------- Unconformity/Disconformity ----------------------------------------------------------------

Chengapara Formation Coarse sandstone, siltstone,
(700m) clay and marl

Coarse, feldpathic sandstone,

pebble, conglomerate, clay,
Oligo-Miocene Garo Group Baghmara Formation silty clay with a fossiliferous
(530m) limestone horizon at the
top
Siltstone & fine sandstone and
Simsang Formation alternations of siltstone-
(1150m) mudstone

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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii) 7

Coarse sandstone, shale,

Eocene - Barail Group ............................. carbonaceous shale with streaks
Oligocene and minor lenses of coal
Kopili Formation (50m) Shale, sandstone, marl and coal

Palaeocene-Eocene Jaintia Group Shella Formation (600m) Alternation of sandstone,

limestone
Langer Formation Calcareous shale, sandstone,
(100m.) limestone
Mahadek Formation Arkosic sandstone (often
(150 m.) Glauconitic & Uraniferous)

Upper Creetaceous Khasi Group Conglomerate (25m.) Conglomerate

Jadukata Formation Conglomerate/sandstone
(140m)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unconformity -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Creetaceous Alkaline-Ultramafic- Pyroxenite - Serpentinite with
Carbonatite ............................. abundant development of
Complex of Sung melilite pyroxene rock, ijolite,
syenite and carbonatite
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unconformity --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Creetaeous Sylhet Trap Basalt, alkali basalt, rhyolite
(600m) and acid tuff
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unconformity --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Very coarse to coarse grained
Carboniferous Karharbari Formation sandstone with conglomerate
lense, siltstone, shale, carbona-
to Lower Gondwana ceous shale and coal
Basal tillite, with sandstone
Permian bands, siltstone and shale
Telchir Formation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unconformity --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Granite Plutons :
Kyrdem Granite Pluton
(479 26 Ma) Porphyritic coarse granite,
Neo Proterozoic- Nongpoh Granite pegmatite, aplite/quartz vein
Early Palaeozoic (550 15 Ma) traversed by epidiorite, dolerite
Mylliem Granite and basalt dykes.
(607 13 Ma)
South Khasi Granite
(690 26 Ma)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Intrusive contact -------------------------------------------------------------------------

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8 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
Khasi Basic-Ultrabasic
Proterozoic intrusives (Khasi
greenstone)
Palaeo-Meso- Shillong Group
Proterozoic
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unconformity --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Achaean (?) - Meghalaya Gneissic
Proterozoic Complex
(A) GNEISSIC COMPLEX:
The Gneissic Complex is exposed mostly in the cen-
tral and northern parts of the Meghalaya Plateau cover-
ing the districts of West Garo Hills, East Garo Hills, West
Khasi Hills & Ri Bhoi. The Archaean Gneissic Complex
is represented dominantly by para and ortho-gneisses,
migmatites and metasedimentary bands. These are in-
truded by amphibolites, metadolerites and
metapyroxenites. The gneissic rocks and associated
metasediments have long been recognized as an extension
of Peninsular India (Evans,1932). According to him the
horizontal movement along the Dawki Fault, detached
the Shillong Plateau from the main mass of Indian shield.
The Gneissic Complex has been described as Older
Gneisses or Gneiss Series or Achaeans in the ear-
lier accounts of geology of this part of the country. The
Gneissic Complex has complicated and multiple
deformational & metamorphic episodes. In general, the
grade of metamorphism varies from the greenschist to
amphibolites facies. An abundance of granite gneisses and
a paucity of alluminosilicate index minerals are the domi-
nant characters of the basement complex. The latest ubiq-
uitous regional metamorphism presumably has
Hercynian characteristic (Mazumdar, 1976).
Within the gneissic terrain, biotite bearing quartzo-
feldspathic gneisses are the most abundant rocks with
patchy enclaves of amphibolite, banded magnetite quartz-
ite, quartz-dumonterite-tourmaline schist, mica schist,
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............................. Epidiorite, dolerite amphibolite
and pyroxenite dykes and sills
Quartzite, phyllite, quartz-
............................. sericite schist, conglomerate
Biotite gneiss, biotite horn-
blende gneiss, granite gneiss,
mica schist, sillimanite-quarz
schist, biotite-granulite-
amphibolite, pyroxene
granulite, gabbro and diorite
sillimanite-quartz schist, calc granulite, saphirine-
cordierite granulite, magnetite-granulite etc. Enclaves of
anorthositic rocks have been reported in the quartzo-feld-
spathic gneiss (e.g. Umkangsin) and the enclaves are com-
posed of plagioclase and pargasite with some epidote and
opaque minerals.
The quartzo-feldspathic gneisses are mostly medium
to coarse grained and composed of quartz, K-feldspar,
plagioclase, biotite, garnet and a little hornblende with
apatite and sphene as accessories. The overall texture of
the rock is xenoblastic. At places, the gneiss also contain
phlogopite, magnetite, cordierite, spinel, fibrolite and
anthophyllite. The amphibolites rarely show relict sub-
ophitic texture in the less schistose portions. The mineral
constituents of the amphibolite enclaves are dark green
hornblende, plagioclase, biotite with occasional quartz,
epidote, sphene and magnetite. The granulites and related
mafic-ultramafic rocks are in general medium to very
coarse grained, massive and are occasionally associated
with carbonate rocks and are composed predominantly of
calcite, partially serpentinised olivine, tremolite and
spinel. The micaceous schists often occur as narrow strips
within the gneisses with gradational boundary. In the
basement complex, sillimanite-garnet-K-feldspar-quartz
gneisses/schist without muscovite is a common assem-
blage. In Sonapahar area the sillimanite gneisses contain
biotite-cordierite-corundum and chondrodite (?).
The sillimanite bearing rocks represent per-
aluminous regolith belonging to Proterozoic age. The
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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii)
chondrodite, which indicates a low pressure to interme-
diate metamorphism has also been reported in the
gneisses of Umpirtha area. The assemblage of biotite-
cordierite occurs south of South Khasi Batholith and it
represents the metasomatic part of the migmatite. Evi-
dences of retrogression and neocrystallisation have been
recorded in garnetiferous schist occurring north of South
Khasi Batholith, where micaceous pseudomorphs of
aluminosilicate (Andalusite?) are present.
All gradations from augen gneiss to streaky gneiss
and banded gneiss indicating different stages of
granitisation are noticed in the gneisses. Mazumdar(1976)
has recognized relict augen gneisses which are pre-tectonic
and belong to an earlier orogeny. In the banded gneisses,
quartzo-feldspathic leucosomes alternate with biotite-rich
melanosome and the thickness of the gneissic bands var-
ies from place to place. Structures like agmatic, stro-
matic etc, which are typical fabrics in a migmatite ter-
rain, are well displayed at places. Pinching and swelling
of the leucosomes along the main S-plane and also
ptygmatic folding are common features recorded in the
migmatite. In the heart of the gneissic terrain
homophanous patches of granite-like rocks are recorded,
which are developed during the most advanced stage
(nebulite) of the granitisation process. The mobilized
rocks are granitic, granodioritic or at places dioritic in
composition. In the mobilized rocks, xenoliths of the
country rocks are common. The contact between the
gneiss and the remobilized granitoids is gradational at
many places, while an intrusive relationship has been re-
corded in some other places. Petrographic characters of
some of the granodiorite-granite rocks indicate that they
belong to plutonic migmatites.
It is evident from the study of many workers that
nonporphyritic granitoid rocks are older than the
porphyritic type and these non-porphyritic granitoid rocks
of Meghalaya are syntectonic in origin, while the
porphyritic variety have been emplaced as granite plutons
at the post tectonic phase of evolution of the Basement
Gneissic Complex. Studies have been carried out along
Mawshut-Mawlong-Mana-Mawsaw stretch and its exten-
sion towards northeast and southwest to understand the
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9
contact relationship of Basement Gneissic Complex and
Shillong Group. Some workers are of the opinion that the
contact between the two groups of rocks is transitional
where the cover rocks of Shillong Group adjacent to the
contact are partly migmatised and others opine that the
contact is an erosional unconformity, defined by the dis-
continuous lenses of conglomerate bands. The more de-
tailed work is being continued to resolve this problem.
The basement gneisses have been intruded by acid,
basic and ultrabasic intrusives of various dimensions and
shapes. The acidic intrusives are dominated by anorogenic
granite plutons and veins. The basic/ultrabasic intrusives
include ortho-amphibolite, metadolerite, metagabbro and
metapyroxenite. Syntectonic intrusives of basic rocks are
represented by the Khasi Greenstones, while the other ba-
sic bodies and the ultrabasics were emplaced in the
gneisses during the post tectonic period. Besides, the base-
ment gneisses have rarely been injected by thin sheets of
lamprophyre (near Rongjeng, Umpirtha etc.) and
carbonatite (near Rongjeng) also.
Extensive Rb-Sr isotope studies on the basement
gneisses of Meghalaya plateau have been carried out. The
gneisses have yielded the following ages:
Table : 2.1.2 :
Locality Age
(a) South of Rongjeng 808 Ma
(b) South of Nongpoh 1150 Ma
(c) Patherkang 1714 Ma
(B ) SHILLONG GROUP :
The Shillong Group of metasediments is exposed in
the central and eastern part of Meghalaya plateau. In the
western part, south of Sumer, rocks of the Shillong Group
were laid over the Gneissic Complex with an
unconformity defined by a basal conglomerate horizon.
However, the rocks near the contact between the Gneissic
Complex and Shillong Group along Mawshut, Mawlong,
Mana, Mawsaw stretch and its extension towards north-
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10
east and southwest is transitional and partly migmatised
at places.
The Shillong Group (earlier termed as Shillong Se-
ries) was correlated with the Iron Ore Series. The cor-
relation was based on the presence of magnetite quartz-
ite and hematite-quartzite in the Shillong Group occur-
ring in the northern part of the plateau. Pascoe (1973) cor-
related the Shillong Group with the Dharwars, though
there exists much difference in their lithology.
The Shillong Group has been broadly classified into
a lower dominantly argillaceous unit and an upper arena-
ceous unit. Metamorphism in the former has reached the
garnet zone, while the grade of metamorphism in other
part is relatively low and at several localities the rocks are
unmetamorphosed.
The cover metasediments of the Shillong Group
form clastic sequence made up of quartzite and phyllite
with subordinate quartz-sericite schist, conglomerate etc.
Both basal and intraformational conglomerates have been
recorded in the Shillong Group. The lithopackage forms
broadly a NE-SW trending belt in the eastern part of
Meghalaya Plateau and is traversed by acidic, basic and
ultrabasic intrusives. The acidic intrusives are represented
by large bosses of granites with pegmatites and quartz
veins. The basic and ultrabasic rocks comprise dolerite,
gabbro, Pyroxenite, etc belonging to the Khasi Basic
Ultrabasic Intrusives. The dating of the intrusives indi-
cates a late Proterozoic age (570-900 Ma). It may be in-
ferred that the Shillong Group belongs to Middle
Proterozoic age (900-1600 Ma).
The basal conglomerate defining the unconformity
is exposed along the part of the western border of the
Shillong Group. In those parts of the contact, where the
conglomerate is absent, the base of the Shillong Group
is represented by a sheared ferruginous quartzite. The ba-
sal conglomerate is thickly bedded and sheared. The bed-
ding is well defined at places by pebble layering. Current
bedding is preserved occasionally. The clasts are domi-
nated by vein quartz and quartzite set in a quartzo-feld-
spathic, micaceous or phyllitic matrix.
The intraformational conglomerate occurs as discon-
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GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
tinuous bands/lenses in the quartzites at a number of lo-
calities (viz; Wah Umiam, Sohiong, Mawphlang, Wah
Sohra gorge etc). Although these conglomerates are dis-
posed along different stratigraphic levels, a broad similar-
ity exists in their lithological composition and structure.
The clasts in these conglomerates are subrounded, vary
in size from pebble to cobble and even to boulder and are
composed of vein quartz and quartzite. It is noteworthy
that boulders of metamorphic rock have been recorded
in conglomerate from Wah Sohra gorge. The flattened
clasts along the foliation are set in a quartzo-feldspathic
or siliceous matrix. The intensity of flattening varies from
place to place. In New Kynsew, the conglomerate contains
attenuated pebbles of vein quartz and along the strike ex-
tension the conglomerate grades into gritty quartzite with
smaller clasts of vein quartz.
The quartzite of the Shillong Group varies in col-
our, composition, grain size and also in degree of
recrystallisation. Gradation from orthoquartzite to arkosic
quartzite and to phyllite is a common feature. One domi-
nant variety of medium grained quartzite contains sand-
size grains in a clayey or argillaceous matrix. The sand
grains are of quartz, quartzite and chert, some detrital
grains exhibit overgrowth of authigenic quartz and re-
maining intergranular spaces are occupied by the matrix
material. With increasing recrystallisation, aggregates of
grains of quartz as well as segregation of layers are pro-
duced in a granoblastic mosaic. In the quartzose aggre-
gates, polygonisation and development of triple point
junction are noticeable. In such varieties, the primary sedi-
mentary fabric is mostly obliterated and the rock resem-
bles an orthoquartzite. The mineral constituents in the
quartzite are quartz with variable proportion of feldspar,
sericite, biotite, muscovite, garnet, epidote and opaques.
The biotite and garnet are only occasionally developed
and the grade of metamorphism is relatively high.
The quartzites are often ferruginous and are rarely
carbonaceous. The carbonaceous quartzite is traversed by
vein quartz and such vein quartz occurring near Tyrsad
is the host rock for gold mineralization. Small lenses of
quartz-sericite/quartz-muscovite schist in the quartzite are
common.
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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii) 11

Bedding, current bedding and ripple marks have depositional basin of Shillong Group could be compared
been preserved in the quartzite. Rhythmic alternation of to Synclise of Belousov (1962).
quartzite, finer silty arenites and shale has been noticed
(C) KHASI BASIC-ULTRABASIC INTRUSIVES:
locally (e.g. near Barapani, Lyngkin). Foliation is well de-
veloped in the micaceous portions of the quartzites, while The Khasi Basic-Ultrabasic Intrusives comprising
in the quartz-rich portions, it is weakly developed. In the basic intrusives like epidiorite, metagabbro, metadolerite,
Tyrsad-Barapani Shear Zone, the quartzites of the etc occur mostly as sills, dykes and rarely as phacoliths
Shillong Group are mylonitised. The granulation took in the various subfacies of the Shillong Group. The Khasi
place in multitudes of planes, parallel or sub parallel to Basic-Ultrabasic Intrusives have also intruded the base-
the main foliation. ment Gneissic Complex in the west central part of the pla-
teau. The basic rocks, which are emplaced predominantly
Phyllite, siltstone and shale representing the
in the Shillong Group, are mostly exposed as tabular bod-
argillaceous components of the Shillong Group often
ies, conformable with the beds of the enveloping Shillong
form thick piles in which intercalating bands/lenses of
Group. It has been noticed in several localities (e.g., south
quartzite are common. The pelites are thinly laminated,
of Laitiyngkot, northwest of Sohiong etc.) that the same
vary in colour and at places are well foliated. Gradation
body is partly concordant, while discordant in other parts.
from phyllite to a phyllitic quartzite is a common feature.
One major exposure of the Khasi Basic-Ultrabasic
The phyllite is often ferruginous. The rock is composed
Intrusives has been recorded at the Um Song gorge, where
of very fine grains of quartz, feldspar, chlorite, epidote
it persists along the full stretch (910 m) of the gorge. In
and sericite with minor amount of opaques, muscovite
the areas between Wah Sohra gorge in the east and the
and biotite. The opaques are dominantly represented by
Umiew gorge in the west, a number of basic bodies have
pyrite and iron oxides. Concentration of opaques along
been emplaced in a fork-like pattern and it is presumed
thin layers defining bedding has occasionally been re-
that such sheets might have been originated from a sin-
corded. The foliation is represented by slaty cleavage. The
gle, concealed body. Detached linear bodies of the Khasi
quartzites, which occur as intercalating bands / lenses in
Basic-Ultrabasic Intrusives also occur between Lyniong
phyllite near Tyrsad-Barapani Shear Zone, show evidences
and Barapani with a width of about 500 m and length
of shearing / mylonitisation.
upto 7 km of individual body.
The primary structures (e.g. bedding, current bed-
In weathered outcrops, the basic rocks give a reddish
ding and ripple marks) are very common in
brown colour. The rocks are generally dark green, medium
metasediments of Shillong Group. The schistosity planes
to coarse grained and massive. Near the contact with the
are developed in the proximity to granite plutons. These
Shillong Group, the intrusives are at places, finer in grain
are in general parallel / sub parallel to bedding planes and
size. A crude foliation has developed locally. Late mag-
are often transposed in more metamorphosed parts.
matic granophyric lenses and pneumatolytic quartz veins
In the litho unit occurring at the base of Shillong occur occasionally in the basic rocks. Secondary quartz-
Group, the dip of strata is towards southeast i.e. towards carbonate veins have rarely been noticed.
the central parts of the Shillong plateau. A zone of sub
The Khasi Basic-Ultrabasic Intrusives represents an
vertical dips with local reversals continues northeast from
episode of basic magmatism, between the two major
the west of Mawphlang to Barapani and is accompanied
phases of granitic activities. The emplacement of basic
by shear planes, some mineralisation and reconstitution.
magma was prior to the onset of metamorphism in the
Rocks of Shillong Group are exposed around periphery
Shillong Group. The disposition of the basic bodies is pri-
of Mylliem pluton and South Khasi Batholith and extend
marily controlled by the regional foliation of the Shillong
below the Tertiary cover away from these granite plutons
Group. The Khasi Basic-Ultrabasic Intrusives were
/ batholiths. Mazumdar(1976) suggested that the

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12 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

emplaced in the tensional zones of the extensional regime pegmatite and aplite veins cut across the granitic rocks.
related to the folding deformation of the enveloping
Orientation of euhedral megacrysts of K-feldspar
Shillong Group.
along with trails of biotite impart a NE-SW trending pri-
(D) GRANITE PLUTONS: mary foliation in the rock. Xenoliths of granite gneiss,
metamorphosed mafic/ultramafic rocks, quartzites of the
The Meghalaya Plateau is characterized by a num-
Shillong Group and massive hornblende- dioritic rocks
ber of syn to late tectonic plutons. The Singluli granite
are present in the Kyrdem pluton. Effects of contact meta-
exposed in and around Patharkhang area is the only mi-
morphism evidenced by hornfels in the enclaves are im-
nor post-tectonic granite intrusive so far reported. Some
portant characteristic features. The enclaves of hornblende
of the granite bosses such as Mylliem Granite are
dioritic rocks occur as mappable bodies. The effect of
intrusives into the Shillong Group, while several other in-
granitisation along the margin of dioritic enclaves in por-
trusive bodies at Nongpoh, Hallidayganj, Mawthaliang,
phyritic granite is very common in the area.
Rongjeng, Kyrdem, Kholong etc. have intruded into the
basement Gneissic Complex. A large pluton namely the The coarse grained porphyritic granites are essen-
South Khasi Batholith intrudes into Shillong Group. tially composed of euhedral megacrysts of K-feldspar, al-
bite, biotite and sphene, while apatite and magnetite oc-
The geological map of the Meghalaya Plateau re-
cur as accessories. The presence of partially corroded al-
veals that the plutons are distributed broadly along a NE-
bite, quartz and biotite as inclusions within K-feldspar
SW trending axis close to the western contact between the
megacrysts suggests crystallization of K-feldspar
Shillong Group and the Basement Gneissic Complex and
megacrysts relatively later in the paragenetic sequence. A
also along a NW-SE zone which passes through south of
hypidiomorphic granular texture is exhibited by aggregate
Shillong. Straight margins of some of the plutons (viz;
of quartz, microcline, albite, biotite with minor sphene.
Nongpoh, South Khasi Batholith etc.) might point to
Myrmekitic intergrowth of quartz and plagioclase is also
some pre existing fractures which might have controlled
present. In the modal Q-A-P diagram, the Kyrdem Gran-
their emplacement. Apophyses and veins of the granites
ite falls in the quartz-monzonite, quartz syenite and gran-
in the country rocks, presence of discordant xenoliths
ite fields. Rb-Sr isotopic age for Kyrdem Pluton is 479+/
along with textural features like oscillatory zoning in pla-
- 26 Ma.
gioclase indicate a possible magmatic origin of these gran-
ite plutons. (ii) Nongpoh Granite (55026 Ma):
Amongst the different plutons, the most well stud- The Nongpoh Granite pluton is named after the
ied are the granite intrusives at Mylliem, Nongpoh and town Nongpoh in Ri-bhoi district, which is located in be-
South Khasi, some of which will be discussed as follows. tween Guwahati and Shillong. The pluton occupies an
Besides, other minor plutons with available isotopic age area of nearly 300 sq.km in Meghalaya and extends be-
data are also described in brief. yond the state boundary. The outcrop pattern of part of
the pluton within Meghalaya is broadly rectangular and
(i) Kyrdem Granite Pluton (47926 Ma):
trends roughly ENE-WSW.
The Kyrdem Granite occurs as a small body north-
The Nongpoh Granite is a discordant intrusive and
east of Shillong and has intruded the metasediments of
shows a sharp contact with the Basement Gneissic Com-
Shillong Group. It comprises two major variants viz; a
plex/Shillong Group. The chilling effect at the contact is
coarse grained, porphyritic granite and a fine-grained
not pronounced. Xenoliths of the country rocks occur oc-
granite. The dominant type is coarse grained type, which
casionally in the granite and the contact with the xeno-
is represented by grey and pink K-feldspar bearing vari-
liths is always sharp. Thin veins of the granite traversing
eties. The greyish-white fine grained granite occurs mostly
the xenoliths and the country rocks have been recorded.
as anastomosing veins in the porphyritic granite. Minor

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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii)
Although the greater part of the pluton is homophanous,
a primary foliation is imparted at places by preferred di-
mensional orientation of megacrysts of microcline,
mostly along the fringe of granite bodies.
The granite is very coarse grained, mesocratic and
porphyritic. The phenocrysts of twinned, perthitic micro-
cline occur within groundmass consisting mainly of pla-
gioclase, quartz, biotite and microcline. Accessory min-
erals include sphene, apatite, zircon, epidote and opaque
ores. Inclusions of plagioclase, biotite and quartz occur
in the phenocrysts of microcline. Such inclusions of bi-
otite and quartz exhibit at some portions, dimensional
alignment parallel to the longer dimension of the
megacrysts. Plagioclase occurs as twinned subhedral
grains. Myrmekitic intergrowth is not very common.
Quartz mostly occurs as anhedral grains and often cor-
rodes microcline, plagioclase and biotite. Biotite and mus-
covite are at places, marginally altered to chlorite and
sericite respectively. Microcline occurs in the groundmass
rarely and such grains show perthitic texture occasionally.
Xenolithic inclusions represented by aggregates of biotite-
sphene-opaques are recorded in some localities.
(iii) Mylliem Granite (60713 Ma):
The granite pluton near Mylliem off Shillong in East
Khasi Hills district intrudes the quartzite of the Shillong
Group. It occupies an area of about 40 sq. km. and is
broadly elliptical in outline with the longer axis trending
nearly E-W being oblique to the NE-SW trend of the en-
veloping metasedimentary rocks.
The contact between the Mylliem Granite and the
enclosing Shillong Group is sharp and discordant. Apo-
physes, tongues and veins of the granite occur within the
quartzite near the margin of the pluton.
Primary foliation has been recorded in the Mylliem
Granite towards its southern and eastern margin, while
the bulk of the granite body is homophanous. The folia-
tion is defined by preferred orientation of megacrysts of
microcline (layer dimension 4 cm in average) and the fo-
liation trends broadly parallel to the margin.
The Mylliem Granite is coarse to very coarse-
grained, porphyritic containing white or pink phenocrysts
Pg-19
13
of microcline-microperthite set in a groundmass of pla-
gioclases, quartz, K-feldspar and biotite. Apatite, zircon,
sphene, epidote, muscovite, sericite and opaques occur as
accessories. The texture is porphyritic to hypidiomorphic-
granular.
Xenoliths of quartzite and small restites of fine to
medium grained biotite rich porphyritic granites occur
within the Mylliem Granite. Such xenolithic inclusions
show sharp contacts with the enclosing porphyritic gran-
ite. Mineralogically, the non-porphyritic granite is simi-
lar to the porphyritic granite excepting that the former
contains relatively more biotite. It is apparent that the
granite inclusions are co-generic in nature. In addition,
patches \ aggregates of chlorite have also been noted in
the southern margin of the Mylliem pluton.
Thin veins of pegmatite, aplite and quartz are nu-
merous in the pluton. The pegmatites contain biotite, mus-
covite, tourmaline and magnetite indicating
pneumotolysis, related to the late phase of acid
magmatism.
(iv) South Khasi Granite (690+/-19 Ma):
The South Khasi Granite occurs as intrusive both in
the Basement Gneissic Complex and the metasediments
of Shillong Group. Both Porphyritic and fine grained
homophanous pink granite form the South Khasi Gran-
ite. Porphytitic granite component of South Khasi Gran-
ite is petrographically similar to those of Kyrdem and
Nongpoh Granites. It is mostly composed of coarse
megacrysts of K-feldspar set in a groundmass of fine
grained K-feldspar, quartz, orthoclase and biotite. NE-
SW trending foliation is well developed in the porphyritic
granite defined by the orientation of megacrysts of K-feld-
spars. The youngest variant of the South Khasi pluton is
equigranular, medium grained pink granite. It comprises
of orthoclase, quartz, plagioclase and biotite. The plots
in modal Q-A-P diagram show that South Khasi porphy-
ritic granite falls in granite/quartz monzonite/quartz sy-
enite field. Several xenoliths/enclaves of amphibolites,
diorite and granite gneiss occur in the South Khasi Plu-
ton. Rb-Sr isotopic age of South Khasi Granite is 690+/
-19 Ma.
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14
(E) LOWER GONDWANA GROUP:
The occurrence of Lower Gondwana rocks was first
reported by Fox (1934) and later by Fermor (1935). Fox
reported plant fossils and some pieces of vitrinised coal
which confirms its Gondwana affinity. Acharyya and
Ghosh (1968a) grouped the entire sequence into
Karharbari Formation. Banerjee et.al, (1977) on the ba-
sis of mega and microflora, assigned a lower Barakar age
to the fossiliferous carbonaceous shale. De and Boral
(1978) classified these sediments into the Talchir and
Karharbari Formations.
The Lower Gondwana sediments in the area occur
as an isolated N-S trending linear body in the western
part Garo Hills. The Gondwana rocks are mostly con-
cealed under the thick cover of Brahmaputra alluvium.
Talchir Formation:
The Gondwana sequence in the area starts with the
boulder conglomerate which is exposed south of
Singrimari township at the junction of the road leading
to Tura. The road cutting shows khaki to dirty green shale
overlain by a layer of conglomerate. This sequence can
be further traced towards north in the Boldamiri nala
where the section exposes, for about 10 m, alternating se-
quence of conglomerate and shale. The shale is khaki
green to pale greenish, silty and micaceous in nature. The
boulder conglomerate is grayish brown to pale grey with
subangular to rounded clasts embedded in the silty ma-
trix. The clasts are of quartz, quartzite, gneisses and
pegmatites which vary in size from small pebble to large
cobbles of 12 to 15 cm diameter. These are unsorted, de-
void of stratification and directional fabric.
Karharbari Formation :
The overlying sequence is not well exposed but can
be best studied in the area around Singrimari. The area
exposes a thin layer of sandstone and carbonaceous shale
with a thick layer of conglomerate over it.
The shale is brownish red to dark grey, highly mi-
caceous and contains well preserved plant impressions.
The conglomerate is brownish grey to greenish grey with
clasts of vein quartz embedded within the sandy matrix.
The clasts show a greater degree of sphericity and round-
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GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
ness and vary in size from small pebbles to cobbles.
Well preserved impressions of Vertebraria sp. and
Glossopteris sp. are collected from the reddish brown to
black micaceous shale underlying the coal band.
(F) SYLHET TRAP:
The Sylhet Traps are represented by plateau (flood)
basalts exposed in a narrow E-W strip (80 km long and 4
km wide) along the southern border of the Shillong Pla-
teau; the maximum exposed thickness is 550-600 m.
These apparently overlie the eroded Precambrian base-
ment and are overlain non-conformably by the Upper Cre-
taceous-Eocene sediments. The sediments and the lavas
form a monoclinal flexure and the sediments at the crest
of the monocline have subsequently been eroded expos-
ing the traps as inliers at places. The flexure in the
Therriaghat-Shella sector with its E-W axis changes along
its trace westward to a high angle reverse fault through
normal and vertical faults (Dauki fault), which mark the
exposed limit of the Sylhet Traps to the south. The traps
to the north at Therriaghat are in contact with the gneisses
and granites along an E-W fault, termed the Raibah fault.
Immediately south of this fault, the traps dip at 45-50
to the south. At the southernmost limit, they again dip at
10-35 along the monocline or at 50 against the Dauki
fault (e.g Umngi River section). Laterally they dip together
with the sediments southwest along the Jadukata River;
to the east, the last exposure of the traps is seen in the
Dauki River.
The Sylhet traps comprise predominantly of basalts
with minor alkali basalts (nepheline bearing phonolite),
rhyolites and acid tuffs. The basaltic flows are 5-7 m in
average thickness. Andesites are absent. Many of the ba-
saltic flows contain flow-breccias at the top and comprise
various textural types viz. non-porphyritic, micro-porphy-
ritic or mega-porphyritic. The various structures such as
flow breccias, layering and flow folds in many of the ba-
salt flows are presumably controlled by the configuration
of palaeoslope and rate of flow. The alkali basalts occur
as flows in the Umiew gorge and in the Dwara gorge.
They comprise of mostly phenocrysts of diopside, altered
and resorbed hornblende in a groundmass of aegirine aug-
ite, aegirine, euhedral nepheline, magnetite and intersti-
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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(i)
tial isotropic patches of a feldspathoid mineral resembling
analcite. Secondary minerals filling the vesicles are cal-
cite, quartz and zeolites.
Rhyolites are associated with the acid tuffs (vitric,
lithic and lapilli tuff) in the Umiew gorge (in a stream
south of Tyngner) and in the Dwara gorge. The acid
volcanics occur as intrusions within the basalts and the
close association of rhyolites with the acid pyroclastics
and the nature of the acid tuffs grading into rhyolites show
that the rhyolites are really ignimbrites occurring as dykes.
Both within the flows and also in the vicinity of Pre-
cambrian rocks to the north, basic dykes are common;
within the trap area the dykes occur as swarms. They
trend between N 75E-S75W to N85W-S85E and are
younger than lava. They are of a single compositional
type. The basic dykes are found in the Achaeans of Khasi
and Garo Hills trending between NNE-SSW and NE-SW,
in most cases coinciding with the structural grain of the
country rock. There are few alkali lamprophyre dykes in
the Archaean of north-eastern Garo Hills, probably be-
longing to the same episode of the igneous activity. Nei-
ther feeder dykes nor volcanic vents have been noticed in
Sylhet Traps.
The extrusion of Sylhet traps began with a quiet ef-
fusion of tholeiitic flood basalts, accentuated through E-
W fissures developed in the peneplained crystalline base-
ment. One of these fractures identified to be a fault (the
Raibah Fault) along which the northern non-volcanic
block moved up relative to the southern block experienc-
ing volcanism. The Raibah fault was active during and af-
ter the volcanism till Upper Cretaceous. The sequence of
eruption was as follows: (1) tholeiitic basalts, (2) minor
alkali basalts (nepheline tephrite), (3) tholeiitic basalts, (4)
localized explosive effusion of minor rhyolites and acid
tuffs and (5) tholeiitic basalts. Post eruptive basic dykes
and few alkali lamprophyre dykes intruded along E-W
fractures, especially in the monoclinally dipping southern
portion. Thus, the tectonic history of this part of the
Shillong Plateau is characterized by relative uplift and
down-sinking of different basement blocks like horst and
graben along weak zones in the basement.
Pg-21
15
(G) ALKALINE-ULTRAMAFIC-CARBONATITE
COMPLEX OF SUNG:
A large Alkaline-Ultramafic-Carbonatite Complex
occurs as intrusive within the Shillong Group
metasediments around Sung. No contact metamorphic
effect was noticed near to the vicinity of the intrusive
body. However, a narrow zone of fenite and a brecciated
admixed zone of fenite and quartzite have developed at
places particularly along the contact. The oval shaped
complex depicts a partial ring structure with a central
serpentinite core surrounded by pyroxenite rim. The
dominant rock types of the complex include (i) peridot-
ite, (ii) serpentinite, (iii) pyroxenite, (iv) uncomphagrite,
(v) alkaline rocks (vi) biotite-alkali feldspar rock and (vii)
carbonatite. Apatite-magnetite rock is also present in sig-
nificant amount in the complex.
Peridotite is an important but rare member of the
complex exposed only in Sung nala. It is coarse grained
and consists of olivine altered to serpentine along cracks
and cleavage planes. Clinopyroxene, phlogopite and few
opaques are also present. Chemically, the rock is rich in
MgO and FeO with low CaO content. The oxidation in-
dex is low. Serpentinite occurs in the central and eastern
part. It is considered as the alteration product of peridot-
ite. It consists dominantly of serpentine (antigorite). Relict
olivine is rare but relict clinopyroxene is common.
Opaque minerals are magnetite and pervoskite. Chemi-
cally, these are rich in MgO and FeO with normative oli-
vine and hypersthene. Pyroxenite is the dominant rock
type with finer grained component in the marginal part.
The dominant minerals are diopsidic augite and aegirine
augite. The rocks show cumulus texture with perthitic al-
kali feldspar occupying the interstitial space. Hornblende,
phlogopite, apatite, sphene, carbonate and opaques are the
common accessories. Magnetite is the dominant ore min-
eral in the finer grained pyroxenite and pervoskite in the
coarser grained rock. Sulphides are chalcopyrite with
intergrowths of pyrrhotite. Chemically, these are rich in
alkali along with MgO, FeO and CaO and are derived
from an alkaline undersaturated melt. Uncomphagrite is
coarse grained and contains melilite as one of its princi-
pal constituents. Clinopyroxene is another important con-
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16
stituent. Biotite, apatite, olivine, garnet, carbonate, sphene
are the common accessories. The rocks show evidence of
silicate/ oxide and oxide/ sulphide liquid immiscibility.
The alkaline rocks are comparatively mafic rich types
from urtite to pyroxenite and mafic poor type ranging
from nepheline syenite to syenite. The dominant mineral
is aegirine in the mafic type and alkali feldspar in the ma-
fic poor type. The rocks are rich in total alkalis with Na2O
enriched over K2O. These are derived from an evolved
melt. Biotitealkali feldspar rock occurs as dykes within
the Shillong Group quartzite. Cognate inclusions of py-
roxenite are common in them. The rock is fine to medium
grained with phlogopite as the dominant constituent. Al-
kali feldspar, opaque, plagioclase and leucite are the com-
mon accessories. The uniformity in modal composition
rules out the possibility of these being fenite. Chemically,
these are MgO rich undersaturated rocks. Carbonatite oc-
curs as small ovoid lenses and are product of liquid im-
miscibility. The rock is coarse grained sovite. Biotite,
pyrochlore, opaque, olivine, apatite are also present in
them. Apatite-magnetite veins which represent the cumu-
lates from the carbonate magma are also present in the
complex. Fenitisation is rare and is restricted mostly to
the Shillong Group quartzite.
The rocks of the complex are derived from differ-
entiation of a primary alkaline magma. MgO shows a
strong positive correlation with Solidification Index. Oli-
vine and pyroxene represent the first differentiated prod-
ucts of the primary magma. The rocks are depleted in in-
compatible elements and relatively enriched in compat-
ible elements. However no systematic variation could be
observed among the various rock types. The REE pattern
is flat and similar for all the rock types suggesting
consanguinous nature. REE do not show any correlation
with major element abundance.
Various workers who worked on Sung alkaline Com-
plex concluded that partial melting of a metasomatised
mantle source has generated subalkaline ultramafic
magma. Peridotite and pyroxenite were derived as cumu-
lates due to process of fractional crystallization. Precipi-
tation of these two phases led to the enrichment of the
liquid in calcium and after attaining of sufficient calcium
Pg-22
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
enrichment carbonatite melt got separated due to liquid
immiscibility. From the carbonate rich liquid, initially
apatite-magnetite rock separated as cumulate and the re-
sidual melt crystallized as carbonatite. From the silicate
melt, initially uncomphagrite and subsequently alkaline
rocks develop by fractional crystallization under low oxy-
gen fugacity. The hydrothermal solutions developed from
the carbonatite melt carried the alkali elements and
fenitised the Shillong Group quartzite and some early dif-
ferentiates of the complex. The biotite rich rock is the
product of selective crustal contamination along the mar-
ginal part resulting in its appearance close to but outside
the main Sung Valley Complex.
On the basis of fission track dating of apatite from
carbonatite, it was concluded that complex was emplaced
during Upper Cretaceous time (8413 to 9010 Ma). K-
Ar dating of phlogopite from carbonatites indicates an age
of 149 5 Ma (Sarkar et.al, 1992). Recent radiometric
dating by 40Ar-39Ar method on pyroxenite sample from the
Sung Valley Complex by Ray and Pande (1997) has indi-
cated an isochron age of 118.84.2 Ma and two samples
of phlogopite from carbonatite of the complex give an iso-
chron age of 1073.7 and108.63.7Ma. This is younger
than the Rajmahal Trap by about 10Ma.
(H) KHASI GROUP :
The Cretaceous sediments exposed in the Meghalaya
Plateau is classified as Khasi Group. The Khasi Group is
a distinct arenaceous facies consisting of the oldest
Jadukata Formation (developed only south of the Pla-
teau), a younger conglomerate unit of 25m thickness oc-
cur north of the Raibah fault designated as Basal Con-
glomerate Formation and the top Mahadek Formation.
The Jadukata Formation consists of alternations of
conglomerate and sandstone (with characteristic zone fos-
sils Inoceramus). These rocks nonconformably overlie the
Sylhet Trap and their distribution is limited to the south
of the Raibah fault. The same formation further to the
west in Garo Hills has been termed as the Gumaghat For-
mation. A younger conglomerate horizon of 25 m thick-
ness occurs north of the Raibah fault designated as Basal
Conglomerate. This is overlain by a coarse arkosic sand-
stone often glauconitic, which is termed as Mahadek For-
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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(i)
mation. The maximum thickness of the Jadukata, Bottom
conglomerate and Mahadek Formations are 140m, 25m
and 150m respectively.
(I) JAINTIA GROUP:
The Langpar Formation of the Jaintia Group over-
lies the Mahadek Formation. The Cretaceous-Tertiary
boundary is usually considered at the contact of Mahadek
and Langpar formations. In Cherrapunjee and
Therriaghat sections, the Langpar Formation comprising
of intercalated shale thin limestone bands rests
unconformably over the Mahadek Formation. The
Mahadek sandstone contains Campanian fauna of
Maestrichtian age. The Langpar Formation contains
Globigerina pseudobulloides and Globigerina
triloculinoides of Danian age. Thus, the base of Langpar
is considered to define the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary.
It is yet to be ascertained whether the Iridium content in
rocks along this Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary shows sud-
den increase (due to impact of celestial bodies) as in other
parts of the world.
The Shella Formation consists of three sandstone
and three limestone members beginning with sandstone
over the Langpar Formation. The six members of Shella
Formation from the base towards the top are as follows:
Lower Sylhet Sandstone (Therria Sandstone), Lower
Sylhet Limestone (Lakadong Limestone), Middle Sylhet
Sandstone (Lakadong Sandstone), Middle Sylhet Lime-
stone (Umlatdoh Limestone), Upper Sylhet Sandstone
(Narpuh Sandstone) and Upper Sylhet Limestone (Prang
Limestone).
The different members mentioned above are well
developed in Shella area (area to the east of Jadukata
River), but in the area west of Jadukata River, only the
upper part of Shella Formation is exposed. In this area,
the Middle Sylhet Limestone is represented by Tura Sand-
stone due to lateral facies change. However, Upper Sylhet
Sandstone and Upper Sylhet Limestone persist from east
to west of Jadukata River without much change. The re-
cent subsurface data from Langrim area (west of Jadukata
River) show that below Tura Sandstone there are
impersistent development of three to four limestone beds
Pg-23
17
at varying stratigraphic levels. This clearly documents that
limestone beds within Shella Formation are laterally
impersistent and often intercalated with sandstone and
shales.
The stratigraphic sequence of Shella Formation in
Meghalaya Plateau has been broadly worked out based on
integrated study of lithological and palaeontological at-
tributes. The Lakadong Limestone or Lower Sylhet Lime-
stone Member, which is a regionally persistent horizon in
the eastern and western Khasi Hills, has yielded Miscel-
lanea miscella, Discocyclina ranikotensis etc of Paleocene
age. In the Therriaghat section, the basal limestone also
contains Paleocene biota. In Garo Hills, the Paleocene
limestone pinches out and the basal Tertiaries are repre-
sented by Tura Sandstone. This unit rests either on the
Precambrian basement or Sylhet volcanics or on Creta-
ceous rocks of Khasi Group.
The Middle Sylhet Limestone or the Umlatdoh
Limestone bed of Shella area contains Nummulites sp.,
Alveolina sp. and calcareous algae of Lower Eocene age.
The Upper Sylhet Limestone unit designated as Siju Lime-
stone in Garo Hills and Prang Limestone in Khasi-Jaintia
Hills has wide development in Meghalaya Plateau. This
limestone has a thickness of 75 to 120m., though in west
of Tura-Dahu road this unit is represented by thin marly
beds and shales. In Jaintia Hills, Nummulites sp.,
Alveoline sp., Discocyclina sp. has been recorded from
this unit. This limestone bed in Shella River section yields
Nummulites beaumonti and Discocyclina dispensa. In
Garo Hills, this limestone contains Globigerina gortani,
Globigerinopsis semiinvoluta etc. along with Discocyclina
javana and Discocyclina omphalus. The rich foraminiferal
content of Upper Limestone Member in Khasi Hills in-
dicates a Middle Eocene age, however, the planktonic
foraminifera show Middle Eocene to Upper Eocene age.
This highlights the heterochronity of the Upper Sylhet
Limestone Member, which shows progressive younging
from east to west along the Meghalaya Plateau.
The Kopili Formation defines the upper most unit
of Eocene sequence of Meghalaya. It comprises alterna-
tions of thinly laminated shales with phosphatic nodules,
sandstones, limestones and marls. It shows wide variation
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18
in thickness from 500m in Jaintia Hills to 270m in Shella
area. The formation thins out to 40m in and around Tura
and changes to arenaceous facies. The foraminiferal as-
semblage of Discocyclina, Nummulites, Pellatispira sug-
gest an Upper Eocene age.
(J) BARAIL GROUP:
The Barail Group in the Garo Hills was unknown
till Bakshi (1966) found definite evidence in support of
this. The shelf facies of Barail Group, not exceeding 1000
m in thickness, consists of fairly coarse grained sandstone,
shale, carbonaceous shale with streaks and minor seams
of coal. Salujha et. al, (1972) recorded the presence of fol-
lowing palynomorphs in the samples collected from the
Simsang river and confirmed the presence of Barail
Group, marine to estuarine equivalent of Garo Group,
along the southern edge of the Garo Hills:
Meyeripollis, Marginipollis, Anacolosidites,
Oudhkusmites, etc.
Vimal and Modak (1979) have studied micro-flora
present in Laisong, Jenum and Renji Formations of the
Barail Group developed in Jaintia Hills. The Liaisong
Formation is abundant in Lycopodiumsporites,
Dandotiaspora, Proxapertites, Triorites, Striatrilletes and
Polycolpate palynotaxa. The overlying Jenam Formation
contains Stribtriletes, Laevigatosporites, Cyathidites
Triorites and Couperipollis. The youngest Renji Forma-
tion is characterized by the predominance of
Parkeriaceous spores. The pollen grains belonging to
bigger plants are strikingly poor in Renji assemblage,
perhaps due to the lateral migration of arboreal plants.
The Kherapara Formation is a local litho stratigraphic
equivalent of Barail Group in Garo Hills. Its miofloral
assemblage is characterized by the abundance of
Meyeripollis naharkotensis, first appearance of Bauhinia
burdwanensis and frequent occurrence of
Polypodiaeeasporites tuberculensis, Schizaeoisporites
knoxi and a number of spinose tricolpate (Chakraborty
and Baksi, 1972)
(K) GARO GROUP:
The Supra-Kopili Tertiary sequence of Meghalaya
shelf (viz. Garo Group) is represented in the Garo Hills
Pg-24
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
by the Simsang Formation, which conformably overlies
the Kopili Formation without any break in sedimentation.
The Simsang Formation consists of cycle of massive fes-
toon cross-bedded sandstone, alternating with siltstone-
sandstone units. This formation can be traced from near
2520N:9112E in the Garo Hills uninterruptedly east-
wards upto Shella in the Khasi Hills. Further east it lies
either below the alluvium or cut off by faults and occurs
in isolated patches. The presence of taxa Meyeripollis
from this horizon lends credence to the Barail affinity of
the rocks.
The Baghmara Formation conformably overlies the
Simsang Formation in the eastern part of the plateau. It
consists of irregular lenticular beds of coarse feldspathic
sandstone with minor mudstone streaks, pebble conglom-
erate, massive clay and silty clay beds, and thin alternat-
ing beds of mudstone and fine sand. Near Tura-Dalu road
in Garo Hills, the entire Simsang Formation shows a
sharp change in facies and grades into sediments of the
Baghmara Formation. Here the Baghmara Formation is
actually the facies equivalent of the Simsang Formation.
The Chengapara Formation conformably overlies
the Baghmara Formation and consists of poorly-ce-
mented, fine-grained, micaceous sandstone, blue to brown
siltstone and clays with a few thin marly beds at its base.
At the top of the Baghmara Formation and at the base
of the Chengapara Formation a fossiliferous calcareous
siltstone horizon can be traced from near Baghmara to a
few kilometres west of Barenapara. This forms a well de-
fined marker horizon whose age has been fixed as
Acquitanian-Burdigalian (Pascoe,1964).
A prominent unconformity lies at the top of the
Chengapara Formation. In the western part of the Garo
Hills, an angular discordance can be inferred in the Tura-
Dalu road section near Nokchi and north of
Mahendraganj. In the eastern part of the district, the re-
lationship is not clear because of structural disturbance.
East of Dareng River both the Chengapara and the over-
lying Dupi Tila Group go beneath the alluvium. It again
reappears in the Khasi Hills near Balat with an erosional
unconformity.
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(L) DUPI TILA FORMATION:
The Dupi Tila Formation consists of alternations of
coarse feldspathic sandstone with pebbly lenses contain-
ing vein quartz and mottled sandy clay.
The sediments of Dupi Tila Formation and the three
formations of Garo Group represent mainly deltaic to
fluviatile facies.
(M) QUATERNARY AND RECENT DEPOSITS:
Outcrops of Older Alluvium overlie the Tertiary
rocks along the southern and western borders of Garo
Hills in isolated areas and along the southern fringes of
Khasi Hills. Such outcrops are also found along the north-
ern fringes of Garo Hills. These deposits consist of as-
sorted pebble beds with coarse, loose sand and brownish
clay. The pebble beds at places, occur in irregular repeti-
tion. These deposits form spectacular flat-topped low hill-
ocks and mounds with red soil cover.
In Garo Hills, along the western border, Older Al-
luvium occurs at various levels particularly along the
abandoned river courses representing river terrace. Be-
tween Mahendraganj and Kalaichar, the deposit occurs
only as thin veneer covering the Tertiary rocks over the
lower flanks of the hills facing the Bangladesh plains. The
Older Alluvium covers considerable area between
Manikachar and Bairagipara over the eroded Barengapara
Pg-25
19
beds of the Rangapani-Barkina-Garo-Doba hillocks. Iso-
lated patches of this formation also cover the Boldamgiri
and also over the low-lying hills along Galwang-Sirigwil
valley between Rajabala and Bhajarmara.
Along the southern margin of Khasi Hills, the Older
Alluvium mostly consists of assorted boulder deposits.
Recent (Younger) Alluvium occurs in the river val-
leys on the northern foot hill region of Garo and Khasi
Hills, along the western border of Garo Hills and south-
ern foot hill region of Garo and Khasi Hills. The Allu-
vium consists of fine silty sand and light to dark greyish
clay with rare pockets and layers of coarse sand and shin-
gles. The fine sand occasionally contains abundant minute
flakes of mica and when extremely fine, resembles the
weathered loose siltstones, as seen around Manikachar in
the Garo Hills.
In the adjoining Brahmaputra Valley of Assam State,
the Quaternary deposits have been classified under four
morphostratigraphic units viz., Kukulong (= Chapar),
Sarbhog, Hauli and Barpeta(=Recent) Surfaces, each un-
derlain by alluvial formation of the same age. Presently
detailed work is being carried out by GSI to classify the
Quaternary deposits of Meghalaya also into the above
mentioned four morphostratigraphic units, in place of
Older Alluvium and Younger Alluvium classified earlier.
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Tectonic Set up

The Meghalaya plateau manifests as a geomorphic non porphyritic granitoid & porphyritic intrusives, basic,
arch. The characteristics of a typical plateau are seen to- intermediate to ultrabasic (metamorphosed) rocks.
wards south which is covered by a thick pile of Meso-
(2) The intracratonic Shillong Basin comprising low-
zoic-Tertiary sediments. The southern part is marked by
grade metasedimentaries, mostly of argillaceous-arena-
an E-W trending fault known as Dawki fault. It separates
ceous sequence of the Shillong Group in which pelites are
the Meghalaya plateau from the Surma valley. Evans
overlain by the arenites. At the base, an impersistent con-
(1964) has described this fault as a tear fault (low angle
glomerate bed designated as basal conglomerate overlies
strike slip fault). According to him the Precambrian mas-
the Precambrian Gneissic Complex. However, small len-
sif of the Shillong plateau has been detached from the
ticular bands of conglomerate interbedded with quartz-
main mass of Indian shield due to horizontal displace-
ites at different levels are also present. The basal conglom-
ment of nearly 250 km eastwards along the Dawki tear
erate over the Precambrian Gneissic Complex does not
fault. Auden (1934) and Desikachar (1974) contradicted
occur as a persistent horizon over the area. The Shillong
the view put forward by Evans (1964) because of the pres-
Group of rocks has also been intruded by the Khasi Ba-
ence of Malda-Dinajpur ridge under an alluvial cover of
sic-Ultrabasic Intrusives. Both Precambrian Gneissic
300 m only. It is suggested that this ridge acts as a link
Complex and Shillong Group have been intruded by por-
between the Precambrian rocks of the Meghalaya plateau
phyritic granite plutons. The regional structural trend is
and rocks of Chotanagpur Gneissic Complex. Drilling
NE-SW which is followed by the Khasi Basic-Ultrabasic
data of ONGC have substantially proved that the Precam-
Intrusives.
brian rocks of Meghalaya Plateau are connected with the
Chotanagpur Gneissic Complex of Peninsular India by (3) The third tectonic zone, exposed in the southern
the Malda-Dinajupur ridge. The northern boundary of margin of the Meghalaya plateau, is represented by a Me-
Meghalaya plateau lies to south of the Brahmaputra. To sozoic-Tertiary sedimentary cover over the Sylhet Traps.
the east, it is separated from the Bengal-Assam shelf. To The Sylhet Trap is at places overlain by discontinuous
the west, the Garo-Rajmahal gap separates the plateau conglomerate bed designated as Bottom Conglomerate by
from the main Indian shield. several workers. The predominant tectonic trend in gen-
eral is E-W.
Within this broad regional tectonic framework, the
Meghalaya plateau may be subdivided into the following A number of linear fractures on regional scale are
three segments: present in the Meghalaya plateau. These include tectonic
features like persistent pervasive foliation trend, litho-con-
(1) The typical shield area, the Precambrian Com-
tacts or facies contacts, cleavage and major joints, faults
plex (often designated as Basement Gneissic Complex by
and fractures.
some workers of GSI) is represented by the granite
gneisses, migmatites and schistose rocks along with the The earliest structural trend in the Meghalaya pla-

Pg-26
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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii) 21

teau seems to have been E-W. Subsequently the trend along the E-W trend (Murthy et.al, 1967). However, some
seems to be transposed to NE-SW, probably accentuated N-S and NW-SE faults and fractures are also reported
by the intrusion of porphyritic granite plutons. The dis- from the plateau, which have affected the major E-W
position of present day Meghalaya Pleateau is mainly trending Dawki fault system and are still active.

Pg-27
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The structural grain in the Precambrian Gneissic
Complex (Basement Gneiss) is different from that of the
Shillong Group. Within the gneiss, on macroscopic scale,
S-shaped folds and reclined folds superposed by more
open pattern are predominant. Locally developed recum-
bent fold superposed by more open type later folds are
also noticed. (Murthy et.al, 1967) described three genera-
tions of folds. According to him, the first one is an iso-
clinal to broad recumbent (or even reclined) folds having
E-W trending axial plane. This older fold is superposed
by a tight isoclinal fold having axial planes trending ENE
to NE. Maximum penetration and transposition of struc-
tures, viz. primary bedding and earlier foliation/schis-
tosity are associated with these folds. The third phase is
characterized by broad N-S warps.
The main structural trend in the Shillong Group is
NE-SW, which is persistent all over the area and varia-
tion of this trend is discernible at places near the contact
of intruded granite plutons. Primary structures like cur-
rent bedding and ripple marks are well preserved in the
sandstone and less indurated arenite of the Shillong
Group. Pene-contemporaneous structures, channel fills
and sand lenses are also common in the siltstone. Such
structures are also observed in metamorphosed variant of
the argillaceous member exposed near granite plutons.
The bedding, cleavage and schistosity show a per-
sistent northeasterly strike with sub vertical to moderate
dips, in general, towards south. A zone of steep (sub-ver-
tical) dip trending NE-SW from Lygoing to Sohpetbneng
hill, close to the south Khasi Batholith, is a major struc-
tural feature accompanied by a shear zone in Shillong
Group which extends along this zone of steep dip. The
Pg-28
Structure
beds show moderate to low dips with monoclinal flexures
and open folds away from the steep dip zone.
Cross folds with complimentary fracture cleavage are
well observed within the shear zone. This type of folding
is similar to intermediate crest-like folding of Beloussov
(1962). The mechanism of crest-like folding in steeply
dipping zone may be due to the reactivation along the un-
derneath deep seated fractures in the basement below the
steeply dipping zone. It also explains the presence of sev-
eral monoclinal bends in the quartzites being the compe-
tent unit of the Shillong Group. Besides, macroscopic
drag folds (isoclinal to recumbent types) are also recorded
within the quartzite unit at a number of places.
(i) Faults & Fractures:
A number of faults and fractures trending predomi-
nantly along E-W, NE-SW and rarely in NW-SE and N-
S have been active in the Meghalaya plateau from Precam-
brian to Tertiary period. Some of the faults are still ac-
tive as evidenced by the neotectonic activities in the pla-
teau. The penetrative structures in the gneisses have E-W,
NE-SW, NW-SE and N-S strikes. Non-penetrative struc-
tures of brittle deformations viz. joints, fractures or faults
presumably have been resulted after the plastic deforma-
tion of the rocks since Precambrian time.
The most important faults so far identified in the pla-
teau, are Dauki fault, Raibah fault, Dapsi fault, etc. The
Raibah lineament (fault) is a southern dipping reverse fault
having E-W trend. The Sylhet Traps, the eruption of
which marked the first major tectonic event during the
Jurassic (?) period occur along a 80 km long and 4 km
wide narrow strip, exposed in gorges along the southern
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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii)
segments of the plateau. Raibah fault defines the contact
between Sylhet Traps and the crystallines in the north.
Along the southern fringe of Meghalaya Plateau, the
prominent structural lineament is the Dauki fault which
comprises at least four E-W running normal faults with
occasional reversal. The up thrown side of the faults is to
the north and the system represents a major phase of dis-
location. Along the southern fringe of Jaintia hills, one
of the four faults continues towards east to the North
Cachar Hills and joins the Disang thrust.
In the western part of the plateau in the Garo hills,
the E-W lineaments are represented by monoclines and
faults among which the Dapsi reverse fault at the base of
Tura range is spectacular. The Tura range, a horst, is
bounded to the south by the Dapsi fault (up-thrust). In
Garo hills, there is ample evidence of reactivation activ-
ity along a number of E-W, N-S and NW-SE basement
faults throughout the Tertiary period.
A rectilinear drainage pattern in NW-SE, NE-SW
and E-W directions is a distinctive feature of the Shillong
Plateau. Some of them appear to follow faults, many of
them are master joints and fractures and the composite
pattern has been developed due to block faulting evi-
denced by horst in the Tertiary period.
Pg-29
23
Precambrian plutons and later basic intrusives were
also emplaced along the existing fracture planes which
trend in E-W to NE-SW directions.
(ii) Domal Structure:
Two domical structures have been reported by
Mazumdar (1986) based on the study of aerial photo-
graphs which have been truncated by two north-easterly
fractures/faults, one from east and the other from west of
Nongpoh pluton. The concentric drainage pattern re-
vealed from the study of aerial photographs has led him
to suggest that these areas might represent migmatite
dome. Present study of the landsat imageries of the east-
ern part of Nongpoh pluton also clearly indicates the pres-
ence of such dome and around the dome several
synformal flexures of the arenaceous (quartzite) bands of
Shillong Group have been identified. It may be presumed
that the radial to semicircular fractures, developed during
the formation of such migmatite dome, have later be-
come the repository of the Shillong quartzite. The other
alternative to explain such structure is the superposition
of later folds on an early fold geometry, resulting in the
formation of dome structure depicting a doubly plunging
anticline in these parts. However, further study is needed
to substantiate the postulation.
 visit: grvmalaikalam.blogspot.in
The Precambrian basement of Meghalaya, a rem-
nant of the northeasterly extension of the Indian Penin-
sula, is a segment which has undergone multiple phases
of deformation leading to folding and fracturing of the
rocks. Till Precambrian times, the central part covering
the eastern Khasi and central Jaintia hills, developed into
a trough over which the sediments of the Shillong Group
of rocks were laid down. The sediments were later up-
lifted and folded, accompanied by low grade metamor-
phism and granitic (Mylliem granites) and basic/
ultrabasic (Khasi greenstone) intrusions.
The post Precambrian landmass experienced
peneplanation in the northwestern corner of Meghalaya
at the proximity of Assam border (near Hallidyaganj,
Singrimari) and there are Lower Gondawana outcrops.
Coal seams of significant thickness have also been en-
countered from this corner. This proves the activation of
the basin during the lower Permian to Jurassic period re-
sulting in the development of flat-topped surface preserved
over the plateau till today. By the end of Jurassic, the
southern margin of the Khasi Hills experienced eruption
of plateau basalts, the Sylhet traps, through E-W fissures
i.e. Raibah fault, along which the southern block subsided
and the northern block up heaved. The rate of sinking of
the former increased, soon after the cessation of the
volcanism, resulting into the marine invasion and depo-
sition of the Upper Cretaceous sediments over a rapidly
sinking basin. The rate of subsidence gradually slowed
down during Palaeocene-Eocene period during which the
area attained a stable shelf condition and the calcareous
Pg-30
Geological History
formations of the Jaintia Group were deposited. The part
of the plateau covering the Khasi block continued to ex-
perience upliftment of the northern block resulting into
the deposition of only the older (Lower Sylhet) sandstone
and limestone beds over the plateau and the younger units
(the Middle and Upper Sylhet Sandstone and Limestone)
along the southern fringe of the plateau. The eastern
Jaintia and Garo blocks, respectively to the east and the
west remained land-mass till Mid Eocene and experienced
progressive down sinking, later initiating the deposition
of the coal bearing sandstone followed by limestone
equivalent to the Upper Sylhet Limestone of the Khasi
Hills. Since then, uninterrupted sedimentation continued
over the submerged southern part of the Garo Hills and
also in southern and south eastern fringes of the Khasi
and Jaintia Hills till the end of Oligocene, when the Barail
range to the south of the Jaintia Hills stood up as a land-
mass.
During Miocene, sedimentation continued uninterrupt-
edly over the southern and western part of the Garo Hills
and southern fringe of the Khasi Hills; the Jaintia block
uplifted and remained a landmass. The major upliftment
of the plateau as a whole started at the end of Miocene
resulting in the formation of land-locked shallow water
lacustrine basins along southern fringe of the Khasi and
Garo Hills. The Pliocene (Dupi Tila) sediments were de-
posited in these basins. The sub-Recent Older alluvial de-
posits along southern border of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills
and southern and western parts of the Garo Hills are
fluviatile deposits along old river valley.
 visit: grvmalaikalam.blogspot.in
The potentiality of establishment or expansion of
mineral-based industries in the State of Meghalaya mainly
depends on the four principal mineral deposits viz., lime-
stone, coal, sillimanite and clay.
The extensive belt (approx. 200 km long) of good
quality limestone occurring along the southern border of
the State opens a new vista of exploitation of these de-
posits with the emergence of Bangladesh market. The
limestone deposits in the neighbourhood of Cherrapunjee
are already sustaining a cement factory. This is the only
mineral based industry in the State at present fed by the
indigenous raw materials of coal and limestone. The im-
portance of the limestone deposits of the State is further
enhanced by their suitability for use in the blast furnace,
steel melting shops and as chemical grade. The high trans-
port cost is the reason of non-utilization of these lime-
stone deposits in the steel/chemical plants.
A programme for initiating a new industry viz. min-
eral/rock wool industry based on limestone as raw ma-
terial for utilization as heat and sound insulating mate-
rial should also receive due attention.
The next important mineral is coal confined to the
Tertiary Formation of Garo & Khasi hills. A good
amount of coal exploited in Meghalaya is being sent to
other states/countries in raw form.
The next important mineral, sillimanite, is found in
massive form, scattered in 27 major or minor deposits in
Pg-31
Mineral Resources
Nongstoin area and is famous for its ideal properties as
natural refractory. It occurs at places in association with
corundum. Major deposits are being worked since 1950.
Recently, the working of the existing 7 leases in Sonapahar
areas has been taken over by Hindustan Steel Ltd. The
present potentiality of the deposits will require further sub-
surface exploration. Further work will also be necessary
to locate new deposits (if any) in the extension areas of
the Sonapahar sillimanite belt.
The State is endowed with a number of deposits of
fire-clay and china-clay which are likely to sustain the fu-
ture refractory and pottery industries. Considering the
availabilities of raw materials, there is a scope of setting
up of coal based industries like coke oven units,
liquefication plants and thermal power plants, limestone
based industries like bleaching powder unit, paper grade
lime plant etc.
Besides, there are a number of recorded occurrences
of varied minerals like base metals, quartz, feldspar, co-
rundum, glass sand, iron ore reported from Ri-Bhoi dis-
trict, pyrite, bauxite and rock phosphate are found in
Jaintia district. As per present knowledge, most of these
are either of little economic importance or yet to be as-
sessed.
The resource and production of minerals from vari-
ous areas of State, as per Indian Mineral Year Book 2000,
is detailed below (Table 6.1).
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26 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

Table 6.1 : Reserves of Minerals: Meghalaya (Unit:000 tonnes)

Indian Mineral Year Book 2007
Recoverable reserves as on 1-4-2005
Minerals Proved Probable Possible Total
China clay 1890 5786 81199 88875
Copper
Ore - 880 - 880
Metal - 9 - 9
Feldspar (t) - - 37449 37449
Fireclay - - 10999 10999
Lead Zinc
Ore - 880 - 880
Lead (Metal) - 6 6
Zinc (Metal) - 16.5 - 16.5
Limestone 459600 2588804 12662369 15896773
Quartz/Silica sand - 179 6906 7083
Sillimanite - - 55807 55807
Silver
Ore (t) - 880000 - 880000
Metal (t) - 19.80 - 19.80

The value of mineral production in Meghalaya in The value of production of minor minerals at Rs.3
2006-2007 is estimated at Rs.721 lakhs. The only mineral lakh in 1999-2000 was estimated at level of the previous
produced in the State during 1999-2000 was limestone year.
(Table 6.2.)

Table 6.2: Mineral Production in Meghalaya, 2004-05 to 2006-07

Indian Mineral Year Book 2007
Minerals Unit of 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07(p)
Quantity
No. of Quantity Value No. of Quantity Value No. of Quantity Value
mines mines mines
All 5 7983872 5 7561660 8 8095430
Minerals
Limestone 000 t 4 519 94343 5 887 142465 7 2279 387150
Minor - - 59129 - 72075 - 72075
Minerals

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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii) 27

The individual major mineral deposits are being
dealt first followed by a description of reported occur-
rences of little economic importance or those yet
unassessed.
(i) LIMESTONE :
The State of Meghalaya is endowed with huge re-
sources of limestone of various grades like cement, SMS,
LD and chemical. The Tertiary rocks occurring in Jaintia,
Khasi and Garo-hills contain large resources of limestone
containing high calcium suitable for cement and chemi-
cal industries. The formidable deposits occur around
The existing limestone mines in Meghalaya are open cast
mines. The mining is done by local people. Export and
manufacturing of cement and lime are done by mining
companies. In Meghalaya, largest deposit occurs in and
around Litang River valley area in Jaintia hills district,
which belongs to Shella Formation rocks of Jaintia Group
of Eocene age. Geological Survey of India has carried out
both regional and detailed investigation employing drill-
ing in this State (Table 6.3).
Besides Directorate of Mineral Resources, Govt of
Meghalaya has also investigated various limestone depos-

Table 6.3 : Blockwise resource of limestone deposit of Litang Valley :

Field Season

SMS Grade

LD Grade
Boreholes
Area Km2

Length of

Chemical

d i c a t e d
Samples

Cement

f e r r e d
BH(m)
No. of

No. of

Grade
S.No.

Block

(GSI)

+
I n

i n
1. Tangnub-Tongseng 5.7 1992-95 24 3570 1542 377 653 165 210 1405
2. Nongkhleih Ridge West 5.0 1994-97 40 5001 2422 81.1 518 120.8 83.6 803.5
3. Tongseng-Shnongrim 3.6 1996-98 30 4460 2112 425.6 398.9 12.1 0.0 836.6
4. Shnongrim-Molasngi 4.1 1997-99 30 4170 2134 503.4 406.3 0.0 0.0 909.7
5. Lumthlary 3.0 1999-01 25 2196 1156 262.1 278.4 0.0 0.0 540.5
6. Diastong south 6.0 1999-01 39 4325 2296 679.1 721.1 17.2 0.0 1416.4
7. Jalaphet 3.0 2001-03 20 2244 955 172 67.2 2.5 0.0 241.7
8. Larket 5.2 2001-03 28 3493 1663 621.9 179.2 15.5 0.0 816.6
9. Um-Maju 3.0 2003-05 23 2266.4 956 ? ? ? ? 504.0
10. Lumshortoh 3.0 2003-05 22 2202.1 846 ? ? ? ? 249.0
11. Lum Syrman 4.5 2005-07 49 2655.3 744 ? ? ? ? 366.5
Total 46.1 ----------- 330 36582.7 16826 3122.2 3222.1 333.1 293.6 8090.5

Cherrapunjee, Mawlong, Ishamati, Shella, Komorrah in its. These resources are ready for immediate exploitation.
East Khasi hill, Borsora and Bagii in West Khasi hill, The resource and production of limestone from various
Lakadong, Lumshnong and Nongkhlieh in Jaintia hills, areas of State is detailed below (Table 6.4, 6.5 & 6.6).
Darrang Era-Aning, Siju, Chokpot in South Garo hills.

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28 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

Table 6.5: Production of Limestone 2004-05 to 2006-07

Indian Mineral Year Book 2007

(Unit:000 tonnes)
Proved Probable Possible Total
459600 2588804 12662369 15896773

Table 6.5: Production of Limestone 2004-05 to 2006-07

Indian Mineral Year Book 2007

(Unit:000 tonnes)
2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value
519 94343 887 142465 2279 387150

Table 6.6 : Production of Limestone 2004-02 to 2006-07

Indian Mineral Year Book 2007

(Unit:000 tonnes)
No Total No Total No Total
of Mines 2004-05 of Mines 2005-06 of Mines 2006-07
2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
Qty Value Qty Value Qty Value
4 519 94343 5 887 142465 7 2279 378150

(ii) COAL: 1. Karaibari

Coal occurrences in the State of Meghalaya are con- 2. Rongrenggiri
fined mainly in the Tertiary sediments of Garo, Khasi and
3. Siju
Jaintia Hills district and in the Lower Gondwana sedi-
ments in the West Garo Hills district and extending into 4. Daranggiri (E&W)
the border state of Assam. Tertiary coalfields of Garo hills 5. Balphakram Pendengru
are located along the southern extremity of Shillong pla-
Out of the above coalfields of Garo hills the West
teau as scattered patches and bounded by latitudes 2512'
Daranggiri Coalfield is the most potential coalfield with
2544N and longitudes 8958'9058' E. Coal occurs in
comparatively easy accessibility. The Balphakram-
the Tura Sandstone of Jaintia Group (Eocene) and from
Pendengru Coalfield though has some potentiality, but the
west to east the following coalfields have been identified.

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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii) 29

accessibility is rather difficult. Other coal occurrences are
reported from the geological mapping and continuity of
the seams have not yet been established through drilling.
The West Daranggiri coalfields lies between latitudes
2524'2529N and longitudes 9040'9048E and is
only 82 km from Guwahati on the Guwahati-Goalpara
road. Besides, Daranggiri seam or Main seam (0.30 m
2.98 m thick), there are thin, impersistent coal seams. The
coals of Daranggiri seam are high moisture (4.618%) and
the ash content varies from as low as 1% to 28.1%. The
sulphur content (in the organic form) is generally high
varying from 1.21 to 4.30%. Drilling investigations in this
coalfield was taken up during 1957-59 by GSI. Out of to-
tal coal resource of 125 million tonnes, 65.40 million
tonnes belongs to proved category and 59.60 million
tonnes in inferred category.
The Balphakran-Pendengru coalfields lies between
latitudes 251230" 251730" N and longitudes
904730"905730"E. There are eight coal seams rang-
ing in thickness from <1 to > 3 m. Coal seams are better
developed in the eastern and central parts of the coalfield
and in the west only two seams are developed. Coals have
low to moderate ash ranging from 4.5 to 14.6% and mois-
ture content of 1.6 to 10.2 %. The coal exhibits some cak-
ing propensity and the caking index up to 13 has been re-
ported. Based on the geological mapping a total resource
of 107.03 million tonnes has been estimated as inferred
category.
The Siju coalfield, a hidden coalfield, as the coal
bearing Tura Formation is concealed under a capping of
overlying Siju Limestone, falls within the latitudes 2518'
25 27N and longitudes 9025'-9042E. Two correlat-
able coal seams viz. top (0.50 to 35 m thick) and bottom
(0.6 to 1.50 m thick) seams continue over 11 km along
the strike from Siju-Siongmong to Burusora are exposed
at several places. Qualitatively the coal shows moisture
content from 1.7 11.3 % and that of ash from 1.5 to 18.7
%. Total sulphur content of the coal varies from 1.5 to
2.8%. Based on the mapping investigation total resource
of 125 million tonnes has been assessed under the In-
ferred category.
From the Karaibari coalfield (latitudes 2536'
2544N and longitudes 8958' 90 03E) occurrences of
coal have been reported from various places between
Dallangsa and Balchuggiri within the Tura sandstone. The
coal seams are discontinuously exposed and generally <1
m thick. At places, upto 1.30 m thick seam was found.
Qualitatively, the coals are high moisture (6.0 to 18.2 %),
low to moderately high ash (3.1 to 29.0%) and high sul-
phur content.
The Rongrenggiri coalfields bounded by latitudes
2513'2536N and longitudes 90 33'9040E, exposes
a few thin coal seams varying in thickness from 0.25 to
1.20 m with high moisture (8.3 to 174 %), low ash (2.8
to 6.5%) and high sulphur content.
Coal occurrences are reported from a good number
of places as discontinuous patches within Tura Forma-
tion in the east Darranggiri coalfield. Two to four coal
seams with thickness varying from 0.50 to 1.90 m are ex-
posed on the Holwang, Nabru, Zigrik and Kailash hills
and Baljong, Dongrengg and Hansapal areas. The coal is
generally low in ash (2.7 to 9.6%) and moisture (2.6 to
7.6%) and at places has good coking property with C.I.
up to 15. Based on the mapping and investigation, a to-
tal inferred resource of 34.19 million tonne has been es-
timated.
The Gondwana coalfields of Meghalaya restricted
only in the Garo hills are exposed in the Singrimari ba-
sin on the northwestern corner of Garo hills bordering
Dhubri district of Assam. The area is bounded by lati-
tudes 2544'254510"N and longitudes 895330"
895415"E. One thick seam varying in thickness from
3.78 to 6.34 m was intersected in the boreholes drilled in
the area. Coal is of low moisture with ash content of
19.52% - 33.9%. Sulphur content of the coal is low and
the coals are caking. An Indicated resource of 2.79 mil-
lion tonnes has been assessed over an area of approxi-
mately 2 sq. km.
The coalfields of Khasi hills are located in the south-
ern periphery along the international boundary with
Bangladesh bounded by latitudes 2510'2542N and
longitudes 9140'91 55E.

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30
In Khasi hills district the following coal occurrences
from west to east have been reported.
1. Langrin
2. Umrileng
3. Mawsynram
4. Mawlong-Shella-Isamati
5. Cherrapunji-Mawkma-Laitryngew
6. Mawpholong
7. Pynursla-Lyngkyrden-Thangjinath
8. Lundidom
9. Laitduh
10. Mawbehlarkar
Out of the above only the Langrin and Mawlong-
Shella are important and the rest of the occurrences are
minor.
The Langrin coalfields is bounded by latitudes
2512'-252530N and longitudes 90 4530"9114E and
is located towards the extreme south east of Khasi hills.
The exposures of coals are scattered and widely spread.
In Basura-Rajajiu sector, there are six coal seams varying
in thickness from 0.3 to 2.1 m established by drilling.
From the Nonghyillum plateau in the upper reaches of
Kolai-Charigaon stream section, five coal seams have been
reported of which seam-I and II are rather persistent hav-
ing a thickness range from 0.08 to 3 m. In the Nongiri-
Kulang sector nine coal seams were intersected with thick-
ness varying from 0.25 m to 1.20m. In the Nongplu-
Nongjron area four coal seams were reported with thick-
ness varying from 0.80 m to 1.85 m. In the Nong Nirang-
Nongmen sector about six coal seams were reported from
three well demarcated horizons with thickness varying
from less than 1.00 m to 2.50m.In the Plateau south and
southwest of Rengden eight coal seams were reported
with thickness varying from 0.50m to 2.0m.The moisture
content varies from 1.1 to 11.6% and that of ash from 1.9
to 40.7% but generally < 20%. The coal exhibits caking
propensity and the sulphur content is fairly high from 1.16
to as high as 9.63%. Out of a total resource of 50 mil-
Pg-36
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
lion tonnes, 26.9 m.t. (proved + indicated) and 106.19
m.t. under inferred category has been assessed through
mapping and drilling respectively.
Mawbehlarkar coalfield with only 0.1 sq.km area ex-
hibits only three coal exposures with 0.40m to 1.00m
thickness and 0.12 million tonne resource has been esti-
mated.
The Mawlong-Shella coalfields located in the East
Khasi hills is bounded by latitudes 2510'-2513N and
longitudes 9134'9144' E and cover approximately 30
sq. km. area. Only one coal seam has been reported from
the basal part of Lakadong Sandstone Member showing
two to three split sections varying in thickness from 0.15
to 1.35 m. The moisture and ash contents vary from 1.5
to 3 % and 5.7 to 19.8% respectively. The coal is caking
with high sulphur content. A total of 6 million tonnes of
coal resources has been assessed out of which 2.17 mil-
lion tonnes belong to Proved category.
Two coal seams of 1.5 m to 3.0m thickness were re-
ported from Umriling coalfield of 1.2 sq. km area with
an estimated inferred reserve of 1 million tonne.
Exploration in Mawsynram area has proved the
presence of thin coal seams over an area of 0.08 sq.km.
and 0.03 million tonne of coal reserves has been esti-
mated. Local people are carrying out active mining.
In the Cherrapunjee-Mamkma area two coal seams
with thickness varying from 0.30 m to 4.70 m were re-
ported. The area was under active mining and most of the
reserves have been exploited.
In Laitryngew coalfield though five coal seams were
reported only the bottom seam with 0.90m to 2.70 m
thickness is persistent.
Only one coal seam of 0.36 m to 2.80 m thickness
was reported from Laitduh coalfield with an estimated
inferred resuorce of 0.12 million tonne.
In the Lumidom area only one coal seam with
varying thickness of 1.0 m to 1.3 m was reported with
an estimated resource of 0.20 million tonne.
In the Pynursla-Lyngkyrden- Thangjinath area one
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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii) 31

of the five thin coal seams were reported with variable The Bapung coalfield covers an approximate area of
thickness of 0.30m to 1.40m and a total of 1.80 million 46 sq. km. and located in the central part of the Jaintia
tonnes of coal resource has been estimate for the three ar- district. Three coal seams belonging to Lakadong Sand-
eas. In all the areas mining activities are in progress for a stone varying in thickness from 0.20 m to 0.90 m are re-
long time and most of the resources are likely to be ex- ported from this coalfield. Ash content of coal generally
hausted. varies from 5 to 20% and the sulphur content varies from
2.9 to 10.8%. The coals are strongly caking (C.I. 20 to 31).
The coalfields in Jaintia hills are located in the cen-
A total resource of 33.66 million tonnes has been esti-
tral and southern parts of the district bounded by latitudes
mated out of which 11.01 million tonnes are under
2510'-2528' N and longitudes 9208'923330"E. The
Proved category. The coalfield is under active exploita-
following coal deposits are reported from west to east:
tion by manual mining by the local people.
1. Jarain- Tkentalang
In the Jarain- Tkentalang area a few thin to very thin
2. Lakadong seams were reported.
2a. Umlatdoh Thin coal seams were reported during mapping and also
2b. Pamsaru eshtablished through drilling in Pamsaru and Umlatdoh
area.
3. Lumshnong
Thin coal seams were also reported in Lumshnong
4. Malwar-Musiang-Lamare
area.
5. Mutang
One coal seam of 0.31 m to 1.97 m thickness was
6. Bapung reported around Malwar-Musiang-Lamare villages and
1.1 million tonne of coal resource has been assessed.
7. Sutunga
From Ioksi area one seam of 0.90 m to 1.24 m thick-
8. Ioksi
ness was reported and 1.24 million tonne resource has
Out of the above coal occurrences, only Bapung been assessed.
coalfield attains some economic importance due to aerial
extent and easy accessibility. Others are only minor oc-
currences.

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32 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

GEOLOGICAL RESOURCE OF COAL OF MEGHALAYA COAL FIELDS

(as on 01.04.2009)
(Resource is million tonne)
Type of coal Depth Proved Indicated Inferred Inferred Total
h d Exploration) (Mapping)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
MEGHALAYA
1. WEST DARANGGIRI COAL FIELD
High Sulpher 0-300 65.40 0.00 59.60 125.00
Total High Sulphur 65.40 0.00 59.60 125.00
TOTAL FOR WEST DARANGGIRI 65.40 0.00 59.60 125.00
2. EAST DARANGGIRI COAL FIELD
High Sulphur 0-300 0.00 0.00 107.03 107.03
Total High Sulphur 0.00 0.00 107.03 107.03
TOTAL FOR EAST DARANGGIRI 0.00 0.00 107.03 107.03
3. SIJU COALFIELD
High Sulphur 0.300 0.00 0.00 125.00 125.00
Total High Sulphur 0.00 0.00 125.00 125.00
TOTAL FOR SIJU 0.00 0.00 125.00 125.00
4. LANGRIN COALFIELD
High Sulphur 0-300 10.46 16.51 106.19 133.15
Total High Sulphur 10.46 16.51 106.19 133.15
TOTAL FOR LANGRIN 10.46 16.51 106.19 133.15
5. MAWLONG SHELLA COALFIELD
High Sulphur 0-300 2.17 0.00 3.83 6.00
Total High Sulphur 2.17 0.00 3.83 6.00
TOTAL FOR MAWLONG SHELLA 2.17 0.00 3.83 6.00
6. KHASI HILLS (MINOR CF)
COALFIELD
High Sulphur 0-300 0.00 0.00 10.10 10.10
Total High Sulphur 0.00 0.00 10.10 10.10
TOTAL FOR KHASI HILLS (MINOR CF) 0.00 0.00 10.10 10.10
7. BAPUNG COAL FIELD
High Sulphur 0-300 11.01 0.00 22.65 33.66
Total High Sulphur 11.01 0.00 22.65 33.66
TOTAL FOR BAPUNG 11.01 0.00 22.65 33.66
8. JAINTIA HILLS (MINOR CF)
COALD FIELD
High Sulphur 0-300 0.00 0.00 1.10 1.24 2.34
Total High Sulphur 0.00 0.00 1.10 1.24 2.34
TOTAL FOR JAINTIA HILLS 0.00 0.00 1.10 1.24 2.34
(MINOR CF)

TOTAL FOR MEGHALAYA 89.04 16.51 27.58 443.35 576.48

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The reserve estimate of coal as per Indian Mineral Year Book, 2007 is tabulated below (table 6.7):
Table 6.7 : Reserves of Coal (High Sulphur) as on 1.1.2006 (in million tonnes) : Meghalaya
Proved Indicated
117.83 40.89
(iii) SILLIMANITE:
Sonapahar sillimanite deposit covers an area of
about 205 sq. km. and there are about fifteen important
deposits. The massive lensoid bodies of sillimanite-corun-
dum are contained mostly in quartz-sillimanite schist and
in a few cases in biotite-sillimanite-quartz schist and the
surficial float concentrations are derived from these bod-
ies due to prolonged and intensive weathering. The ex-
posed bodies, though, by and large, mostly lensoid in ap-
pearance are found to be highly irregular in shape and size
and sparsely and erratically distributed in the host rock.
Due to the wide variation in the shape, size, distribution
of sillimanite corundum bodies, the accurate quantitative
assessment remains an elusive factor.
The famous Sonapahar sillimanite deposit in West
Khasi Hills district is geologically known since 1897 and
have been exploited since 1922(Fox,1947). It is the only
deposit in India producing superior grade sillimanite.
Until about 1970, the exploitation was mainly confined
to extensive surficial float ore concentrations, which there-
after got nearly exhausted and the production started de-
clining. In 1962, mechanized open cast excavation of the
main sillimanite-schist host rock was undertaken to ex-
plore and exploit the sillimanite corundum bodies, but
Table 6.8 : Reserves of Sillimanite
Proved Indicated
- -
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33
Indian Mineral Year Book 2007
Inferred Total
300.71 459.43
due to erratic and sparse distribution of these bodies, pro-
duction could not be raised to desired level. Then the Geo-
logical Survey of India was approached by the then Govt.
of Assam to carry out systematic exploration of the de-
posit in the mining lease areas held by the Assam Silli-
manite Ltd., and subsequently taken over by the
Hindustan Steel Ltd., and later by the Bharat Refracto-
ries Ltd., to find new bodies so that production could be
sustained.
However, reserve estimates were made in possible
category based on borehole data. A total reserve of about
20,000 tonnes was computed in possible category for de-
posits No. 1(Lalmati), 17(Tulakhola) and 18A &
23(Wamsophi), where drilling was carried out by GSI. In
addition it is estimated that float of sillimanite (all grade)
and corundum would be around 10,000 and 5000 tonnes
respectively.
In Niangbrakgithim area, near Mansang, in West Khasi
hills and East Garo hills, presence of about 38000 tonnes
of sillimanite is indicated within an area of about 0.66
sq. km.
The reserve estimate of sillimanite as per Indian Mineral
Year Book, 2000 is tabulated below (table 6.8):
Indian Mineral Year Book 2007
(Unit :000 tonnes)
Inferred Total
55807 55807
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34 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

(iv) BASE METALS: m in length and 200 m in width. The effective total thick-
ness of the sulphide rich bands is around 10 m within a
Polymetallic base metal mineralization in Umpirtha
total disseminated zone of 29.50 m, while the maximum
is located within the sequence of high grade Archaean
thickness in the central part of lens is 62 m. Exploratory
gneisses comprising fine to medium grained granite and
drilling carried out, however, revealed that the strike
granite gneiss, migmatised biotite gneiss with amphibo-
length of mineralisation is 105 m in the main block. A
lite and micaceous quartz-sillimanite schists. The base
tentative inferred reserve of 1.18 lakh tonnes of Zn, Cu
metal mineralisation is associated with hornblende-
and Pb ore (with the values for the metals being respec-
hornfelsic assemblages comprising of cummingtonite-
tively 2.83%, 1.35% and 0.40% and the total 4.58%) has
anthophyllite cordierite (Plagioclase-garnet-spinel, etc),
been estimated upto a depth of 50 m. Indications of mo-
actinolite-tremolite and some carbonates, occurring as
lybdenum upto 9,000 ppm have been noticed in a few
lenses within the biotite gneiss unit.
boreholes.
The ore-bearing rocks are lensoid in shape and are
The reserve estimate of Lead-Zinc ores and metals as per
apparently disposed along the ENE-WSW trend of the fo-
Indian Mineral Year Book, 2000 is tabulated below (ta-
liation of the biotite gneiss. From the surface indications,
ble 6.9):
the mineralised zone in the main block is found to be 1200
Table 6.9 : Reserves of Lead-Zinc Ores and Metals
Indian Mineral Year Book 2007
(Unit:000 tonnes)
Grade Proved Probable Possible Total
Pb & Zn Ore (Total) 0.00 30.50 30.50 30.50

use in industries may be located near Tura, Anegiri,

(v) FELDSPAR:
The thick pegmatite veins within the Archaean
metamorphics of the Garo hills at places contain large
crystals of feldspars. Promising deposits of feldspars for
Gangjalgiri, Santhagiri, Chisakgiri and at certain other
places. Occurrences of feldspar in pegmatite veins intru-
sive into the biotite-gneiss have been reported from Hahim
(table 6.10).

Table 6.10 : Reserves of Feldspar as on 1.4.2005 (in tonnes)

Indian Mineral Year Book 2007
Proved Indicated Inferred Total
- - 39024 39024

(vi) GLASS SAND: The Tura Sandstone near Siju, Tura and
Nongwalbibra of the Garo Hills district carries several
The white sandstone occurring in Cherrapunjee and
bands of pure sand similar in occurrence to those found
Laitryngew contains angular and pure grains of quartz
in the Laitryngew area of the Khasi hills. Glass sand is
which may be used in the manufacture of bottle glass. The
also reported in Unstew and Kreit in East Khasi hills.
inferred reserve is 406,400 tonnes in Laitryngew area.
Directorate of Geolog y & Mines, Govt. of
Some irregular beds of sandstone in the Lower and
Meghalaya carried out investigation of silica sand around
Middle Sylhet Sandstone Members (Jaintia Group) and
Kreit village (Near Mawphlang), Khasi hills (Bora
the quartzites and sandstones of the Shillong Group, yield
et.al.1973-74) and proved a reserve of 0.1 mt, which can
glass sand.

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MISC. PUB. 30 PT. 4 VOL. 2(ii) 35

be used for manufacturing 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th quality green respectively. The crude is expected to yield 15% of pure
& amber glass. clay on levigation. White clay is also reported from
Nongalbibre in South Garo Hills and Rongrengre in East
(vii) KAOLIN/CLAY:
Garo Hills districts.
White clay has been found to occur 2.4 km to the
Fireclay has been found near Jowai and also around
west of Sohrarim and 6 km north of it and also near the
Larnai, the latter one being highly plastic (table 6.11).
23 km post on Cherrapunjee Road, the inferred reserve
of crude clay being 6.5 million tonnes and 8,100 tonnes

Table 6.11 : Reserves of Fireclay as on 1.4.2005

Indian Mineral Year Book 2007
(Unit:000 tonnes)
Proved Indicated Inferred Total
- - 10999 10999

Good quality Kaolin occurs around Smit and
Latiyngkot in East Khasi Hills, Thandlaskein,
Shaongpuang, Mulieh and Mynsngat in Jaintia hills and
Darugiri in East Garo Hills districts (table 6.12).
China clay, suitable for pottery manufacture, has
been reported from several places in Sutunga area. It oc-
curs associated with Sylhet Sandstone or as an altered
product of feldspar in granites and gneisses. A 6 km long
and 1 km wide belt near Mawphlang contains a small de-
posit of kaolin which is a product of alteration of gran-
ite and pegmatite and contains high percentage of SiO2.

Table 6.12 : Reserves of Kaolin as on 1.4.2005

Indian Mineral Year Book 2007
(Unit:000 tonnes)
Proved Indicated Inferred Total
1890 5786 81199 88875

(viii) DIMENSION STONE: Khasi Hills district and Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills
Deposits of multicoloured granite have been located district, Mendipathar and Songsakin East Garo Hills dis-
around Nongpoh in Ri-Bhoi district Mylliem in East tricts

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36 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

LOCALITY INDEX

Locality Latitude (N) Longigude (E)

Bapung 252500" 921827"
Balphakram 251600" 905030"
Barapani 2538' 00" 9152' 00"
Cherrapunjee 251500" 914000"
Daranggiri 252400" 902700"
Darugiri 253300" 904500"
Hahim 255052 910940
Hansapal 2517' 00" 904300"
Holwang 252010" 904640"
Hallidayganj 25 44' 00" 89 54' 00"
Jarain 251918" 920900"
Jowai 2526' 00" 9216' 00"
Kailash hills 251730" 904500"
Karaibari 252000" 891000"
Laitryngew 252000" 914400"
Lakadong 251104" 921632"
Langrin 251500" 911000"
Larnai 2533' 00" 9208' 00"
Lumshnong 251016" 922252"
Lyngkyrden 252100" 915330"
Mawkma 252000" 914305"
Mawlong 251250" 914150"
Mawphlang 252000" 914530"
Mawpholong 252630" 914530"
Mawsynram 251750" 913600"
Mawthaliang 254010 910750"
Mutang 251100" 922130"
Nabru 252100" 904830"
Nongwalbibra 252800" 904200"
Pendengru 251630" 905530"
Pynursla 251900" 915330"
Rongrenggiri 253000" 901000"
Shella 251040" 913828"

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Siju 2518' 00" 9025' 00"

Singrimari 254400" 895400"
Sohrarim 2521' 00" 92 44' 00"
Sumer 2541' 00" 9151' 00"
Sung 2533' 00" 9207' 00"
Sutunga 252212" 912642"
Sutnga 2522' 00" 9228' 00"
Thangjinath 251800" 915330"
Tura 253100" 901300"
Tyngner 251430" 913630"
Umlatdoh 251147" 920655"
Umpirtha 256100" 913500"
Umrileng 254230" 914730"
Zigrik 251840" 904740"

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38 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

LOCALITY INDEX FOR COAL FIELDS

Coalfield Latitude (Range) Longitude (Range)

Balphakran-Pendengru coalfields 2512'30" 2517'30" N 9047'30"9057'30"E.

Bapung coalfield 2523-2528N 92189228E

Cherrapunjee-Mawkma- 251530-2523N 91 409146E

Laitryngew coalfields

Gondwana coalfields 2544'2545'10"N 8953'30" 8954'15"E

Jaintia hills coalfields 2510'-2528' N 9208'9233'30"E

Jarain-Tkentalang coalfields 251919"-2520' 20"N 9208'9209'E

Karaibari coalfield 2536'2544'N 8958' 90 03'E

Khasi hills of coalfields 2510'2542'N 9140'91 55'E

Laitduh coalfields 2515'-2520'N 9138'9143'E

Lakadong coalfield 251147"-2517'N 921140"9220E

Langrin coalfields 2512-252530N 90 45309114E

Lumshnong coalfield 2510-2520N 9225

Lundidom coalfields 252130"-2523'N 91 34'9144'E

Mawbehlarkar coalfields 252935"-2524'N 90 45'914518"E

Mawlong-Shella-Isamati coalfields 2510'-2513'N 91 34'9144'E

Mawsynram coalfields 2518'-251940"N 91 3510"913538"E

Pynursla-Lyngkyrden- 251630"-2522'N 915130"9155'E

Thangjinath coal field

Rongrenggiri coalfields 2513'2536'N 90 33'9040'E

Umrileng coalfields 253830"-2541'39"N 90 47'9150'E

West Daranggiri coalfields 2524'2529'N 9040'9048'E

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NOTES

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46 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

NOTES

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Front and Back Cover: Mausmai limestone cave near Cherrapunji, Meghalaya.

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