FIELD REPORT FOR TRIP TO OUTER

LESSER HIMALAYA IN AND AROUND

NAINITAL AREA ,KUMAUN- HIMALAYA
,UTTARAKHAND

AANCHAL RAWAT
4th semester
Department of Geology, Kumaun
University Nainital
 Acknowledgement

I would like to acknowledge and express my

gratitude to Dr .Rajeev Upadhyaya and Dr.
Nirmit Shah for guiding us throughout the trip.
Special mention must be given to teachers at
Kumaun University who took out time from their
schedule and gave us a firsthands knowledge of
geology of areas, in and around Nainital.
I am grateful to my entire team members and
classmates to their kinds co –operation and help in
the field .
COMMON TERMINOLOGIES USED IN THE
FIELD

STRIKE:- The direction of a line formed by the

intersection of bedding and a horizontal plane .
DIP:- It is the angle that it makes with a horizontal
plane in a direction perpendicular to the strike of the
plane .
FAULT:- It is the plane along which the relative
displacement of beds is taking place .
JOINT:- Joints are opening or cracks in the rocks
that join the simplest fracture structure without
involving displacement of the surface .
CLEAVAGE:-It is the formation of a set of
fractures along closely spaced .parallel surface in a
rocks by the alignment of various mineralogical and
structural elements during metamorphism and
deformation.
RIPPLE MARKS:- Is another common
Sedimentary structures which is frequently used to
determine facing . Ripple marks may form on the
bottom of the water or by wind action at the surface
of the Earth.
SYN-FORM:- A fold that closes downward.
ANTI-FORM:- A fold that closes upward.
CROSS BEDDING:- Cross bedding is a type of
stratification in which some sediment layers have an
inclined attitude in relation to those immediately
above or below .
SLICKENSIDE:- A lineation on a fault or bedding
plane caused by the frictional movement of rocks
body against another. The plane may be coated by
minerals often Quartz, Calcite, which itself shows
striations in the direction of movement.
FIELD EQUIPMENTS & PROCEDURES

BRUNTON COMPASS:- Designed by Canadian

scientist /geologist D.W .Brunton, it provides a
precise sighting clinometers and hand level capacity.
HAMMER:- A heavy hard steel geological hammer
with one side blunt, to crush and hence break the
rock along fractures and partings. It should
preferable have a rubber grip.
HAND LENS:- A hard lens is used to magnify the
textural feature of the rocks sample when held
closely between the eye and the sample towards the
sources of light.
SATCHEL:- A cloth bag for carrying rocks samples
and field equipments, with special pockets provides.
REGIONAL GEOLOGICAL SETTING

The Nainital hills represent the southeastern part of a

strip of enechelon basins of the Krol belt, which
stretches southeastward from Solan(himachal ) to
Nainital ( Uttarakhand). The southern limit of the
krol belt is delineated by the highly tectonized rocks
of the Amritpur granites which have been brought up
along Main Boundary Thrust (MBT).
The sedimentary succession of Krol belt in Nainital
areas begins with the Nagthat Formation of the
jaunsar group , which is sharply overlain by the
Blaini Formation , which in turn gives way to krol
and Tal formations. These outer Lesser Himalayan
rocks are sandwiched between the Main Boundary
Thrust (MBT ) in the south, which separates them
from the Neogene Siwalik and Ramgarh thrust in
the north marking a faulted contact with crystallines
rocks of the Almora Nappe.
The lake district of the mountains, Nainital town was
first discovered by an English traveler P.Barren in
1842.The town witnessed a devastating landslide in
September 1880, which also created today,s
playground , or Flats on the northwestern corner of
the lake. Set over 2000m above the sea, the
headquarter of Nainital rises around its large lake.
Being a touristic place, it is highly crowed during
summer months of April to June.
DAY 1: ( 10-03-23)

NAINITAL : Tiffin Top Section

Near the Tiffin Top ridge and rocks belonging to
krol group are observed to occur along most portion
of this sections .Dolomitic limestone with
intercalations of light brown sandstone is observed
to be exposed just above the Sherwood college.
At places transition of carbonaceous pyritic
shale with subordinate stromatolitic limestone
of Tal group is observed .
Rocks are mostly observed to dip in north to
northeasterly direction and the calcareous rocks are
observed to be highly jointed and fractured . These
at places pose threat of rocks fall.
Spot no 1 : Dolomite with Quartz
Location : Near Sherwood
  Quartz is a hard , crystalline minerals
composed of silica. It is defining constituent of
granite and other felsic igneous rocks.
 White Veins of quartz is seen .

Dolomitization is an
anhydrous carbonate
minerals composed of
calcium , magnesium ion
replace calcium ions in
another carbonate . …..

Spot no. 2: Dolomitic limestone

Location: Sherwood
 Dolomitic limestone
forms durings the
process of lime, a Ca
Rich minerals going
through lithification.

Spot No. 3: Limestone

Location: Tiffin top entry
 In between Tiffin top and Sherwood we have
seen limestone.
 Lime stone (caco3) ,is a
type of carbonate rock,
which is the main source
of the materials lime.

Spot No. 4: Silicaceous Limestone

Location: On the way to Tiffin top

Siliceous limestone
often contains variable
amount of silica which
is in the form of chert
or in the form of
siliceous skeletal
fragments.
Spot no.5: Dolomite with Elephant skin
weathering
Location: Way to tiffin top
 Many massive carbonate rocks like limestone
marble and dolomite shows Elephant skin
weathering, so called because of its
resemblances to the rough weathered hide of
elephants.

Dolomite with
Elephant skin
weathering.
Spot No. 6 : Oolite present in dolomatic
limestone.
Location:Tiffin top
 Oolite is a type of sedimentary rocks,usually
limestone ,made up of ooids cemented together.
 Generally without cleavage, and extremely
uniform in composition and texture, oolites
limestone adjusts to temperature changes.

Oolites structures seen in

dolomatic limestone.

Spot No. 7: Dolomatic Limestone (Intrclast

present )
Location: Tiffin Top
  Intraclast form by the breaking up of
Semilithified material. These intraclast were
formed from the erosion of Semilithified mud .

Dolomatic Limestone
with Intraclast present.

DAY 2 : ( 11 -03 -23 )

NAINITAL – Hanumangarhi section

In this traverse starting from Tallital ,upper krol
group is exposed. Intercalations of purples shale and
grey slate along with sandstone bands are observed
to be present in some exposures .The rocks are
generally observed to be very weak because of their
fissile and highly jointed nature , as also due the
presence of a number of shear planes .
Bedding planes is generally observed to be well
developed and dips at gentle to moderate angles
towards west , southeast and northeast .The
orientation of the bedding plane reflects the affects
of folding on the rocks .
A number of north dipping shear planes are observed
in this sections and faulting in the area Has caused
repetitions of the purple shale and limestone
sequences .
 Shear plane separates
quartzites from purple
shales in the road section
near Hanumangarhi.

Spot no 1 : Purple and green shale

Location : Hanumangarhi road
Shale is a fine grained clastic sedimentary rock
formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay
minerals and tiny fragments of others minerals ,
especially quartz and calcite .Shale is characterized
by its tendency to split into thin layers less than one
centimeter in thickness, this property is called
Fissility.
The presence of hematite and limonite (hydrated
ferric ) gives rise to reddish and purple coluring ,
while minerals components rich in ferrous iron
impart blue ,green ,hues .
The green coloration of mud rocks and shales results
from the presence of iron bearing
phyllosilicates .such as chlorite ,illite ,and for some
marine rocks, glauconite.

Purple shale and

green shale.

DAY 3: ( 13-03-23)

Spot no 1 : Dolomitic limestone

Location : Pashan devi member
  Dolomitic limestone is a combination of calcium
carbonate and magnesium carbonate .It
neutralizes acids in the growing medium and
provides some additional magnesium and
calcium for plant uptake .
 Clevage plain developed and compositional
variation seen.

Spot no 2 : Dolomitic limestone with elephant

weathering .
Location : Bisht college member
 Algal Laminae dolomite ( biochemical
sediments ).
 Elephant skin texture dolomite.
 Highly weathered.

Spot no 3 : Micaceous Sandstone.

Location : Near D.S.B college road.
In this section dolomitic limestone with
intercalations of sandstone, shale, and slate is
observed to be exposed up to the Kumaun University
campus. Intercalations of purple siltstone are
observed around the University campus.
Bedding planes is generally observed to be well
developed and dips at gentle to moderately steep
angles towards north, northwest and southwest.
This micaceous sandstone is a moderately sorted
lithology with mica flakes aligned parallel to the
bedding .
Spot no 4: Dolomite
Location : Sherwood member
 The rocks of the upper krol and their biohermal
structures.
 A thick successions of light to dark –grey
dolomite of upper krol succession characterizing
development of 1000 to 900m.y. old biohermal
structures is well exposed at this site .
 The important bioherm ( stromatolites ) present
in this rock unit are columnar, columnaris .These
bioherms suggest a shallow marine depositional
environment in middle to late proterozoic age.
DAY 4:( 14-03-23)

Spot no 1: Slate ,lower krol Marl

Location : Bhowali road
 Linear structure seen.
 Large scale fold .
 Marl or marlstone is a carbonate rich mud or
mudstone which contains variable amount of
clays and silt.
DAY 5 : ( 15-03-23)

Barah Pathar section : In this traverse from Sleepy

Hollow tuffaceous dolomitic limestone of krol
group is observed to be exposed . From the
University gate at Sleepy Hollow yellow slate with
intercalation of purple shale and grey slate are
observed to be exposed upto Barah Pathar.
The rocks are generally hard and compact but at
most place these are observed to be very weak
because of their thinly bedded and highly jointed
nature as also due to the presence of shear planes. At
places the rocks are observed to be highly
weathered.
Spot no 1 : Yellow weathered Limestone
Location : Narayan Nagar
 Small amount of silica present .
 Material is ductile , component bedding .
 Middle krol and syncline orium.
 This horizon marks the Precambrian –cambrian
boundary within the Lesser Himalaya .
Spot no.2: Rhythimites
Location: Rusibypass junction
 A rhythimites consists of layers of sediment or
sedimentary rock which are laid down with an
obvious periodicity and regularity.
 Budins structure/folding (budinarch folding )
present.
Rhythmites structure formed due
to folding.

Spot no.3 : Shivalik Sandstone

Location : Bajun
 The shivalik hills, are chiefly composed of
Sandstone and conglomerate rock formations .
 They are bounded on the south by a fault system
called the Main boundary thrust (MBT),with
steeper slopes on that side.
 Shivalik Sandstone.

Herringbone cross-
stratification is a type
of sedimentary structure formed in
tidal areas, such as tidal flats, where
the current periodically flows in the
opposite direction.
During the conventional formation
process of cross-stratification, sand
grains saltate up the upstream side
of the dune, collecting at the peak
until the angle of repose is reached.

DAY 6 : ( 16-03-23)

Spot no.1:Infra Krol Slate

Location : Tuta Pahad
 Kailakhan member slate .
 They are black in color.

Kailakhan slate.
Slate and
contact between
them.

Ripple Marks :-

Ripple marks are caused by

water flowing over loose
sediments which creates
bed forms by moving
sediments with the flow.
Spot no. 2:Quartzite
Location: Near temple
 Lithology was Quartzite.
 It has form some structure known as
Hummocky, these are formed due to the fluvial
environment.

Hummocky cross-
stratification is a
type of sedimentary
structure ,usually
formed by the
action of large
storms, such as
hurricanes.

Spot no.3
Bhowali Quatzite,
with 2 set of
cleavage
observed, joints
and fracture also
seen.
CONCLUSION

Our second field trip to Uttrakhand ( Nainital) was a

success and an enthralling experience in all ways. It
enhanced our knowledge about various aspects of
geology from structural to stratigraphy.
We were made familiar with geology of Uttrakhand
in general & Nainital in particular. We also got to
know about the various textural varieties of rock and
their identification. We have observed various kind
of folds and different kinds of intrusion. We learnt
various aspects of sedimentational environment
through ripple and cross-bedding.
We are thankful to our department for providing this
opportunity to us. We are also thankful to our
professors for their guidance during this field.
Thank you !