Course Syllabus

Introduction

Definitions, Scope and brief history of the subject of Geology

Earth’s materials, minerals and rocks:

Broad chemical groups of minerals.
Classification of rocks

• Igneous rocks; major types, their mineral assemblage and texture
• Sedimentary rocks; major types, their mineral assemblage and texture
• Metamorphic rocks; major types, their mineral assemblage and texture

Structures found in Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic rocks:

• Attitudes of planes and lines
• Extrusive and intrusive igneous rock bodies, lava flows, sills, dykes, batholiths.
• Bed, ripple marks, cross beds, graded beds
• Folds, joints, foliation, lineation.

The fossil record:

Fossils as evidence of past life. Modes of preservation of fossils. Uses of fossils.

Basic idea of plate tectonics:

• Concepts of continental drift, sea-floor spreading and plate tectonics.
• Layered structure of earth (Evidence from seismic waves, meteorites)
• Plates and plate boundaries, relative motion of plates.
• Plate map of the earth.
• Major tectonic units and their geological character: Mid-oceanic ridges, Transform Faults, Subduction zones (Trenches, Subducted plates, Island arcs), Continental Collision zones hot spots
• Processes of Volcanism and Earthquakes; Relation of volcanism and earthquake with plate tectonics
• Idea of Supercontinent Cycle

Earth’s internal processes:

Basic concepts on Processes of Magmatism and Metamorphism processes

Economic Geology:

• Definition of economic minerals, Ore, protore, gangue, tenor of ore.
• Brief description of major metal deposits of India
• Brief description of major fossil fuel deposits of India

Stratigraphy:

Principles
Brief description of Important Stratigraphic Sequences of India (Rajasthan, Singbhum, Cuddapah basin, Gondwana basins, Bengal Basin, Kutch)