Geology of Chitradurga 57 B/4

The lithounits exposed in the area belong to Sargur Group, PGC, meta volcano-sedimentary sequence
of Bababudan and Chitradurga Groups of Dharwar Supergroup intruded by grey granites, vein quartz
and basic dykes.

high grade metamorphic schistose rocks of Sargur Group The oldest rocks in the area (Ghattihosahalli)
comprise amphibolite, fuchsite quartzite, quartzite, quartz kyanite scist and meta ultramafite.

A few small patches of greenish fuchsite quartzite and kyanite-sillimanite quartzite occur as low
mounds in association with amphibolite. Amphibolite is dull white to grey, where as fuchsite quartzite
is pale green or greenish white. It is well bedded and jointed. Meta ultramafites are usually altered to
talc serpentinite and very soft and dirty white.

The central part of the area is occupied by PGC represented by migmatite gneiss and it varies from
grey and pink granitic gneiss. They occur as isolated ridges and intruded by Hosadurga younger granite
in the SE part.

The Bababudan Group (Chitradurga) represented by Kibbanahalli Formation in this segment consisting
of quartz pebble conglomerate (Nerlakatte), quartzite, amphibolite and meta ultramafite occurring in
the NE and along the western margin of the schist belt.

Quartz pebble conglomerate (Nerlakatte) occurs in the eastern limb of the anticlinal fold in west of
Medikeripura. It is oligomictic in nature consisting of well-rounded pebbles of quartz embedded in an
orthoquartzite matrix.

Quartzite is light grey, fine grained, current bedded and occur associated with amphibolite.
Amphibolite is hard, massive, dark grey, medium to fine grained with amygdules of quartz and calcite,
consists of hornblende, plagioclase, epidote, sphene and opaques. Narrow linear bands of current
bedded quartzite occur alternating with metabasalt.

Meta ultramafites occur as thin bands within amphibolite and consists of talc, actinolite, tremolite as
seen exposed 2km west of Hirekandavadi.

The Chitradurga Group comprises two formations, viz., Vanivilas and Hiriyur Formations. The Vanivilas
Formation overlies the Bababudan Group and comprises Talya conglomerate, quartzite, chlorite
schist, limestone/dolomite, manganiferous chert /phyllite BMQ and BIF. Lithounits belonging to this
formation occur all along the western limb of the regional antiform and core of the corresponding
synform.

Talya conglomerate marks the onset of Vanivilas Formation and is polymictic consisting of boulders
and pebbles of orthoquartzite, granite, vein quartz, basic rocks and occasionally BMQ embedded in
schistose matrix. It is exposed along with chlorite schist 3km east of Gillikenahalli.

Quartzite is seen occurring associated with chlorite schist as exposed east of Kagalageri. Chlorite
schist is exposed as a persistent band from Gillikenahalli in the south to Lambadihalli in the north.
Limestone / dolomite seen exposed as thin lenses west of Karadigudda, west of Mahadevanapura and
2km SE of Madakeripura. It is grey, crystalline showing facies variation into dolomitic limestone and
ferrodolomite.

Manganiferous phyllite with chert occurs as a major lithounit and is exposed in the NE, to the west
and east of Megalahalli, Palya, west and north of Keshavapura. Whenever the chert is brecciated,
manganese dioxide occurs as fracture fills within the chert and phyllite. BIF overlies the manganese
member and these bands act as marker horizons in deciphering stratigraphy and structure.

The Hiriyur Formation represents a meta greywacke argillite suite and is exposed in the core of the
regional structure, i.e. around Nellikatte Palya and Keshavapura. The rock is fine grained, light grey,
foliated and consists mainly of quartz, chlorite and magnetite as accessory. Thin bands consisting of
greywacke are closely associated with argillite.

Jhandimatti Formation of Shimoga schist belt is represented by quartz chlorite schist with lenticular
bands of BIF and quartzite. These rocks too belong to Chitradurga Group and occur along the
southwestern corner and over a strike length of 20km in N-S direction.

Hosadurga Granite (Closepet granite) is seen exposed in the SE, i.e. SE of Holalkere. It is coarse grained,
grey color, consisting of quartz and plagioclase with minor amount of accessory minerals like biotite,
magnetite etc and is intrusive into PGC.

Quartz vein is fine grained, light coloured and seen occurring west of Ayyanahalli, north of
Bharamanayakanadurga and SW and west of Madikeripura. Dolerite dykes have traversed all the rock
units along the NW, NNW and E-W directions.

Dolerite is dark green, fine to medium grained consisting of pyroxenes and plagioclase. Thin quartz
veins are intruding into schistose and gneisses.

structures

Bedding / primary layering, schistosity, fracture cleavage, crenulations and close spaced joints, pillows,
variolites, vesicles and amygdules are the different structural elements recorded.

The S1 schistosity is marked along N-S to NNW-SSE directions with dominant westerly dips.

The regional second generation fold flanked on either side by synclinal structures is seen in the NE
part. Here SO is marked along N-S to NNW-SSE with westerly steep dips.

S2 plane is represented by close spaced vertical fractures trending NNW-SSE and

S3 is NE-SW trending close fractures. Actual trace of synform and antiform marked at NE part of the
area.

A few exploratory pits and old workings for manganese are recorded all along the manganiferous
phyllite/chert horizon in the NE quadrant of the area. 1.5 km west-south and SE of Megalahalli
(14°13'45": 76°13'10"), 2km NW of Keshavapura (14°08'20": 76°13'00") and SW and NW of
Mahadevapura (14°05'50": 76°14'55").

Iron ore deposits recorded 3km ESE and occurrence 2km east of Madakanipura (14°14'30" :
76°10'50"), 2km and 1km SW of Kadleguda (14°14'10" : 76°15'00"), 3.2 km WNW and 2.5 km NW of
Bhimasamudra (14°12'00": 76°15'20" - 57B/8) and 1 km WSW of Magalahalli (14°13'45": 76°13'10").

Gneisses, granite and dolerites have been extensively quarried for road and building materials. Kyanite
occurrence is recorded 4.5km south of Mahadevapura.