Abstract

The report may be considered as a complete sketch that is based on the

field work carried out in Lalakhal,Jaflong & adjacent areas of Sylhet
district. The area is characterized by an east-west trending faulted
anticline a regional unconformity is marked by the laterite bed placed
between Barail and surma group. Another regional unconformity is
observed between recent gravel deposit and Tertiary rock sequences.
There is an ideal place to Identifying geophysical and hydrological
hazards.
Monotonous successions of Tertiary sediments, comprising mainly of
sandstone, siltstone, shale and clay stone are exposed in different section
of the investigated area. By correlating, the area is divided into nine
lithostratigraphic units from bottom upwards Sylhet Limestone, Kopili
Shale, Barail Group, Surma Group, Tipam Sandstone, Girujan Clay and
DupiTila Formation, Dihing (Sonatila gravel bed). The age of this
formation ranges from Eocene to Recent. So, this is the only area in
Bangladesh where the whole tertiary sedimentary sequences (except
Tura Formation) are well exposed. The study of stratigraphic
characteristics of this area is very important. This area comprises the
complete Tertiary succession of Bangladesh except Tura sandstone. And
the Recent Alluvium. The deposition of the sediments involves shallow
marine to continental environment with a fluctuating energy condition.
 Acknowledgement

Strong team effort is always required to perform a successful field work.

This report is an output of combined effort of many people. So, it is my
responsibility to thank all the related people.
I can’t express my honor to our respective Departmental Head sir
Professor Dr. Md. FarhadHawlader, for his valuable time spend for
arrangement this field work. I express my thanks and deepest sense of
gratitude to our course teacher Dr. Md. Shofiqul Islam, Mohammad
Shahedul Hossain and LabibaNusratJahan. They deserve our thanks for
their valuable lectures, good planning for the trip and great affection.
Their theoretical and Practical knowledge help me much to clarify my
concept and complete this report.
I also express my thanks to our respective teacher Dr. Md. Jakaria and
Arifur Rahman for their Geological and Statistical suggestion and
cordiality and their friendly attitude during field work.
Special thanks to JaintapurUpazilla Council for their support. I am quite
convinced with the food, transport and other first aid and quick
voluntary service and all to my classmates and to my group members for
their sincere co-operation.
My thanks also extend to the personnel of Department of Petroleum &
Mining Engineering,I specially thanks to that they help us by
arrangement and give financial help for our field work.
 Introduction
We started our field tour at 8:30 am, 08 August 2015. We were 34
students. There were five respective teachers with us. There was
also(…………………….). The day was hot & sunny. We reached at our
1st destination, Lalakhal at 11:00 am.

OBJECTIVE & PURPOSE

The study of Geology is very much dependent on field investigations
because theoretical knowledge is not sufficient to fulfill its demand. The
field work performed in Lalakhal, Jaflong and its adjoining areas is
included to our study to enrich our practical knowledge. Field work is an
important way that gains practical knowledge about geology. Knowing
about geological structure of an area field work is important one.Our
main objective was:
1.Rocks identification.
2.Geological structure identification.

Fig: 1.1 Our Investigation area

 FIELD INVESTIGATION METHOD

The investigation was carried out in the field by adopting very usual
“traverse method” that is walking on foot through road-cut and stream-
cut sections. Field investigation involves the following procedures:
Taking location and bearing, Structural investigation, Lithologic changes
and Stratigraphical investigation, Collecting samples, Construction of
geologic maps Taking photographs.

Collecting Samples
Samples of different rock strata of different sections were taken in
sample bags for further study.

Tacking Photographs
The important photographs of physical features, sedimentary structures,
important rock units and structural features (fault, fold, joint,
unconformity, hazardous place etc.) of the area were taken by the
camera.

Construction of Geological Map

The measured attitudes and lithology of different beds were plotted on
the base map with proper reference points to prepare a geological map of
the area.
 Geology of Study Area

Surma Basin
Sylhet Trough
Dauki Fault
Stratigraphy is the scientific discipline concerned with the description of
the rock successions and their interpretation in terms of a general time
scale.It provides a basis for historical geology, and its principle and
methods have found application in such fields as petrology and
archeology .Stratigraphic studies deal primarily with sedimentary rocks
but may also encompass layered igneous rocks (e.g. those resulting from
successive lava flows) or metamorphic rocks formed either from such
extrusive igneous material or from sedimentary rocks. A common goal
of stratigraphic studies into mappable units, determining the time
relationships that are involved and correlating units of the sequence or
the entire sequence with rock strata elsewhere. A regional topographic
satellite image showed the stratigraphy of Sylhet trough. (Fig 1.2)
The area under investigation is underlain in part by Holocene and flood
plain deposits and in part by deformed Tertiary sediments. Most of the
outcrops are covered with thick jungle and soil and accessible with
difficulty. Along the Shari River there is an excellent section which can
be considered on the type section for the Neogene sequence in N-E
Bangladesh. From the Dauki river where Eocene limestone crops out to
the plain ,south of Dupitila ,2800ft thick sediments has been estimated
(Haque,1982).This monotonous succession of sediments which have
been affected by the movements associated with the Himalayas
orogen.Except for Sylhet limestone, the sequence represents a clastic
section composed mainly of sandstone, siltstone, clay and associated
conglomerate. The rock strata were investigated on the basis of
lithologic characteristics and were subdivided on the basis of lithologic
contrasts.

Fig:1.2
Satellite image which represents Regional topography and stratigraphy of the
investigated area
TABLE : The Stratigraphic succession of NE Bangladesh,Sylhet trough

The stratigraphy of the area has been differentiated into a number of

formations. Sylhet limestone formation is found as the oldest in the
normal sequence. The normal sequence of the studied formation is given
below according to the law of superposition.
1. Dihing formation
2. Dupitila formation
3. Giruja clay
4. Tipam sandstone
5. Surma group
6. Barail sandstone
7. Kopili shale
8. Sylhet limestone

The names of the formations are established by Evans(1932) for the

tertiary successions of Assam. Although it is difficult to correlate
formations separated by hundred of kilometer without the support of
paleontological data and also because of frequent facies changes.

Gological Features :

Geological Group-Formation a stratigraphic sequence that is

presumed to divide in whole or in part into formations in the future. A
formation is a body of rock identified by lithic characteristics and
stratigraphic position; and is mappable at the earth’s surface or traceable
in the subsurface. The stratigraphically important Groups-Formations of
Bengal-Assam region are arranged below from the oldest to the
youngest

Gondwana Group : The oldest sedimentary unit in Bangladesh is the

Gondwana Group of Permian age, resting unconformably on the
Precambrian crystalline basement. It is characterised by a sequence of
conglomerates, feldspathic sandstones, carbonaceous sandstones, grey
and carbonaceous shales and coal seams. These sediments were
deposited in the faulted basins of the Pre-Cambrian era and attained
considerable
thickness. The thick coal seams and carbonaceous shales of the
Gondwanas do not exhibit any oil or gas.

Kopili Formation P Evans introduced the name Kopili Stage for the
upper unit of the Jaintia Series after the Kopili river in Assam, India.
This formation is exposed in Bangladesh only at the bank of the dauki
river in Sylhet district. The thickness of the formation in the type area
ranges from 350m to 460m.The Kopili Formation was deposited in a
brackish to marine condition in a shallow marine to transitional
environment.

Barail Formation: subsurface, 4.3 km below the surface, 34 to 23 mya,

1.6 km thick, sandstone with a thin layer (.1km) of sandy shale on top.
Barail rocks exposed along the northern edge of the Sylhet Trough at the
foothills of the Shillong Plateau and near the Dauki fault range from 800
to 1,600 m (0.50 to 0.99 mi)thick. This formation was deposited about
33 to 23 million years ago and is a pink, medium- to coarse-
grained sandstone.

Surma Group
The Surma Group consists of the Bhuban Formation and overlying Boka
Bil Formation. These formations are more than 4 km (2.5 mi) thick in
the eastern fold belts and the deeper part of basin; the equivalent unit in
the Indian platform – the Jamalganj Formation – ranges from 0.150 to
1.3 km (0.093 to 0.808 mi) thick.
Boka Bil Formation:
Boka Bil sandstone, mudrock and sandy shale were
deposited in subaerial to brackish environments 18 to 11 million years
ago. At 1.3 km (0.81 mi) thick, the Bhuban Formation is less than half
that of the Boka Bil Formation.

Fig: 3

Tipam Group
5 km thick, 11 to 5.5 mya, sandstone, sandy shale
 Fig:4
Dupi Tila Formation:
The Dupi Tila Formation was formed 5.5 to 0.2 million years ago and
lies in a 0.4 km (0.25 mi) thick band .2 to .55 km (0.12 to 0.34 mi)
below the surface. It consists mostly of loosely consolidated medium- to
coarse-grained sandstone with minor amounts ofshale–clay. That is
overlain by recent alluvium of sand, silt and clay.In Sylhet, the
formation consists of two distinct units. The lower part is composed
chiefly of massive sandstone interbedded with subordinate claystone.
The sandstone is yellow to yellowish brown, medium to coarse, cross-
bedded and in places pebbly. The upper part consists of claystone and
siltstone with subordinate sandstone. In this part of country formation is
found in exposed state.
 GIRUJAN CLAY:
The name has been given after the Girujan clay stage of Tipam
series in Assam,India. Top of this formation is exposed by the
Shari river bank having a conformable contact with the overlying
Dupitila formation. The formation develops conformably and
gradationally from the underlying Tipam sandstone formation. It
consists of Grey to bluish grey, 100% clay and mottled clay.

Topography:
Topography is defined as the shape or configuration or relief or three
dimensional quality of a surface. In general, topography is concerned
with local detail including not only relief but also natural and artificial
features, and even local history and culture.In other words, topography
deals with thegraphical representation of the surface features of a place
or region on a map, indicating their relative positions and elevations.

THEORITICAL BACKGROUND:

ROCK: In geology, a rock is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of

one or more minerals or mineraloids . For example, the common
rock granite is a combination of the quartz, feldspar and biotite minerals.
The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock.

There are three major groups of rocks

 Igneous rock.
 Sedimentary rock
 Metamorphic rock

Igneous rock:

Igneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others
being sedimentary and metamorphic. Igneous rock is formed through the
cooling and solidification of magma or lava. Igneous rock may form
with or without crystallization, either below the surface
as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic)
rocks. This magma can be derived from partial melts of pre-existing
rocks in either a planet's mantle or crust. Typically, the melting is caused
by one or more of three processes: an increase in temperature, a decrease
in pressure, or a change in composition. So igneous rocks are called
primary rock
Basic characteristics of igneous rock:

1. Generally hard, massive, compact with interlocking grains.

2. Entire absence of fossils.
3. Absence of bedding planes.
4. Enclosing rocks are bake
5. Usually contain much feldspar

Example :– Granite, Andesite, Basalt, Gabbro,Quartz, Diorite etc.

Sedimentary rocks:
Sedimentary rocks are formed from pre-existing rocks or pieces of once-
living organisms. They form from deposits that accumulate on the
Earth's surface. Sedimentary rock formation begins with igneous,
metamorphic, or other sedimentary rocks. When igneous, metamorphic
and other sedimentary rocks exposed at atmosphere, weathering
occurred and this causes erosion, eroded materials are transported by
transporting agent such as air, water, wind, ice, glacier ect. and
deposition may occur. Among deposited sediments lithificationmay
occur and after millions of years later sedimentary rocks formed.
Basic characteristics of sedimentary rocks.

1.Classified by texture and composition

2.Often contains fossils
3.May react with acid
4.Often has layers, flat or curved
5.Usually composed of pieces cemented or pressed together
6.Has great color variety
7.Particle size may be the same or vary
8.Usually has pores between pieces
 9.May have cross-bedding, mud cracks, raindrop impressions .

Example :- Sandstone, siltstone,shale, limestone, coal, breccia ect.

Texture of sedimentary rocks

No. Size(in diameter) Name Equivalent Rocks

1. >256mm Boulders Boulder
2. 64 to 256mm Cobble Cobble
3. 4 to 64 mm Pebble Pebble
4. 2 to 4 mm Granule Granulestone
5. 2 to 1/16 mm Sand Sandstone
6. 1/16 to 1/256 mm Silt Siltstone
7. 1/256 mm or less Clay Claystone

Metamorphic rocks:
Metamorphic rocks are those that form only at the high temperatures and
pressures associated with the process of metamorphism which means
"change in form". They may be formed simply by being deep beneath
the Earth's surface, subjected to high temperatures and the great pressure
of the rock layers above it. There are two basic types of metamorphic
rocks: 1) foliated metamorphic rocks such as gneiss, phyllite, schist
and slate which have a layered or banded appearance that is produced by
exposure to heat and directed pressure; and, 2) non-foliated
metamorphic rocks such as marble and quartzite which do not have a
layered or banded appearance.

Basic characteristics of metamorphic rock

 1.Generally hard inter locking grains and bedded (if derived
from stratified rocks).
2.Fossils are rarely preserved in rocks of sedimentary origin
(except Slates).
3.Foliated, Gneissose, Schistose,Granulose, Slaty etc are the
common structures.
4.Common minerals are Andalusite, Sillimanite, Kyanite,
Cordierite, Wollastonite, Garnet, Graphite etc.

Example- Gneiss, Schists , slate , Marble, Phyllites, Charnockite,

Quartzite etc.

Agents of metamorphism :-
The agents which are mostly responsible for bringing about
metamorphic changes are as follows:
1. Temperature.
2. Pressure.
a. Hydrostatic pressure or uniform pressure
b. Directed pressure or stress
3. Chemical active fluids.
 Conclusion

From my personal opinion I have enjoyed the study tour moments

exclusively very much. I think, I will never forget this tour in my long
run.
We can say the study tour or field work is an effective chapter of student
life.
Because it is the only source from where we can achieve some practical
knowledge as well as entertainment.
Especially as I was related with the tour committee makes my tour more
enjoyable. As I am very much satisfied, to do something for my
department and my friends.
More over tour will help me in my career. This is a very valuable
experience for me and others too.