Geology 2022 Paper I 50 marks Describe
Q7
(a) Describe the stratigraphy of Singhbhum Craton and discuss its economic significance. (20 marks) (b) Discuss the effects on dead organism after burial. (15 marks) (c) Describe the types of landslide, and discuss its factors and mitigation measures. (15 marks)
हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें
(a) सिंहभूम क्रेटन की स्तरीकी का वर्णन कीजिए तथा उसके आर्थिक महत्व पर प्रकाश डालिए। (20 अंक) (b) मृत जीव पर शवाधान के बाद होने वाले प्रभावों की विवेचना कीजिए। (15 अंक) (c) विभिन्न प्रकार के भूस्खलन का वर्णन करते हुए इसके कारकों एवं शमन करने वाले उपायों की विवेचना कीजिए। (15 अंक)
Directive word: Describe
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How this answer will be evaluated
Approach
The directive 'describe' demands systematic, detailed exposition with factual precision. Allocate approximately 40% of time/words to part (a) given its 20 marks, 30% each to parts (b) and (c). Structure: brief introduction establishing cratonic framework → detailed stratigraphic succession for Singhbhum with economic minerals → taphonomic processes post-burial with preservation pathways → landslide classification with Indian case studies → integrated conclusion emphasizing geohazard management and resource security.
Key points expected
- Part (a): Singhbhum Craton stratigraphy from Archaean to Proterozoic—Older Metamorphic Group (OMG), Older Metamorphic Tonalite Gneiss (OMTG), Singhbhum Granite, Iron Ore Group (IOG), Kolhan Group, Dhanjori Group; unidirectional evolution from 3.8 Ga to 1.0 Ga
- Part (a): Economic significance—banded iron formations (BIFs) of Badampahar-Gorumahisani-Suleipat belt, chromite in Sukinda, copper-molybdenum porphyry deposits, uranium in Singhbhum Shear Zone, manganese and bauxite occurrences
- Part (b): Taphonomic effects post-burial—biostratinomy to fossil diagenesis: compaction, authigenic mineralization (pyritization, phosphatization, silicification), dissolution and replacement, microbial decay pathways, exceptional preservation (Konservat-Lagerstätten) versus normal fossilization
- Part (c): Landslide classification—falls, topples, slides (rotational/translational), spreads, flows; Varnes classification; Indian examples: Malpa landslide (1998), Kedarnath debris flows (2013), Munnar rotational slides
- Part (c): Causal factors—geological (shear zones, weathered Dharwar schists), topographic (Western Ghats escarpment), climatic (monsoon intensity), anthropogenic (road cutting, deforestation); mitigation: drainage control, rock bolting, bio-engineering, early warning systems, hazard zonation mapping
Evaluation rubric
| Dimension | Weight | Max marks | Excellent | Average | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concept correctness | 25% | 12.5 | Demonstrates precise stratigraphic succession for Singhbhum with correct chronology (OMG→OMTG→Singhbhum Granite→IOG); accurately distinguishes biostratinomy from diagenesis in taphonomy; correctly applies Varnes classification for landslides with appropriate terminology throughout all three parts | Identifies major stratigraphic units but with chronological errors or omissions; conflates pre-burial and post-burial taphonomic processes; lists landslide types but misclassifies mechanisms or confuses slides with flows | Fundamental errors such as treating Singhbhum as Cretaceous terrain; describes only pre-burial decay ignoring diagenesis; confuses landslides with other mass wasting processes; significant geological misconceptions across parts |
| Diagram / cross-section | 20% | 10 | Provides annotated stratigraphic column for Singhbhum showing lithology, thickness, unconformities and mineralization horizons; illustrates taphonomic grades with preservation continuum diagram; sketches landslide block diagram showing crown, head, toe and slip surface with movement arrows | Simple stratigraphic table without structural relationships; basic burial diagram without taphonomic stages; 2D slope profile for landslide without three-dimensional features or kinematic indicators | No diagrams or irrelevant sketches; diagrams with major errors (e.g., inverted stratigraphy, impossible taphonomic sequences, landslides moving uphill); unlabeled or illegible illustrations |
| Field evidence | 20% | 10 | Cites specific field localities—Gorumahisani iron ore mines, Noamundi, Jaduguda uranium mines; references actual fossil preservation modes from Indian Phanerozoic basins; names specific landslide events with documented casualties and geological triggers from GSI reports | General references to 'eastern India' or 'Himalayan region' without specific localities; mentions fossil sites without preservation details; describes landslide-prone areas without specific event documentation | No field evidence cited; hypothetical or invented localities; confuses Singhbhum with Bastar or Dharwar cratons; generic global examples without Indian context |
| Quantitative reasoning | 15% | 7.5 | Provides radiometric ages for Singhbhum units (3.8 Ga OMG, ~3.3 Ga OMTG, 3.1-2.8 Ga Singhbhum Granite, ~2.2 Ga IOG); cites approximate ore reserves or grades; includes slope angle thresholds for landslide initiation; mentions FSI (Factor of Safety) values or rainfall intensity triggers | Correct relative chronology without absolute ages; qualitative description of 'high-grade' ores without figures; general statement that 'steep slopes' cause landslides without angle specifications | No quantitative data; incorrect orders of magnitude for geological time; absurd slope angles or impossible ore grades; confuses weight percent with ppm for trace elements |
| Indian / economic relevance | 20% | 10 | Explicitly connects Singhbhum iron ores to Rourkela Steel Plant and national steel security; discusses strategic importance of Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) and UCIL operations; evaluates landslide mitigation for strategic infrastructure (Char Dham highway, NH-58); addresses tribal displacement and sustainable mining in Odisha-Jharkhand belt | Mentions steel industry and iron ore exports without strategic context; notes uranium importance without institutional details; lists mitigation measures without policy or socioeconomic dimensions | Treats economic significance as generic mineral list without industrial linkages; ignores Indian taphonomic sites entirely; discusses landslides as purely academic phenomenon without hazard management or policy relevance |
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