Batal Fm

Type section is in Batal village in the Chandra Valley, Lahaul-Spiti region, Himachal Pradesh

[Original Publication:s Srikantia, S. V., Ganesan, T. M., Sinha, P. K. and Tirkey, B. 1976. Geology of Part of Zanskar Mountains, Ladakh Himalaya with special reference to late Caledonian “Kurgiakh Orogeny”. “Geology, Mineral Resources and Natural Resources of Power Development of Himalayas with particular Reference to Kashmir”. Geological Survey of India, Abstracts, 1–3. Srikantia, S.V., 1981. The lithostratigraphy, sedimentation and structure of Proterozoic–Phanerozoic formations of Spiti basin in the higher Himalaya of Himachal Pradesh, India. In: Sinha, A.K. (Ed.), Contemporary Geoscientific Researches in India (a commemorative volume in honor of S.P. Nautiyal). Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun, pp. 31–48; Srikantia, S.V., Ganesan, T.M., Rao, P.N., Sinha, P.K., Turkey, B., 1979. Geology of Zanskar area, Ladakh Himalaya. Himalayan Geology 8 (2), 1009–1033.] [Nanda, M.M. and Singh, M.P. (1977) Stratigraphy and sedimentation of the Zanskar area, Ladakh and adjoining parts of the Lahaul region of Himachal Pradesh. Him. Geol., v.6, pp.365-388].

Synonyms: Phe Formation (Nanda and Singh, 1977)

[Figure: Zanskar-Spiti-Kumaun region location (provided by Om Bhargava)]

Clayey sandstone. Comprised of micaceous quartzite with pyritous carbonaceous phyllite, olive green slate and coarse sandstone (Srikantia, 1981). Type section (> 2000 m). Bhargava et al (1991) description: Quartzite, medium to fine grained, made up of subangular to subrounded quartz grains in chloritic matrix. Pebble bed having rounded flat pebbles/granules of quartzite and vein quartz. Slate to schist, slate in claystone matrix. Carbonaceous shale. Basic volcanics in basal part.

[Figure 1: Field photograph showing the rocks of Batal Formation near the Batal Bridge, in Chandra Valley Lahaul-Spiti.]

Acritarch (Vendian: Anguloplanian sp.; and Pulvinomorpha sp) (Kumar et al., 1984)

Metamorphosed sediments.