Civil Service Mains Optional GEOLOGY

GEOLOGY


PAPER - I

1. General Geology:
The Solar System, Meteorites, Origin and
interior of the earth and age of earth;
Volcanoes- causes and products, Volcanic
belts; Earthquakes-causes, effects,
Seismic zones of India; Island arcs,
trenches and mid-ocean ridges;
Continental drifts; Seafloor spreading,
Plate tectonics; Isostasy.

2. Geomorphology and Remote Sensing:
Basicconcepts of geomorphology;
Weathering and soil formations; Land-forms, slopes and drainage; Geomorphic
cycles and their interpretation; Morphology
and its relation to structures and lithology;
Coastal geomorphology; Applications of
geomorphology in mineral prospecting,
civil engineering; Hydrology and
environmental studies; Geomorphology of
Indian subcontinent.
Aerial photographs and their interpretation-merits and limitations; The Electromagnetic
spectrum; Orbiting satellites and sensor
systems; Indian Remote Sensing Satellites;
Satellites data products; Applications of
remote sensing in geology; The
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and
Global Positioning System (GPS) - its
applications.

3. Structural Geology:
Principles of geologic mapping and map
reading, Projection diagrams, Stress and
strain ellipsoid and stress-strain
relationships of elastic, plastic and viscous
materials; Strain markers in deformed rocks;
Behaviour of minerals and rocks under
deformation conditions; Folds and faults
classification and mechanics; Structural
analysis of folds, foliations, lineations, joints
and faults, unconformities; Time-relation-ship between crystallization and defor-mation.

4.  Paleontology:
Species- definition and nomenclature;
Megafossils and Microfossils; Modes of
preservation of fossils; Different kinds of
microfossils; Application of microfossils in
correlation, petroleum exploration, paleo-climatic and paleoceanographic studies;
Evolutionary trend in Hominidae, Equidae
and Proboscidae; Siwalik fauna;
Gondwana flora and fauna and its
importance; Index fossils and their
significance.

5. Indian Stratigraphy:
Classification of stratigraphic sequences:
lithostratigraphic, biostratigraphic, chro-nostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic
and their interrelationships; Distribution
and classification of Precambrian rocks of
India; Study of stratigraphic distribution and
lithology of Phanerozoic rocks of India with
reference to fauna, flora and economic
importance; Major boundary problems-Cambrian/Precambrian, Permian/Triassic,
Cretaceous/Tertiary and Pliocene/
Pleistocene; Study of climatic conditions,
paleogeography and igneous activity in the
Indian subcontinent in the geological past;
Tectonic framework of India; Evolution of
the Himalayas.

6. Hydrogeology and Engineering
Geology:
Hydrologic cycle and genetic classification
of water; Movement of subsurface water;
Springs; Porosity, permeability, hydraulic
conductivity, transmissivity and storage
coefficient, classification of aquifers; Water-bearing characteristics of rocks; Ground-water chemistry; Salt water intrusion; Types
of wells; Drainage basin morphometry;
Exploration for groundwater; Groundwater
recharge; Problems and management of
groundwater; Rainwater harvesting;
Engineering properties of rocks; Geolo-gical investigations for dams, tunnels
highways, railway and bridges; Rock as
construction material; Landslides-causes,
prevention and rehabilitation; Earthquake-resistant structures.







PAPER - II

1. Mineralogy:
Classification of crystals into systems and
classes of symmetry; International system
of crystallographic notation; Use of
projection diagrams to represent crystal
symmetry; Elements of X-ray crystallo-graphy.
Physical and chemical characters of rock
forming silicate mineral groups; Structural
classification of silicates; Common minerals
of igneous and metamorphic rocks;
Minerals of the carbonate, phosphate,
sulphide and halide groups; Clay minerals.
Optical properties of common rock forming
minerals; Pleochroism, extinction angle,
double refraction, birefringence, twinning
and dispersion in minerals.

2. Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology:
Generation and crystallization of magmas;
Crystallization of albite-anorthite, diopside-anorthite and diopside-wollastonite-silica
systems; Bowen’s Reaction Principle;
Magmatic differentation and assimilation;
Petrogenetic significance of the textures
and structures of igneous rocks; Petro-graphy and petrogenesis of granite,
syenite, diorite, basic and ultrabasic
groups, charnockite, anorthosite and
alkaline rocks; Carbonatites; Deccan
volcanic province.
Types and agents of metamorphism;
Metamorphic grades and zones; Phase
rule; Facies of regional and contact
metamorphism; ACF and AKF diagrams;
Textures and structures of metamorphic
rocks; Metamorphism of arenaceous,
argillaceous and basic rocks; Minerals
assemblages Retrograde metamorphism;
Metasomatism and granitisation,
migmatites, Granulite terrains of India.

3. Sedimentary Petrology:
Sediments and Sedimentary rocks:
Processes of formation; digenesis and
lithification; Clastic and non-clastic rocks-their classification, petrography and
depositional environment; Sedimentary
facies and provenance; Sedimentary
structures and their significance; Heavy
minerals and their significance; Sedimen-tary basins of India.

4. Economic Geology:
Ore, ore minerals and gangue, tenor of ore,
classification of ore deposits; Process of
formation of minerals deposits; Controls of
ore localization; Ore textures and structu-res; Metallogenic epochs and provinces;
Geology of the important Indian deposits
of aluminium, chromium, copper, gold, iron,
lead zinc, manganese, titanium, uranium
and thorium and industrial minerals;
Deposits of coal and petroleum in India;
National Mineral Policy; Conservation and
utilization of mineral resources; Marine
mineral resources and Law of Sea.

5. Mining Geology:
Methods of prospecting-geological,
geophysical, geochemical and geobotani-cal; Techniques of sampling; Estimation of
reserves or ore; Methods of exploration and
mining metallic ores, industrial minerals,
marine mineral resources and building
stones; Mineral beneficiation and ore
dressing.

6. Geochemistry and Environmental
Geology:
Cosmic abundance of elements;
Composition of the planets and meteorites;
Structure and composition of Earth and
distribution of elements; Trace elements;
Elements of crystal chemistry-types of
chemical bonds, coordination number;
Isomorphism and polymorphism;
Elementary thermodynamics.
Natural hazards-floods, mass wasting,
costal hazards, earthquakes and volcanic
activity and mitigation; Environmental
impact of urbanization, mining, industrial
and radioactive waste disposal, use of
fertilizers, dumping of mine waste and fly
ash; Pollution of ground and surface water,
marine pollution; Environment protection -legislative measures in India; Sea level
changes: causes and impact.