Plant fossils from upper beds of Raniganj Formation in Jharia Coalfield

Abstract

There are three major coal seams in the Raniganj Formation of Jharia Coalfield, viz., Mahuda, Bhurungia and Lohpiti, in ascending order. The main constituents of the plant fossil assemblage from the roof shale of Lohpiti Seam, thal underlies the Lohpiti Sandstone Member, are the leaf Glossopteris shailae, the Stem Araucarioxylon kumarpurensis and the megaspore Noniasporites harrisii. A similar fossil assemblage has earlier been reported from the roof shales of Kajora Seam that underlies the Kumarpur Sandstone Member of Raniganj Formation in Raniganj Coalfield. The correlatability of Lohpiti Sandstone Member with Kumarpur Sandstone Member is established.