The Mesoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic stratigraphic record of the Singhbhum crustal province, eastern India, implies sedimentation and volcanism in a changing tectonic scenario, and thus assumes immense geological significance. Although efforts have been made by many researchers in the past several decades to summarize various geological aspects of the Singhbhum crustal province, a critical synthesis of various stratigraphic issues was long overdue. The present contribution is an updated critical synthesis of the Mesoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic stratigraphic record of the Singhbhum crustal province. We have pointed out the problematic stratigraphic issues of the Singhbhum crustal province that deserve careful scrutiny in order to gain better insights into the mode of stratigraphic sequence building.

The Singhbhum Craton in eastern India preserves a depositional record from the Palaeo-Mesoarchaean to the Mesoproterozoic. Herein, we have summarized the Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic supracrustal record of the Singhbhum Craton, discussed tectonosedimentary processes and discriminated Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic global and craton-specific events. The late Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic supracrustal record of the Singhbhum Craton is limited. It includes evidence for high continental freeboard conditions during 2.6-2.1 Ga in the form of terrestrial deposits (alluvial fan -fluvial) of the Dhanjori Formation. This was followed by a major transgression and a transition to the relatively deeper-water shelf to shallow intertidal environments recorded by the Chaibasa Formation. A long hiatus ensued before deposition of the Dhalbhum Formation and conformably overlying Dalma and Chandil formations, suggesting continued high continental freeboard during 2.2-1.6 Ga. In significant contrast to the craton-specific Dhanjori Formation volcanism, the 1.7-1.6 Ga plume-related Dalma volcanism was probably part of a global tectonothermal event.

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