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Mineral Prospecting 199
Mineral Prospecting
S.K. BISWAS*
Geological Survey of India, 27, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata - 700 016
A scrutiny of research work on mineral prospecting subsurface geology. Disposition of mineralized zones and
in India during the period from January 2004 to January their extension in subsurface was explained with the help
2007 reveals that study of basemetals received maximum of mise-a-la-masse technique.
attention. This was followed by gold-diamond-bearing rocks
Prospecting for zinc and associated metals carried out
(kimberlite and lamproite), and atomic minerals. Besides,
in Tirka temple area near Tirka village, Bhandara district,
prospecting of iron ore, manganese, bauxite and chromite
Maharashtra in the rocks of Dhabetekri Formation of Sakoli
received significant attention. Study and prospecting of Group represented by an alternate sequence of metabasalt,
ores of Platinum Group of Elements commenced recently mica schist, phyllite, carb-phyllite and chert with interbands
and has received a momentum. Other minerals that remained of oxidized sulphides and magnetite. Mineralization has
on a lower-priority were tin-tungsten, limestone, clay, potash been classified as stratiform and stratabound type.
and rare metals. Increasing demand in the power sector has
witnessed a thrust on prospecting for coal and lignite. Prospecting for copper was carried out in silicified
Besides geological prospecting, geophysical prospecting matabasics of Dubarpeth area of Gondpipari, Chandrapur
employing different methodologies have also received district, Maharashtra. Coper occurs between basement
attention. gneisses in the east and Pakhals in the west. The
mineralization is restricted to the contact zone of gritty
This compilation includes papers on mineral quartzite and acid tuff. Copper with or without gold was
commodities published in the Journal of Geological Society intersected in the boreholes.
of India, Indian Minerals (the journal published by the
Geological Survey of India), Records of Geological Survey Prospecting for basemetals carried out in Bhuyari area,
of India (volumes of extended abstracts), a volume of seminar, Chhindwara district and Dehalwara Block of Betul belt,
on Mineral and Energy Resources of Eastern and Betul district, Madhya Pradesh revealed that the sulphide
Northeastern India, a volume of international symposium mineralization is associated with silicified rhyolite, quartz-
on bauxite organised by ICSOBA and Miscellaneous sericite-muscovite schist, quartz-biotite-phlogopite schist
Publication No. 65 of GSI “Potash in India (2005).” and tremolite carbonate. Ghosh et al. (2006) suggested
presence of gahnite, a product of desulphidation of sphalerite
Data on prospecting are mainly recorded in the Records during metamorphism from metamorphosed Zn-Pb-Cu
of Geological Survey of India which publishes extended sulphide occurrences of Betul Belt. Golani et al. (2006)
abstracts of the annual progress reports. Review of Extended mentioned that basemetal mineralization is associated with
Abstract volumes of Geological Survey of India reveals that hydrothermal alteration in felsic volcanic rocks at Bhuyari.
during the period basemetal prospecting got a thrust in the Praveen et al. (2007) classified and characterized sulphide
Proterozoic rocks of Rajasthan whereas gold prospecting mineralization in Betul Belt.
was prioritized in the granite-greenstone terrain, particularly
Based on a study of indicator plants, Pal and Sindhupe
the Archaean greenstone belts of Dharwar craton. Papers
(2004b) looked for copper mineralization in Malanjkhand
in other journals also reveal a similar trend. Data on coal
granitoid, Madhya Pradesh and concluded that Jangli Tulsi,
and lignite prospecting are restricted mainly in the Records
with stunted growth, can be an indicator plant for copper-
of the Geological Survey of India. rich soil. Simulalry, Kurlu tree was found to be a good metal
BASEMETAL accumulator plant for basemetal exploration.
In Sikar District, Rajasthan, a low-grade copper Prospecting for basemetal in the volcanose dimentary
mineralization represented by disseminated bornite and sequence of Gorubathan Formation of Daling Group of
chalcopyrite assemblage has been recorded within Eastern Himalaya in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, at
amphibole-bearing dolomite of Delhi Supergroup of rocks. Peshok and Rungdu-Sodunglakha-Kerabari area in Sikkim,
The mineralization distributed over wide area, appears to and also in the extension areas of Sargipalli, Sundargarh
be of low-grade bulk tonnage type. This type of district, Orissa. Geologically, Sargipalli lead deposit is located
mineralization discontinuously extends in the state of at the western extremity of the southern limb of Gangpur
Haryana also. synclinorium of early Proterozoic Fold Belt, comprising
quartzite, quartz-sericite schist, mica schist, dolomite, marble
Singh et al. (2006) studied application of induced and intercalations of mica schist and dolomite. Mitra (2005)
polarization in search of lead-zinc mineralization in Sawar dealt with the geology and nature of the syn-sedimentary
Belt, Ajmer district, Rajasthan. An attempt to bring out a sulphide mineralization in the Shillong Group of rocks,
model of lode and its geometry from the interpretation of Meghalaya.
induced polarization and resistivity pseudo sections by
An Attempt was made by Mukhopadhyay et al. (2006)
inversion technique gave results that compared well with
in the application of multithematic GIS modelling for
prospectivity mapping of vein-type copper mineralization
* E-mail: shyamal1949@gmail.com in Singhbhum Shear Zone (SSZ), Jharkhand.
200 Glimpses of Geoscience Research in India
GOLD conductors that often host gold mineralization in different
blocks of Mahakoshal belt. Prospecting in Kotri rift zone
Even though primary gold production in the country
comprising a group of bimodal volcanics, indicated that
comes mainly from the Archaean Hutti greenstone (schist)
mafic and felsic volcanics are auriferous.
belt of Karnataka, substantial gold resource augmentation
was done from the Proterozoic Fold Belt of Bhukia region Prospecting for gold was also carried out in quartz reefs
of Rajasthan. Gold prospecting was seen in the granite- at the contacts of Malanjkhand granitoid and Nandgaon
greenstone terrain, particularly the Archaean greenstone volcanics at Garhi Dongri area, Balaghat district, Madhya
belt of Dharwar Craton. The other important areas was the Pradesh. Pal and Sindhupe (2004) a pointed out that the
Proterozoic Fold Belts of Rajasthan and Jharkhand. A few quartz veins within Malanjkhand granitic pluton along
investigations other terrains were also taken up in. contacts of older rocks of Amgaon gneiss and Nandgaon
In Andhra Pradesh gold prospecting was carried out volcanics are the locales for future exploration of copper
in the granitoid bordering Jonnagiri schist belt. Granitoid and gold.
bordering the Julakalwa schist belt was also targetted for Search for gold mineralization in Rajasthan was carried
gold. In Karnataka, granitoid in hosted gold mineralization out in the Delwara Group of Aravalli Super Group in the
was prospected in Yatkal area adjacent to Hutti schist belt, Proterozoic Aravalli Fold Belt. Discontinuous sulphidic
Honnemaradi (adjacent to Chitradurga schist belt) and zones were auriferous. In Salumbar-Parsola area, Nagar et
Sirigere-Kochigere sector adjacent to Kustigi schist belt. al. (2004) postulated that vast gold potential of Aravalli Fold
Shear-controlled lode gold mineralization in the granitoids Belt is restricted along deep-rooted faults and are manifested
show feeble sulphidization. Except Dona sector, adjacent by boron-bearing rocks/minerals with silicification/
to Jonnagiri schist belt, other areas have a weak jaspiritization. Grover (2006) reported evidences for past
mineralization in the granitoids. gold mining from Bhukia sector.
Prospecting for gold deposits in the schist belts was In the Singhbhum Proterozoic Fold Belt several gold
also attempted. In the Hutti-Maski schist belt, volcanic
mineralized blocks were identified within Singhbhum Group
rocks were targeted and sulphidic banded iron formation
of rocks in Jharkhand and West Bengal. Gold mineralization
along the north-western part of Dharwar schist belt, was
was characterised by wall-rock alteration defined by quartz-
also explored. Shear-controlled sulphidic zones in different
carbonate veins with sulphidization. Prospects were also
host rocks became the target area for search of gold. Kolb
identified and explored in Dalma volcanics. Sesha Sai et al.
et al. (2004) established two-stage evolution for gold
(2004) mentioned that gold mineralization around
mineralization in Hutti Mine in Hutti-Maski schist belt.
Babaikundi in Singhbhum Group of rocks is confined to
Sangurmath (2005) suggested that volcanic-hosted, the lensoidal sheared quartz vein traversing the lithocontacts
shear-controlled, Buddini lode gold deposit in Hutti-Maski of the quartz-mica schist and amphibolite. Singh et al. (2005)
schist belt can be used as a satellite deposit to augment the characterised different types of gold mineralization in eastern
gold production. Based on banded iron formation (BIF)- India. Chalapathi Rao et al. (2006) studied gold in chromite
hosted gold mineralization in Ajjanahalli Mines, Chitradurga ore of South Kaliapani Mines, Sukinda Ultramafic Belt,
schist belt, Kolb et al. (2004), developed a model of fluid Jajpur district, Orissa and based on textural features
flow and opined that exploration should focus on low- suggested that the gold grains are more likely to be primary
strain areas or potentially connected higher-order splays inclusion within the host chromite rather than being late
of the first-order shear zone. Sunder Raju et al. (2006) stage hydrothermal products filling up cavities or open
studied gold mineralization in BIF of C.S. Halli, Chitradurga spaces.
schist belt and concluded that an active convergent margin
setting, related to accretionary processes as fluid activity, DIAMOND
led to the epigenetic gold mineralization. In the southern Thrust for diamond prospecting was noticed in Andhra
granulite terrain search for gold was carried out in the
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and
Attapady valley, Kerala. Gold mineralization is shear-
Orissa. New kimberlite/lamproite fields have been located
controlled quartz vein type, occurring in metaultramafic
in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. A few lamproite bodies
and metasedimentary supracrustal enclaves in charnockite
have also been reported from Orissa. Investigations for
and migmatitic gneisses. Gold mineralization shows a
kimberlite/lamproite was carried out in the Krishna River
decrease in grade with depth.
Basin. Sridhar et al. (2004) mentioned about discovery of
Prospecting in the deeper levels of Gurhar Pahar area, three kimberlite pipes from the Basin in Gadwal area,
Sidhi district, Madhya Pradesh, revealed that gold is Mahboobnagar district, Andhra Pradesh. Significance lies
associated with sulphide-bearing quartz veins in volcano- in the fact that these kimberlite pipes are located in the
sedimentary sequence of Mahakoshal Group in the Krishna River basin that is known for its alluvial diamond
Mahakoshal belt. In the same belt, along east-west-trending mining activity since historic times. Sravan Kumar (2004)
shear zone, gold prospecting was carried out in different mentioned about discovery of a new kimberlite pipe using
blocks in Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh and Katni district, multi-disciplinary approach at Kalyandurg, Anantapur
Madhya Pradesh. In all the blocks, the mineralization shows district, Andhra Pradesh. This pipe adds one more number
barite/quartz-calcite veins. Chaudhuri (2005) interpreted to the three kimberlite pipes of KKF (Kalyandurg Kimberlite
promising geophysical anomaly zones as sulphide Field) reported earlier.
Mineral Prospecting 201
Petrological and petrochemical studies of the kimberlites FERROUS GROUP
of the Wajrakarur Kimberlite Field (WKF) in Anantapur
Prospecting for iron, manganese and chromite ores,
district, the Narayanpet Kimberlite Field (NKF) in
although continued, has not witnessed many publications.
Mahboobnagar district (A.P.) and Gulbarga district
Prospecting for iron ore deposits was carried out in Koira
(Karnataka) and Raichur Kimberlite Field (RKF) revealed valley within the Iron Ore Group of rocks of Sundergarh
that these kimberlite occurrences represent remnant root and Kendujhar districts, Orissa. Iron ore in the valley region
zones of pipes with their typical hypabyssal nature and occurs as isolated pockets within ferruginous shale.
texture.
On the basis of genetic types and physico-chemical
Search for kimberlites was carried out in Atmakuru- characteristics, iron ore deposits have been classified by
Penukonda blocks, Anantapur district, Musi-Halia River Chakravarti (2005). Behera et al. (2005) described the
Basin, Nalgonda district and Veldurthi Block, Kurnool geology of the younger BIF and associated iron ore deposits
district, Andhra Pradesh. of Bonai-Kendujhar belt, North Orissa, where they
Using resistivity data, Das et al. (2005) prepared a 3- established the stratigraphic status of younger BIF sequence.
D subsurface map of the kimberlite sill in Tokapal-Duganpal The nature and resource potentialities of iron ores in Bolani-
area, Bastar district, Chhattishgarh. Lehman et al. (2006) Kiriburu area of Bonai-Kendujhar belt, North Orissa has
described the crater-facies kimberlite system of Tokapal, been discussed in detail by Das et al. (2005).
Bastar district, Chhattishgarh by petrography and Kalta iron ore deposit, Sundergarh district, Orissa has
geochemistry. The petro-mineralogical attributes of been studied for resources evaluation using geostatistical
Kodomali diatreme of Mainpur Kimberlite Field, Raipur approach taking into account the geological parameters
show close affinities with the South African orangeites. wherever necessary. The prime purpose of ore body
Studies imply that Mainpur area represents an orangeite modelling is to reliably estimate the distribution of in situ
field of Palaeozoic age (Fareeduddin et al., 2006). Some and recoverable tonnages and grades of a mineral deposit
distinctive features of shock metamorphism has been (Sarkar and Roy, 2005).
documented by Fareeduddin (2006) in Majhgawan Prospecting for manganese was carried out in Bonai-
ultramafic breccia in central India. It is interpreted that the Kendujhar belt and Eastern Ghat, Granulite belt in Orissa.
Majhgawan body a billion-year-old, impact-triggered In the Eastern Ghat Granulite belt, discontinuous manganese
eruption of mantle material, which has incorporated the mineralization was associated with khondalite group of
surface remains of the chondritic matter. rocks. Dash et al. (2005) reported manganiferous horizon
Search for kimberlites/lamproites were carried out in with syngenetic manganese ore from the granulite belt.
Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Bolangir and Sonepur districts of Swain and Hussain (2004) described the manganese ore
Orissa. Mukhopadhyay et al. (2004) reported a number of occurrences of Eastern Ghat as syngenetic type that was
new lamproite dykes from the localities of Amlidadar, later remobilized in different phases of structural
Darimunda and Parkom, Nawapara District, Orissa. deformation by meteoric water along the weak planes of
associated host rocks to form the secondary minerals. In
PGE Bonai- Kendujhar belt, the mineralization was associated
with a low grade volcano sedimentary sequence, belonging
In India although resources have been established, to the Koira Group of Iron Ore Supergroup. Patel et al. (2005)
there is no workable deposit of PGE till now. The only PGE proposed a formational status to the manganiferous horizon
prospect in Baula-Nuasahi complex, Orissa has attracted in Bonai-Kendujhar belt.
many workers from all over. The PGE mineralization in
Hanumalapura complex of Karnataka in Dharwar Craton Mohapatra and Nayak (2004), described and analysed
has also attracted attention of many Earth scientists. the environment of deposition for the phosphorus-bearing
Preliminary prospecting for PGE mineralization was carried manganese deposits of Gangpur Group of rocks in Orissa.
out in mafic-ultramafic rocks of Tavaregere-Masanikere- Prospecting for chromite was carried out in Bhusal-
Magyathahalli areas, Shimoga Schist Belt, Davangere district, Kanchanbahali sector in the northern parts of Brahmani
Karnataka. High-magnesium-bearing ultrabasic rocks have valley in parts of Jajpur and Dhenkanal districts, Orissa.
been prospected for nickel and PGE around Boradih in This area exposes Eastern Ghat Super group of rocks
Sonakhan belt, Raipur district, Chhattishgarh. represented by charnockite, pyroxene granulite,
Devaraju et al. (2004) carried out mineralogical and garnetiferous granite gneiss with intrusive chromiferous
geochemical studies of ultramafic body at Sankaraghatta, ultramafics.
Shimoga Schist Belt, Karnataka. Association of nickel and Halder et al. (2005) reappraised the petrotectonic
PGE with the already known mineralization of gold is environment of chomitites associated with the Precambrian
recognized in about 5-m wide sulphide zone in the ultramafic ultramafic rocks of Jharkhand and Orissa and attempted
rock. Farooqui and Singh (2006) has reported platinum to compare and contrast these occurrences with the well-
mineralization in Ikanna area, Lalitpur district, Uttar known ones in the world.
Pradesh.
BAUXITE
Neogi and Roy (2006) attempted to establish the
interrelationship between the trace constituents evaluating In an overview by Mukhopadhyay (2005), all the major
the PGE data in chromite samples of Baula-Nuasahi area, deposits and occurrences of bauxite of India with their
Orissa. resources have been mentioned. Bhoskar (2005) mentioned
202 Glimpses of Geoscience Research in India
that in view of imporved metallurgical processes, ores with control of uranium mineralization and probable presence
much lower alumina content can be made economically of organic/inorganic carbon-induced reducing environment
viable and accordingly the resource was reassessed. in the area (Venkateswara et al., 2006).
Moreover, bauxites houses a numerous trace elements of
Nageswara Rao et al. (2005) reported a significant
value and are otherwise rare. In India, bauxite in Jammu
uranium occurrence (upto 0.65% U3O8 ) along the northern
and Kashmir has very high lithium content while East Coast
part of Palnadu Sub-Basin in Nalgonda district, Andhra
have high gallium. Likewise the laterite cappings of Goa
Pradesh. The radioactive zones are exposed along the Upper
and Konkan contain anomalous Platinum Group of Elements
Proterozoic unconformable contact between the basement
and gold. Acharya et al. (2005) dealt with different bauxite
granite and Banganapalle quartzite.
deposits of Orissa and mentioned that the largest ones are
associated with Eastern Ghat Supergroup of rocks, smaller Bisht et al. (2005) studied the volcano-sedimentary
deposits are restricted to lateritisation of metavolcanics of sequence of the Middle-Late Proterozoic Siang Group in
Dholkata Pahar of Keonjhar district and Simplipal Complex, the Lesser Himalayan region of Arunachal Pradesh. They
Mayurbhanj district. High-grade bauxite deposits are studied iron-uranium (Fe-U) mineralization within the
confined to Precambrian Iron Ore Supergroup of Bonai- volcano-sedimentary sequence. This study indicates
Kendujhar belt. Chowdhury and Chattopadhyay (2005) involvement of three distinct processes resulting in the Fe-
described the morphology and petrological characters of U mineralization, which comprise early sedimentary
the Eastern Ghat Bauxite deposits. Patel (2005) described deposition, mainly of Fe-oxides, Fe-sulphides and minor-
that the metal-grade bauxite of Pendrapat plateau, Bagicha U, followed by local metamorphic redistribution of U, and
Tehsil, Jashpur district, Chhattisgarh are restricted to lastly hydrothermal mineralization leading to deposition
lenticular pockets. Patel et al. (2005), suggested that a shrub of mainly uranium and REE-bearing minerals and minor
Justicia adhatoda linn is a geobotanical guide, as indicator Fe-Cu sulphides.
plant for locating bauxite deposits in Mainpat Plateau,
Surguja district, Chhattisgarh. MOLYBDENUM, TIN AND TUNGSTEN
URANIUM Prospecting for molybdenum was carried out in Medak
and Karimnagar districts, Andhra Pradesh within the terrain
Zakaulla et al. (2004) studied the radioactive mineral occupied by porphyritic granite, white/grey/pink granite
content of Gulcheru Formation of Cuddapah Supergroup of Peninsular Gneissic Complex. The pegmatites/quartz
and established that intrinsic uranium is higher compared veins associated with the older granites reported to be
to uranium in grey quartzite and siltstone bands (aver U3O8 molybdenum- bearing. Prospecting for molybdenum has
~ 9.9 ppm and 15.42 ppm respectively). Study of uranium also been carried out in Elavadai area, Dharmapuri District,
mineralization associated with phosphatic ferruginous Tamil Nadu. The Alkaline-Carbonatite Province (ACP) is
breccia within Lower Vindhyan Semri Group of sediments a well-known litho-tectonic belt to the northwestern part
in Son Valley around Baskati, Sidhi district, Madhya Pradesh of Tamil Nadu. The Harur- Uttangarai belt and Alangayam
revealed that the association of uranium is mostly with the belt of molybdenum mineralization are located along the
phosphatic phase (Sesh Rao et al., 2004). eastern margin of ACP where GSI has carried out extensive
exploration for two decades. Apart from these occurrences,
Roy et al. (2004) reported uranium mineralization in
there are a number of quartz reefs delineated in the central
bituminous shale of the Sonrai Formation of the Bijawar
part of ACP, which show anomalous values for
group in Sonrai, Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh. It was
molybdenum; the Elavadai reef quartz is one of them.
found that pitchblende, the first-formed uranium phase,
occurs as dispersed phase in the bitumen. Multistage Somani et al. (2005) studied tantalum-tin slag dump
remobilization of uranium due to thermal gradient provided of Bastar Pegmatite Belt, Chhattisgarh. The cassiterite
by basic and acid magmatic activity have resulted in the concentrate recovered from pegmatite/colluvium is
concentration of pitchblende along the fractures. enriched in tantalum in the range of 3.1 to 14.9% Ta2O5.
The tin slag is therefore considered a potential source of
Significant sandstone-type uranium mineralization in
tantalum. Ranawat et al. (2005) discussed on the prospecting
late Cretaceous Mahadek Formation has been recorded
of native antimony float ore from the Precambrians of
from the Rongcheng Plateau and Rongdi nala, north and
Rajasthan. The study has not yet resulted in discovery of
westnorthwest of Balpakhram Plateau, South Garo Hills
any lode. Somani (2006) examined the tungsten
district, Meghalaya (Yadav et al., 2006). It has been postulated
mineralization at Balda, Rajasthan and opined that the
that the fertile Precambrian basement crystallines constitute
Balda granite is spatially associated with mineralization
the source of uranium. Presence of organic matter and
that owes its genesis to the associated magmatic
pyrite in the sandstone provided reducing environment for
hydrothermal system. The wolframite mineralization is
deposition of pitchblende as the principal discrete uranium
confined to quartz veins and greisenised pegmatites located
mineral.
along the shear zones in Balda granite.
Preliminary studies of uranium mineralization
associated with subfeldspathic arenite of Lower Denwa COAL
Formation (Mid. Triassic) from Kharatoria, Chhindwara Coal is the chief source of commercial energy in the
district, Madhya Pradesh in Satpura Gondwana Basin country. Economically exploitable Indian coals are broadly
indicated possibility of sedimentary facies/hydrothermal restricted to two geological times — Permian Gondwanas
Mineral Prospecting 203
and Tertiaries. More than 99% of the known geological Prospecting for phosphorites took place in Mahanadi
resources are contained in the Gondwanas of well-defined and Ib valleys in Gondwana basin of Orissa. Light cream
belts of Damodar-Koel, Son-Mahanadi, Narmada (Satpura), to dark discoidal nodules occur in the clay bed in the upper
Pranhita-Godavari valleys and Rajmahal basin. Economic part of Barren Measure, close to its contact with Raniganj
deposits of Tertiary coal occur mainly in the northeastern Formation. Though earlier samples gave 22 to 29% P2O5,
India and a few small deposits along Jammu foothills. The drilling confirmed low volumetric concentration of nodules
spread of Gondwanas has also been reported from beneath in the shale horizon.
the Bengal Basin, eastern India and the Deccan Traps in
central India. Virendra Kumar and Bakliwal (2005 ) described the
categorization of ‘potash’ into ‘scarce commodity’ in India,
Indian coals are generally high-ash coals. Bulk of is not due to lack of potash resources in the country but
Gondwana coals are of non-coking type, the quantity of is due to non-production of potash salts from various
higher-rank metallurgical coal being around 13% of the total indigenous sources. In Nagaur-Ganganagar Basin, Rajasthan,
resource. Tertiary coal, though contain low ash at times, marine evaporite sequence with 24,000 million tonnes of
are high-moisture and high sulphur. Bulk of Indian coals potash deposits occur at a depth below 600 m from the
including Gondwana coals is inferior non-coking in nature, surface. Efforts are to be made, through exploration to locate
generally suitable for power industry. The Gondwana coal commercially viable potash deposits at shallower depth.
basins of eastern India located in the Damodar-Koel-lower Basu (2005) phosphate, rare metal and rare earth elements
Mahanadi valleys and Rajmahal Hills comprise the major (REE) of Purulia district, West Bengal and briefly described
repository of coal and this has been identified as more their status of exploration, exploitation and scope of
prospective areas for the generation of Coal Bed Methane commercial utilization outlined occurrences of a number
(CBM). Study for CBM has been concentrated in Raniganj, of prospective phosphorite/apatite deposits of low to
Jharia, Bokaro and Sohagpur coalfields. Mitra (2005) opined medium grade with associated rare metal and rare earth
that optimization of extraction of CBM from the different
mineralization along the South Purulia Shear Zone. Search
reservoirs, cost reduction in exploration and proper market
for dimension stones in the Eastern Ghat Granulite Belt,
linkage are crucial for future growth of CBM industry.
Orissa yielded that leptynite and granite gneisses are the
INDUSTRIAL MINERALS prominent sources which can be utilized as dimension
stone.
Investigation for clay was carried out in Palai A-Block,
Nileswaram, Kasaragod district, Kerala. The sedimentary ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
clay is associated with the near-horizontally bedded Tertiary
The author is thankful to Shri P. Tarafdar, Geologist
Warkalli Formation and the residual clay is associated with
(Sr.) for his help to finalise the write-up.
the kaolinised Archaean basement rocks. A study was carried
out to work out the mining feasibility of the clay deposit. REFERENCES
Diju and Thamban (2006) carried out studies to understand
Acharya, B.K., Srinivasan, P. and Kumar, A., 2005, Status of
the provenance of the clay minerals in Kasaragod, Kerala. Bauxite Resources in Orissa with special reference to
Mallik and Bhattacharyya (2007) examined kaolinite from High Grade Bauxite Occurrences in Precambrian Rocks
Bagru Hills, Lohardaga, Bihar and opined that it can be used in parts of Sundargarh-Kendujhar Districts, Orissa: XVI
in a number of industries. International Symposium Proceedings ICSOBA,
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out in Doiwala-ki-Dhoni, Mahendragarh district, Haryana. Basu, S.K., 2005, Phosphate, Rare Metal, and Rare Earth
The rocks belong to Bayal-Panchnota Formation (Pratapgarh Mineralisation of Purulia District, West Bengal and its
Formation) of Alwar Group of Delhi Supergroup. It was status of exploration, exploitation and scope of commercial
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industries. Detailed investigation for low-silica dolomite Eastern and Northeastern India, Seminar Proceedings,
carried out in Parnali Formation, Shali Group, Mandi and Kolkata, MGMI, p. 438.
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members, out of which the lower member seems to have associated Iron Ore Deposits of Bonai-Kendujhar Belt,
the potential as low-silica dolomite. In the northeastern North Orissa: Mineral and Energy Resources of Eastern
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Valley, Meghalaya. The Prang limestone member of the MGMI, p. 439-440.
Shella Formation of Jaintia Group of Middle Eocene age Bhoskar, K.G., 2005, Bauxite Exploration in India-Future
extends over an area of 100 sq. km. The fossiliferous bedded Perspective; Status of Bauxite, Alumina, Aluminium,
limestone has been explored in Litang Valley with an Downstream Products and Future prospects: XVI
objective of assessing the reserve and grade of. this deposit. International Symposium Proceedings; ICSOBA,
Gopal (2006) carried out geoelectric exploration for concealed p. 104-120.
graphite zones within laterite capping in Karimukul area, Bisht, B.S., Ali, M.A., Pande, A.K. and Pavanagaru, R., 2005,
Ernakulam district, Kerala and discussed the usefulness of Geological characteristics of the iron-uranium
self-potential, resistivity and electromagnetic prospecting mineralization in the Lesser Himalayan Region of
techniques for locating flaky graphite occurrences within Arunachal Pradesh: Jour. Geol. Soc. Ind., v. 66(2),
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