Heavy minerals and the characters of ilmenite in the beach placer sands of Chavakkad-Ponnani,Kerala Coast,India

Indian beach placer sand deposits are, in general, ilmenite-rich. However, some concentrations are dominated by pyriboles. The Chavakkad-Ponnani (CP) area along the northern Kerala coast is one such deposit. This paper deals with the general character of the heavy minerals of CP with special emphasis on the characters of ilmenite. Most Indian beach sand ilmenites are of good quality. However, our observations on the ilmenites of CP using Optical Microscope, SEM and EPMA reveals that these are mineralogically very complex. The CP ilmenite varies from pure ilmenite to highly impure variety having intergrowths and inclusions of other oxide and silicate minerals. Ilmenite occurs as mixcrystals and forms intergrowth structure with hematite and Ti-hematite/ulvöspinel; contains inclusions of hematite, quartz, and monazite. On the other hand ilmenite also occurs as inclusions within hematite and garnet. The pyriboles are dominantly amphiboles with hornblende-composition. Interestingly an inclusion of gold has been recorded within amphibole of hornblende composition. Garnets are mostly of almandine and pyrope type. Subordinate heavy minerals are sillimanite, zircon and rutile. Characteristic morphology, mineralogy and chemistry of amphibole, garnet and ilmenite together indicate that the placer sands of CP area are derived from the amphibolites, granite gneisses and basic igneous rocks lying in the hinterland towards the eastern border of Kerala. Though the overall quality of ilmenite is poor, highgrade ilmenite concentrate can be generated (of course with lower yield), by adopting precise mineral processing techniques. The CP deposit can be considered as a second-grade deposit but it has potential for future exploitation.     

Distribution of heavy minerals in Nizampatnam-Lankavanidibba coastal sands,Andhra Pradesh,East Coast of India

Heavy mineral analysis was carried out for the beach and fore dune sediments along 60 transects of Nizampatnam-Lankavanidibba coastal area. The heavy mineral assemblage in this area with decreasing abundance of opaques (Ilmenite + magnetite, 47.67%), pyriboles (20.35%), garnets (3.66%), epidote (3.23%) and with less than 3.0% concentration of sillimanite, zircon, staurolite, kyanite, apatite, spinel, monazite, biotite, topaz, leucoxene and chlorite. The heavy mineral concentrations are high in the finer fractions i.e., +120 and +230 (ASTM) than the coarse fraction (+60) of sand. In the seven sectors, heavy mineral assemblage is same but their concentrations are different. The sectors nearer to the river mouth contain high concentration of high specific gravity heavy minerals (ilmenite and magnetite) than sectors away from the river mouth. The redistribution of heavy minerals is controlled by creek dynamics, longshore currents, size and specific gravity of the heavy minerals.     

Heavy mineral distribution and characterisation of ilmenite of Kayamkulam — thothapally Barrier Island, southwest coast of India

Mineral concentration and ilmenite characterization of the Thothapally — Kayamkulam Barrier Island of the southern Kerala has been studied. 96.86% concentrations of heavy minerals are recorded in the surficial and core samples (4 m) in the southern Kayamkulam and northern Thothapally areas. The total heavy mineral content decreases with depth. The primary heavy mineral suite of the surficial and core samples consists of ilmenite, sillimanite, zircon, garnets, rutile, monazite and magnetite. Longshore current and onshore-offshore movements of sediment during the southwest monsoon are primarily responsible in sorting of the heavy minerals. TiO₂ content in ilmenite is significantly higher in the Kayamkulam core sediments than the surface samples. XRD analysis supports intensive weathering and alteration leading to the higher TiO₂ concentration. Higher percentage of ferric iron than ferrous iron in the core samples reveals that considerable weathering occurred under burial condition. SEM examination of ilmenite grains reveal the presence of solution pit, chemical leaching, corrosion and replacement textures, supporting the intense epigenetic alteration and weathering under subaerial condition and post-depositional changes by water-table condition.     

江汉平原主要河流沉积物重矿物特征与物源区岩性的响应

通过对江汉平原主要河流沉积物的重矿物组合、特征矿物以及能够反映沉积物稳定状况、物源及成熟度的重矿物特征指数(ATi,GZi和ZTR)进行对比分析,发现在江汉平原范围内,长江和汉江及其长江主要支流的沉积物中重矿物特征具有显著的差异。长江的重矿物组合模型为：  锆石+绿帘石+辉石+绿泥石+金属矿物,特征矿物是锆石和辉石;   汉江的重矿物组合模型为：  绿帘石+角闪石+石榴石+绿泥石+金属矿物,特征矿物是角闪石、石榴石;   另外,清江、漳河、沮水和玛瑙河的重矿物组合及特征矿物也都完全不同。而且各水系的沉积物的重矿物特征与其源区的岩性分布显示出极好的相关性。研究表明在江汉平原利用重矿物特征及组合模型来进行物源示踪的方法开展水系演化研究是可行的。     

Radionuclides measurements and mineralogical studies on beach sands, East Rosetta Estuary, Egypt

Radiometric measurements were carried out for the beach sands from East Rosetta estuary to determine the activity concentrations of 238 U, 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K, using a Hyper Pure Germanium spectrometer, to estimate the dose rates and radiation hazard indices. The average specific activities are 778.20 Bq/kg for 238 U; 646.89 Bq/kg for 226 Ra; 621.92 and 627.85 Bq/kg for the 222 Rn daughters 214 Pb and 214 Bi respectively. The average specific activity of 232 Th is 1510.25 Bq/kg, while the calculated specific activity for 40 K has an average of 8.41 Bq/kg. The average specific activity of 235 U is 38.61 Bq/kg. The average absorbed dose rate is 1211.36 nGy/h, 20 times higher than the estimated average global primordial radiation of 60 nGy/h and 6 times higher than that of the world range (10-200 nGy/h). The radium equivalent (Ra eq ) values are from 6 to 9 times the recommended value. The internal and external hazard indices (H int , H ex ) indicate that their values are from 6 to 11 times the permissible values of these indices. These higher values may be due to the presence of economic heavy minerals containing radionuclides as zircon and monazite as well as some trace minerals, thorite and uranothorite. The mineralogical study indicates the beach sands contain heavy minerals, zircon, monazite, rutile, ilmenite, leucoxene, magnetite and garnet. The average abundance of zircon is 0.175 wt% ranging from 0.125 wt% to 0.239 wt%, while it is 0.004wt% ranging from 0.001 wt% to 0.007 wt% for monazite. The average abundance is 0.087 wt% for rutile; 2.029 wt% for ilmenite; 1.084 wt% for magnetite; 0.384 wt% for leucoxene and 0.295 wt% for garnet.     

Sources of monazite sand in southern Orissa beach placer,eastern India

This paper intends to explore whether there is an important source for monazite beach placer of the Gopalpur-Chhatrapur-Rushikulya coast, Orissa, in the adjacent Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB). Petrographic and mineralogical studies were conducted on all the rock types constituting the EGMB exposed over a stretch extended up to ∼20 km landward from the estuary of the River Rushikulya that is believed to transport the major bulk of sand to the Gopalpur-Chhatrapur-Rushikulya beach. Heavy mineral population was concentrated using bromoform and percentages of each heavy mineral constituting the population were estimated for all the potential source rock types. Isodynamic separation and XRD techniques were deployed for precision identification of every heavy mineral present. The study identified the granitoid (or migmatite) basement rock as by far the major contributor of monazite to the Chhatrapur beach sand. The study also reveals that charnockite is an important contributor of orthopyroxene as well as garnet, although the sillimanite-garnet-quartz schist (khondalites) is also an important source for the latter. On the other hand, garnet-quartz schist and garnet-biotite-quartz schist may also contribute substantial quantity of pyroxene and garnet. The high grade metasedimentary rocks, in general, could be the major sources for rutile, while ilmenite, magnetite and zircon in the beach sand have their sources perhaps in all the varieties of rocks constituting the EGMB.     

Heavy mineral studies on late quaternary red sediments of Bhimunipatnam,Andhra Pradesh,East coast of India

Thirty one sediment samples from different varieties viz. yellow, reddish brown, brick red and light yellow sands from red sediments of Bhimunipatnam, Andhra Pradesh were studied to understand the heavy mineral assemblage, their fractionwise distribution and concentration. The heavy mineral assemblage in red sediments is ilmenite, magnetite, sillimanite, garnet, zircon, rutile, kyanite, monazite etc. Total heavy minerals (THM) wt. % varies from 16.67 to 23.99% and their concentration is not uniform in all the sedimentary samples. The higher THM wt% in brick red sands (23.99%) followed by reddish brown sands (20.24%), light yellow sands (17.10%) and yellow sands (16.67%). The finer fractions have more concentration of THM wt% than coarse fraction. The vertical distribution of heavy minerals in each sedimentary unit indicates that these units are not formed in single phase of deposition. Less concentration of garnets in yellow and light yellow sedimentary units indicates that the garnets might be chemically altered into iron hydroxide–limonite which gives yellow colour to the sediments under slightly oxidizing environment. Low concentration of garnets in brick red and reddish brown sediments indicates that garnets might have been undergone chemical decomposition under acidic conditions leads to produce iron oxides (Hematite) causes for red colorization of these units. The heavy mineral assemblage in different sand units indicates that they are derived from Eastern Ghat Group of rocks (khondalites and charnockites).     

Heavy minerals from the Siwalik formations of the northwestern Himalayas

The heavy-mineral assemblage of the Siwalik sequence consists of zircon, tourmaline, rutile, garnet, chlorite/chloritoid, staurolite, epidote, biotite, kyanite and sillimanite. The opaque fraction constitutes a sizable proportion of the heavies and includes magnetite, hematite, limonite, ilmenite, rarely pyrite and sporadic chromite. Staurolite is the marker for the Lower Siwaliks, the appearance of kyanite marks the base of the Middle Siwaliks while the Upper Siwaliks are characterized by the presence of sillimanite in addition to the heavy-mineral assemblage encountered in the Lower and Middle Siwaliks.     

Petrography of Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous sandstones in the Kutch Basin,western India:Implications on provenance and basin evolution

This paper investigates the provenance of Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous sediments in the Kutch Basin, western India, on the basis of mineralogical investigations of sandstones composition(Quartz-Feldspar-Lithic(QFL)fragment), Zircon-Tourmaline-Rutile(ZTR) index, and mineral chemistry of heavy detrital minerals of the framework.The study also examines the compositional variation of the sandstone in relation to the evolution of the Kutch Basin, which originated as a rift basin during the Late Triassic and evolved into a passive margin basin by the end Cretaceous. This study analyzes sandstone samples of Jhumara, Jhuran and Bhuj Formations of Middle Jurassic,Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous, respectively, in the Kutch Mainland. Sandstones record a compositional evolution from arkosic to subarkosic as the feldspar content decreases from 68% in the Jhumara Formation to 27%in the Bhuj Formation with intermediate values in the Jhuran Formation. The QFL modal composition indicates basement uplifted and transitional continental settings at source. Heavy mineral content of these sandstones reveals the occurrence of zircon, tourmaline, rutile, garnet, apatite, monazite and opaque minerals. Sub-rounded to well-rounded zircon grains indicate a polycyclic origin. ZTR indices for samples in Jhumara, Jhuran and Bhuj Formations are 25%, 30% and 50% respectively. Chemistry of opaque minerals reveals the occurrence of detrital varieties such as ilmenite, rutile, hematite/magnetite and pyrite, in a decreasing order of abundances. Chemistry of ilmenites in the Jhumara Formation reveals its derivation from dual felsic igneous and metabasic source, while those in Jhuran and Bhuj Formations indicate a metabasic derivation. Chemistry of garnet reveals predominantly Fe-rich(almandine) variety of metabasic origin. X-ray microscopic study provides the percentage of heavy minerals ranging from 3% to 5.26%. QFL detrital modes reflect the evolution of the basin from an active rift to a passive margin basin during the Mesozoic. Integration of results from QFL modal composition of the sandstones, heavy mineral analysis and mineral chemistry, suggests sediment supply from both northern and eastern highlands during the Middle Jurassic. The uplift along the Kutch Mainland Fault in the Early Cretaceous results in curtailment of sediment input from north.     

Influence of nearshore sediment dynamics on the distribution of heavy mineral placer deposits in Sri Lanka

Beach sediments in Sri Lanka contain industrial-grade heavy mineral occurrences. Samples of both offshore and onshore sediments were collected to examine the provenance, mineralogy and geochemical compositions of the heavy mineral occurrences. Coastal morphodynamic changes along the coastline of Sri Lanka were analyzed using the time-series satellite images. These coastal morphodynamic changes were used to identify the prominent directions of monsoon-influenced longshore currents, coastal sediment accretion and depositional trends and their relationships to the provenance of the heavy minerals. Results show the concentrations of detrital ilmenite, zircon, garnet, monazite, and rutile vary in the onshore and offshore sediments. The heavy mineral potential of the northeastern coast is high (average contents of about 45–50% in the Verugal deposit, 70–85% in the Pulmoddai deposit, and 3.5–5.0% in offshore samples stretching from Nilaveli to Kokkilai), compared to sediments in southwest (average content about 10% in onshore sediments and 2% in offshore sediments from the mouth of the Gin River). Therefore, no economic-grade heavy mineral placers were identified in the offshore environments. The high concentrations of heavy minerals in beach sediments and low concentrations in offshore sediments suggest operation of a panning system in the surf zone to form enriched placer deposits. Major and trace element compositions of beach sediments show marked enrichments of TiO₂, Fe₂O₃, La, Ce, Zr, Cr, Nb, Th and V compared to average Upper Continental Crust (UCC) values. Analysis of prominent coastal longshore transport patterns identifies bidirectional sediment transport in the northeast coast of Sri Lanka. In the southwestern coast, two transport directions occur with anti-clockwise transport from Galle to Hambantota, and clockwise transport from Hikkaduwa to Wadduwa. The heavy minerals in the placers were mainly derived from Precambrian metamorphic rocks, and transported to the coast through the river systems of Sri Lanka.     

Mineralogical Characteristics of the Separated Magnetic Rutile of the Egyptian Black Sands

The Egyptian black sands contain several economic minerals, such as ilmenite, magnetite, garnet, zircon, rutile and monazite. During the concentration and separation of a high-grade rutile concentrate a bulk magnetic fraction is obtained. This fraction is composed mainly of opaques, titanhematite, ilmenite–titanhematite exsolved intergrown grains, magnetic leucoxene in addition to chromite, and magnetic rutile. The magnetic rutile occupies 6 wt.% of the bulk magnetic fraction or approx. 4 wt.% of the original rutile content in the raw sands. Most of magnetic rutile crystals are contaminated with opaque inclusions, staining-coating and/or composite locked grains. This magnetic rutile has a magnetic range from strongly paramagnetic to very weak paramagnetic. Electron microprobe analysis for twenty-three magnetic rutile grains identified mineral components of rutile, titanhematite, pseudorutile, leached pseudorutile and ilmenite in decreasing order of abundance. Some other inclusions are also detected in the different magnetic rutile grains. They are most probably garnet, silica, amphibole, ilmenite, feldspar, mica and zircon. The presence of these inclusions reflect the derivation of magnetic rutile of various crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks. The magnetic susceptibility of magnetic rutile depends on the associated mineral components and their relative volumes in comparison to the rutile mineral component. Magnetic susceptibility of magnetic rutile is also related to both type and size of the associated mineral inclusions. The average chemical composition of the magnetic rutile is 66.34 wt.% TiO₂, 21.71 wt.% Fe₂O₃, 6.39 wt.% SiO₂, 1.80 wt.% Al₂O₃, 1.19 wt.% CaO and 0.10 wt.% Cr₂O₃. Thus, the contamination of magnetic rutile in the non-magnetic rutile concentrate would decrease the market value of the rutile concentrate. Alternatively these magnetic rutile grains are recommended to be blended with magnetic leucoxene or some types of ilmenite concentrate to improve the overall marketable specifications especially for both of Ti, Fe and Cr contents.     

苏北盆地TZK9孔磁性地层及重矿物组合特征研究

通过对苏北盆地TZK9孔的磁性地层和重矿物组合分析,探索了该地区晚上新世以来沉积物的物源变化特征。古地磁结果显示,TZK9孔的M/G界线位于250.3 m,B/M界线位于78.5 m,并很好记录了2次正极性亚时（Jaramillo和Olduvai）,分别位于129.0~150.2 m与172.55~192.80 m,通过沉积速率外推获得该钻孔的底界年龄约为3.0 Ma。对TZK9孔重矿物组合、特征指数进行分析,并结合淮河及长江下游的重矿物组合特征,揭示在距今3.0~2.6 Ma其沉积物主要来自于淮河流域。而相比晚上新世,第四纪的磷灰石、锆石、金红石、电气石含量增加,表明该地区开始受到了长江流域的影响,而第四纪以来重矿物特征指数（ZTR）逐渐增大可能主要受控于全球气候变化。      

Applied Mineralogical Studies on Iranian Titanium Deposits

Qara-aghaj and Skandian as hard rock titanium deposit and Kahnooj one as a placer deposit were investigated from applied mineralogical point of view. The mineralogical studies were carried out using XRD, XRF, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and microprobe analysis. These studies indicated that ilmenite and magnetite are main valuable minerals in the studied ores. Pyroxene, olivine and plagioclase are the main gangue minerals in Qara-aghaj ore while chlorite and plagioclase are the major gangue minerals in Skandian ore. Plagioclase, clinopyroxene, amphibole, feldspate and some quartz are the important gangue minerals in kahnooj deposit. In all three ores ilmenite is mainly in the form of ilmenite grains but some lamellae of ilmenite with thickness between 0.1 to 20 μm have been occurred as exsolution textures inside magnetite grains, where the magnetite here can be referred to as ilmenomagnetite. In the hard rock ores some fine ilmenites have been disseminated in silicate minerals. The liberation degree of granular ilmenite was determined 150, 140 and 200 μm for Qara-aghaj, Skandian and Kahnooj, respectively. So, only the granular form of ilmenite is recoverable by physical methods. Some sphene and rutile as titanium containing minerals were observed mainly inside ilmenite phase in kahnooj ore. Some fine rutile was also found inside Skandian ilmenite while there were not any other titanium minerals inside Qara-aghaj ilmenite. Apatite is another valuable mineral which was found only in Qara-aghaj ore. Using SEM and microprobe analysis it was found that there are different amounts of exsolved fine lamellae of hematite inside ilmenite in Qara-aghaj and Kahnooj ores while it was not observed in Sckandian one. The average contents of TiO2 in the lattice of Qara-aghaj, Skandian and Kahnooj ilmenite were determined 51.13, 50.9% and 52.02%, respectively. FeO content of ilmenite lattice for all three samples is clearly lower than the theoretical content. This is due to the substitution of Mg and Mn for some Fe2+ ions in the ilmenite lattice. V2O3 content of magnetite lattice is up to 1%. So, magnetite can be a suitable source for production of vanadium as a by-product in all three deposits.     

Heavy Mineral Placer Deposits of Ekakula Beach, Gahiramatha Coast, Orissa, India

Abstract: Ilmenite, hematite, garnet, monazite, zircon, rutile, magnetite, sillimanite, pyroxene and amphibole from the beach sands of Ekakula, Gahiramatha coast, Orissa, India are reported here for the first time. Their total concentration varies from 26. 4 to 100%. Ilmenite, monazite and zircon are between 100 and 300 um in size and are well rounded in shape. Ilmenite-hematite intergrowth is common. Ilmenite has 50. 02–54. 73% TiO₂, 42. 42–46. 90% FeO (total Fe) and small amounts of Al, Mn, Mg, Ca, Ba, Si, V, Cr, and Zn. The bulk samples contain 10. 63–41. 42 % TiO₂, 6. 15–26. 07 % FeO, 5. 86–16. 75 % Fe₂O₃, 7. 41–61. 74 % SiO₂, 1. 39–12. 83% A1₂O₃, 0. 32–4. 97% CaO, 0. 53–4. 24% P₂O₅, 0. 17–3. 27% MgO, 0. 15–2. 97% Na₂O, 0. 07–2. 34% K₂O, and 0. 05–0. 71% V₂O₅ together with appreciable amounts of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Y, U, Th, Zr, and trace amounts of Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, and Cr. Khondalite, charnockite, calc-silicate granulite, leptynite, migmatite, gneiss, basic granulite and pegmatite of the Eastern Ghats appear to be the major source for the above heavy mineral assemblages. The samples are amenable to gravity and magnetic methods of beneficiation.     

吐哈盆地中北部中侏罗统重矿物组合特征及对博格达山隆升过程的约束

通过对吐哈盆地中北部中侏罗统重矿物组合特征分析发现,该区重矿物组合具有显著的分区特征。其中桃尔沟-胜南-吐南地区整个中侏罗世,重矿物以高含量的磁铁矿、赤铁矿为特征。七泉湖-胜金地区在西山窑组-三间房组沉积时期,重矿物以锆石和钛的氧化物为主;自七克台组沉积伊始,磁铁矿含量显著增加。三堡-鲁克沁地区在西山窑组沉积时期,重矿物以锆石和钛的氧化物为主;到三间房组-七克台组沉积时期,石榴石、磁铁矿含量明显增加。鄯勒-萨克桑地区西山窑组沉积时期重矿物以锆石和钛的氧化物为主;三间房组沉积以来,磁铁矿含量急剧增加。丘陵-丘东地区西山窑组-三间房组沉积时期,重矿物以高含量绿帘石为特征;七克台组沉积时期,转而以锆石和钛的氧化物为主。研究区中侏罗统重矿物组合演化特征显示,中侏罗世博格达山的隆升具有明显的分段性：Ⅰ段（西）在西山窑组沉积时期便已隆起,构成盆地物源区;西山窑晚期-三间房初期,博格达山Ⅲ段（东）开始快速隆升,导致三间房组沉积时期鄯勒-萨克桑地区磁铁矿含量剧增;而博格达山Ⅱ段（中）直到七克台组初期才开始隆升。     

Impact of tsunami on texture and mineralogy of a major placer deposit in southwest coast of India

The great Indonesian earth quake (26 December 2004) triggered a tsunami wave across the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean basins and has brought a major havoc in several countries including India. The coastal segment between Thotapalli and Valiazhikal in Kerala state of southwest India, where considerably rich beach placer deposit with ilmenite percentage of more than 70% is concentrated, has been investigated to understand the impact of tsunami on coastal sediments. The grain size analysis flashes out the significant differences between the pre- and post-tsunami littoral environments. While the mineral grains collected during pre-tsunami period show well-sorted nature, the post-tsunami samples represent moderately to poorly sorted nature. Similarly, unimodal and bimodal distributions of the sediments have been recorded for pre- and post-tsunami sediments, respectively. Further, mineral assemblages corresponding to before and after this major wave activity clearly indicate the large-scale redistribution of sediments. The post-tsunami sediments register increasing trends of garnet, sillimanite and rutile. The total heavy mineral percentage of the post-tsunami sediment also shows an improved concentration, perhaps due to the large-scale transport of lighter fraction. Magnetite percentage of post-tsunami samples reflects higher concentration compared to the pre-tsunami samples, indicating the intensity of reworking process. X-ray diffraction patterns of ilmenite grains have confirmed the increased presence of pseduorutile, and pseudobrookite in post-tsunami samples, which could be due to the mixing of more altered grains. SEM examination of grains also confirms the significant alteration patterns on the ubiquitous mineral of placer body, the ilmenite. The reason for these textural, mineralogical and micromorphological changes in heavy minerals particularly in ilmenite, could be due to the churning action on the deeper sediments of onshore region or on the sediments entrapped in the near shelf region of the area, by the ∼ 6 m high tsunami waves.     

莺歌海盆地东北部邻区7条主要入海河流重砂矿物特征及其地质意义

海南岛西部（琼西）是莺歌海盆地东北部的主要物质来源之一。本文对琼西7条主要河流入海口的现代河砂进行了重矿物含量、重矿物组合以及相关特征指数等分析,发现其重矿物含量、磨圆度、组合以及相关重矿物指数从北到南明显不同,反映出碎屑物质搬运距离和源区岩性也明显不同。北部珠碧江重矿物以钛铁矿、电气石、锆石、绿帘石和透闪石为主,磨圆度较差,反映物源主要为近距离的酸性至基性-超基性岩浆岩和变质岩;昌化江重矿物以钛铁矿、磁铁矿、锆石和榍石为主,磨圆比较好,物源可能主要为远距离的酸性和基性岩浆岩;中部北黎河和通天河重矿物以钛铁矿、电气石、锆石、石榴石和透闪石为主,基本没有磨圆,物源主要来自近源区,为未经远距离搬运的变质岩、酸性岩浆岩和基性火山岩;感恩河重矿物以磨圆度差的锆石、钛铁矿、榍石、电气石和褐铁矿等稳定-极稳定重矿物为主,反映源区主要为近距离搬运的岩浆岩;南部望楼河和宁远河重矿物以钛铁矿、磁铁矿、褐铁矿和绿帘石等稳定-不稳定矿物为主,反映的母岩主要为酸性岩浆岩、变质岩和中-基性岩浆岩。这些主要河流入海口的重矿物特征存在明显差异,这与其发源地、流经区域以及流经区域所发育的岩石类型相一致。通过研究琼西地区从北到南不同流域的重矿物组合体系,有助于开展莺歌海盆地源汇对比分析,建立不同区域油气储层碎屑物质来源的识别标志,对该盆地天然气储层物源识别具有重要的地质意义。     

Ilmenite, Magnetite and Chromite Beach Placers from South Maharashtra, Central West Coast of India

The heavy mineral placer deposits of the coastal sediments in south Maharashtra stretch for 12.5 km from Pirwadi in the north to Talashil in the south. The area is a sand bar represented by a narrow submergent coastal plain lying between the Achara and Gad Rivers. The sediments in the area are mainly sands which are moderately well sorted to well sorted. The heavy mineral concentration in the surficial sediments ranges between 0.69 and 98.32 wt % (28.73 wt % in average). The heavy mineral concentration shows an increasing trend from north to south. The heavy mineral suite consists predominantly of opaque minerals (ilmenite, magnetite and chromite), garnet, pyroxene, amphibole, zircon, tourmaline, rutile, staurolite, etc. Ilmenite grains are fresh whereas magnetite grains show the effect of weathering and alteration. The chromite grains are rounded to sub-rounded with alteration at the margin of the grains. The surficial textures of the opaque minerals show mechanical breaking that indicates limited distance of transportation. Ilmenite has TiO₂ in the range between 40.04 and 46.6 wt %. Based on ore microscopy studies, the magnetite grains appear to be of two types: pure magnetite and titano-magnetite. Compositionally, the total magnetite fractions have Fe₂O₃ between 32 and 46 wt %, FeO between 19.0 and 25 wt % and TiO₂ between 14.3 and 23.9 wt %. The chromite grains are an admixture of two varieties, ferro-chromite and magnesio-chromite. The chromite grains have 32.06–47.5 wt % of Cr₂O₃ with total iron between 23.86 wt % (4.73% Fe₂O₃ and 19.13% FeO) and 27.89 wt % (4.36% Fe₂O₃ and 23.53% FeO) and MgO between 12 and 40 wt %. The observed variations in the distribution of heavy minerals in the area are due to differences in the sediment supply, their specific gravity and oceanographic processes all of which result in a selective sorting of the sediments. The observed mineral assemblages of transparent heavy minerals (pyroxene, amphibole, tourmaline, kyanite, garnet, zircon and olivine) are suggestive of their derivation from a heterogeneous provenance comprising of igneous rocks, high grade metamorphic rocks and reworked Kaladgi sediments. The chromite grains appear to have been derived from ultrabasic rocks present in the upper reaches of the Gad River. The inferred reserves of ilmenite, magnetite and chromite are 0.175, 0.395 and 0.032 million tons, respectively.     

东喜马拉雅构造结泥质高压麻粒岩的锆石和独居石定年与地质意义

东喜马拉雅构造结的南迦巴瓦杂岩含有广泛分布的高压麻粒岩,但由于以前获得了许多不同的年龄,对这些麻粒岩的变质与深熔时代、持续时间和成因存在不同认识。本文对泥质高压麻粒岩（蓝晶石榴黑云片岩）中的锆石和独居石进行了系统的内部结构、U-（Th）-Pb定年和微量元素分析,以求揭示这些岩石是否具有相同的演化过程。所研究的6个蓝晶石榴黑云片岩由石榴石、蓝晶石、黑云母、石英、钾长石、斜长石、夕线石、白云母、石墨和副矿物金红石、钛铁矿、锆石和独居石组成,峰期矿物组合是石榴石+蓝晶石+斜长石+钾长石+黑云母+石英+金红石。6个样品中的锆石均由继承碎屑核+变质（深熔）幔+变质（深熔）边组成。其中3个样品中的锆石幔和边较宽,均可进行原位定年,幔部给出了类似的较老年龄范围（39.6~31.6Ma、40.8~32.0Ma和38.1~31.3Ma）,而边部给出了类似的较年轻年龄范围（26.8~17.3Ma、28.3~18.6Ma和28.4~18.8Ma）。另外3个样品的锆石幔部较窄,不能进行分析,其边部给出了与前3个样品锆石边部类似的年轻年龄范围（22.0~17.0Ma、20.9~16.9Ma和22.2~16.6Ma）。一个片岩样品中的独居石给出了与其锆石幔部+边部年龄类似的较宽年龄范围（38.1~17.5Ma）,而另外3个样品中的独居石获得了与其锆石边部年龄相似的年轻年龄范围（26.0~18.8Ma、22.3~16.9Ma和26.4~19.4Ma）。随着年龄的减小,锆石和独居石的Th/U比值增大,Eu/Eu^*减小,独居石的HREE和Y含量减小。基于这些分析结果,笔者认为所研究的6个片岩记录了相同的、从~41Ma持续到~17Ma的进变质与深熔过程。但是,由于某些样品中的锆石和独居石在早期变质和深熔过程中形成的结晶域（锆石幔部）很窄,无法定年,导致不同的样品获得了不同的年龄范围。结合现有研究成果,笔者推测南迦巴瓦杂岩中的高压麻粒岩经历了相似的长期进变质与深熔过程。     

承德钒钛磁铁矿钒和钛物相的联测分析方法

依据承德地区大庙式钒钛磁铁矿床特征,通过人工重砂分离及单矿物化学分析并结合电子探针、岩矿鉴定结果查明了承德钒钛磁铁矿石中的含钒矿物主要是钛磁铁矿和磁铁矿,次要矿物是钛铁矿和硅酸盐;含钛矿物主要是钛铁矿、钛磁铁矿,次要矿物是金红石、榍石。根据承德钒钛磁铁矿石钒和铁呈正比的关系,选取代表性试样进行了钒钛物相分析项目的确定及溶剂选择的实验,最终确定了钒和钛物相分析测定流程。钒物相分析测定项目为磁铁矿和钛磁铁矿中的钒、钛铁矿中的钒、硅酸盐中的钒及总钒四项;钛物相分析测定项目为钛铁矿中的钛、磁铁矿和钛磁铁矿中的钛、金红石中的钛、硅酸盐中的钛及总钛五项。通过本方法测定的各种含钒和钛矿物含量占矿石中总钒和总钛含量的比例与人工重砂分析定量计算的各种含钒和钛矿物含量占矿石中总钒和总钛含量的比例是相互吻合的。对110件钒钛磁铁矿石样品进行了4种含钛矿物及3种含钒矿物物相分析,结果与实际地质成矿组分符合。本方法实现了钒钛磁铁矿中钒矿物和钛矿物的定量分离,确定了钒和钛物相联测分析流程,可以同时测定钒和钛矿物的含量。