Polymetallic Uranium Mineralisation in Rohil, Rajasthan, Western India: Insights from Mode of Occurrences, Structural Controls, Alteration Geochemistry and Exploration
Geological and radiometric studies of outcrops aided by extensive subsurface exploration through drill holes in an otherwise soil-covered terrain revealed the existence of low grades, medium tonnage, and metasomatite types of polymetallic uranium deposits at Rohil in India. Microscopic studies, elec...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Minerals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/4/555 |
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| author | Ajoy Kumar Padhi Mrinal Kanti Mukherjee Brajesh Kumar Tripathi Dheeraj Pande Balbir Singh Bisht Bhabesh Chandra Sarkar |
| author_facet | Ajoy Kumar Padhi Mrinal Kanti Mukherjee Brajesh Kumar Tripathi Dheeraj Pande Balbir Singh Bisht Bhabesh Chandra Sarkar |
| author_sort | Ajoy Kumar Padhi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Geological and radiometric studies of outcrops aided by extensive subsurface exploration through drill holes in an otherwise soil-covered terrain revealed the existence of low grades, medium tonnage, and metasomatite types of polymetallic uranium deposits at Rohil in India. Microscopic studies, electronprobe micro analyses, and geochemical analyses of samples from lodes indicate the polymetallic nature of mineralisation involving copper and molybdenum, in addition to uranium. Wide variations in the composition of fluid (S-, F-, P-, and O-rich) led to the formation of sulphides, fluorite, U-phosphosilicate, quartz, and magnetite, respectively, and are associated with uraninite. Litho-geochemical analyses from the Rohil deposit indicate multifarious metasomatic alterations associated with polymetallic mineralisation occurring in veins. The major mineralogical and metasomatic controls on rock compositions and the extent of material transfer processes that influenced the host rocks and mineralisati on are quantified by molar element ratio studies and alteration plots. General element ratio (GER) diagrams on chemical analyses of rock samples reveal albitisation and chloritisation as major and microclinisation, sericitisation, carbonatisation, and silicification as minor wall rock alterations associated with ore mineralisation. The alteration box plot between the chlorite–carbonate–pyrite index (CCPI) and the Ishikawa alteration index (AI) indicates the influence of hydrothermal activity and dominance of both albitisation and chloritisation. The ore zone is controlled by meso- and microstructures and the geometry of the soda- and potash-metasomatised zone around hydrothermal veins. This zone contains several anastomosing mineralised veins defined by a prominent joint that is set in quartzite that strikes subparallel to the axial surface of the F<sub>2</sub> isoclinal folds and the pervasive schistosity S<sub>1</sub> in the quartz–feldspar–biotite schist. Aventurisation of albite and microcline, established through electron probe micro analyses, can be considered as a pathfinder for uranium mineralisation. The close association of uranium and metallic sulphide mineralisation with microstructural, mineralogical (albitisation, chloritisation, and microclinisation), and geochemical variations can be applied as suitable exploration guides in a similar geological set-up worldwide. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:42:39Z |
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| id | doaj.art-823cf21372e44b46853dd2ae70ecf77f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-163X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:42:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-823cf21372e44b46853dd2ae70ecf77f2023-11-17T20:36:20ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2023-04-0113455510.3390/min13040555Polymetallic Uranium Mineralisation in Rohil, Rajasthan, Western India: Insights from Mode of Occurrences, Structural Controls, Alteration Geochemistry and ExplorationAjoy Kumar Padhi0Mrinal Kanti Mukherjee1Brajesh Kumar Tripathi2Dheeraj Pande3Balbir Singh Bisht4Bhabesh Chandra Sarkar5Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration & Research, Hyderabad 560004, IndiaDepartment of Applied Geology, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad 826004, IndiaAtomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration & Research, Jaipur 302030, IndiaAtomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration & Research, Hyderabad 560004, IndiaAtomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration & Research, Hyderabad 560004, IndiaDepartment of Applied Geology, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad 826004, IndiaGeological and radiometric studies of outcrops aided by extensive subsurface exploration through drill holes in an otherwise soil-covered terrain revealed the existence of low grades, medium tonnage, and metasomatite types of polymetallic uranium deposits at Rohil in India. Microscopic studies, electronprobe micro analyses, and geochemical analyses of samples from lodes indicate the polymetallic nature of mineralisation involving copper and molybdenum, in addition to uranium. Wide variations in the composition of fluid (S-, F-, P-, and O-rich) led to the formation of sulphides, fluorite, U-phosphosilicate, quartz, and magnetite, respectively, and are associated with uraninite. Litho-geochemical analyses from the Rohil deposit indicate multifarious metasomatic alterations associated with polymetallic mineralisation occurring in veins. The major mineralogical and metasomatic controls on rock compositions and the extent of material transfer processes that influenced the host rocks and mineralisati on are quantified by molar element ratio studies and alteration plots. General element ratio (GER) diagrams on chemical analyses of rock samples reveal albitisation and chloritisation as major and microclinisation, sericitisation, carbonatisation, and silicification as minor wall rock alterations associated with ore mineralisation. The alteration box plot between the chlorite–carbonate–pyrite index (CCPI) and the Ishikawa alteration index (AI) indicates the influence of hydrothermal activity and dominance of both albitisation and chloritisation. The ore zone is controlled by meso- and microstructures and the geometry of the soda- and potash-metasomatised zone around hydrothermal veins. This zone contains several anastomosing mineralised veins defined by a prominent joint that is set in quartzite that strikes subparallel to the axial surface of the F<sub>2</sub> isoclinal folds and the pervasive schistosity S<sub>1</sub> in the quartz–feldspar–biotite schist. Aventurisation of albite and microcline, established through electron probe micro analyses, can be considered as a pathfinder for uranium mineralisation. The close association of uranium and metallic sulphide mineralisation with microstructural, mineralogical (albitisation, chloritisation, and microclinisation), and geochemical variations can be applied as suitable exploration guides in a similar geological set-up worldwide.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/4/555uraniumpolymetallicalterationmolar element ratioCCPIaventurisation |
| spellingShingle | Ajoy Kumar Padhi Mrinal Kanti Mukherjee Brajesh Kumar Tripathi Dheeraj Pande Balbir Singh Bisht Bhabesh Chandra Sarkar Polymetallic Uranium Mineralisation in Rohil, Rajasthan, Western India: Insights from Mode of Occurrences, Structural Controls, Alteration Geochemistry and Exploration Minerals uranium polymetallic alteration molar element ratio CCPI aventurisation |
| title | Polymetallic Uranium Mineralisation in Rohil, Rajasthan, Western India: Insights from Mode of Occurrences, Structural Controls, Alteration Geochemistry and Exploration |
| title_full | Polymetallic Uranium Mineralisation in Rohil, Rajasthan, Western India: Insights from Mode of Occurrences, Structural Controls, Alteration Geochemistry and Exploration |
| title_fullStr | Polymetallic Uranium Mineralisation in Rohil, Rajasthan, Western India: Insights from Mode of Occurrences, Structural Controls, Alteration Geochemistry and Exploration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polymetallic Uranium Mineralisation in Rohil, Rajasthan, Western India: Insights from Mode of Occurrences, Structural Controls, Alteration Geochemistry and Exploration |
| title_short | Polymetallic Uranium Mineralisation in Rohil, Rajasthan, Western India: Insights from Mode of Occurrences, Structural Controls, Alteration Geochemistry and Exploration |
| title_sort | polymetallic uranium mineralisation in rohil rajasthan western india insights from mode of occurrences structural controls alteration geochemistry and exploration |
| topic | uranium polymetallic alteration molar element ratio CCPI aventurisation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/4/555 |
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