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Clay Mineralogical Studies on Bijawars of the Sonrai Basin:Palaeoenvironmental Implications and Inferences on the Uranium Mineralization


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1 Department of Geology, University of Delhi, Delhi - 110 007, India
2 Atomic Mineral Directorate for Exploration and Research, Northern Region, Delhi - 110 066, India
     

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Clays associated with the Precambrian unconformity-related (sensu lato) uranium mineralization that occur along fractures of Rohini carbonate, Bandai sandstone and clay-organic rich black carbonaceous Gorakalan shale of the Sonrai Formation from Bijawar Group is significant. Nature and structural complexity of these clays have been studied to understand depositional mechanism and palaeoenvironmental conditions responsible for the restricted enrichment of uranium in the Sonrai basin. Clays (<2 μm fraction) separated from indurate sedimentary rocks by disaggregation, chemical treatment and centrifugation were examined using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Presence of tv-1M type illite is inferred from the Rohini and Bandai Members of the Sonrai Formation, indicative of high fluid/rock interaction and super-saturation state of the fluids available in proximity with the uranium mineralization. It is observed that the Sonrai Formation is characterized by kaolinite > chlorite > illite > smectite mineral assemblages, whereas, Solda Formation contains kaolinite > illite > chlorite clays. It has been found that the former mineral assemblage resulted from the alteration process is associated with the uranium mineralization and follow progressive reaction series, indicating palaeoenvironmental (cycles of tropical humid to semi-arid/arid) changes prevailed during maturation of the Sonrai basin. The hydrothermal activity possibly associated with Kurrat volcanics is accountable for the clay mineral alterations.

Keywords

Clay Mineral Assemblages, Illite Crystallinity, Uranium Mineralization, XRD Patterns, Bijawar Group, Sonrai Basin.
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  • Clay Mineralogical Studies on Bijawars of the Sonrai Basin:Palaeoenvironmental Implications and Inferences on the Uranium Mineralization

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Authors

Surendra Kumar Jha
Department of Geology, University of Delhi, Delhi - 110 007, India
J. P. Shrivastava
Department of Geology, University of Delhi, Delhi - 110 007, India
C. L. Bhairam
Atomic Mineral Directorate for Exploration and Research, Northern Region, Delhi - 110 066, India

Abstract


Clays associated with the Precambrian unconformity-related (sensu lato) uranium mineralization that occur along fractures of Rohini carbonate, Bandai sandstone and clay-organic rich black carbonaceous Gorakalan shale of the Sonrai Formation from Bijawar Group is significant. Nature and structural complexity of these clays have been studied to understand depositional mechanism and palaeoenvironmental conditions responsible for the restricted enrichment of uranium in the Sonrai basin. Clays (<2 μm fraction) separated from indurate sedimentary rocks by disaggregation, chemical treatment and centrifugation were examined using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Presence of tv-1M type illite is inferred from the Rohini and Bandai Members of the Sonrai Formation, indicative of high fluid/rock interaction and super-saturation state of the fluids available in proximity with the uranium mineralization. It is observed that the Sonrai Formation is characterized by kaolinite > chlorite > illite > smectite mineral assemblages, whereas, Solda Formation contains kaolinite > illite > chlorite clays. It has been found that the former mineral assemblage resulted from the alteration process is associated with the uranium mineralization and follow progressive reaction series, indicating palaeoenvironmental (cycles of tropical humid to semi-arid/arid) changes prevailed during maturation of the Sonrai basin. The hydrothermal activity possibly associated with Kurrat volcanics is accountable for the clay mineral alterations.

Keywords


Clay Mineral Assemblages, Illite Crystallinity, Uranium Mineralization, XRD Patterns, Bijawar Group, Sonrai Basin.

References