On the Occurrence of Scheelite in Almora and Chamoli Districts, Uttar Pradesh

Presence of scheelite is reported in the panned concentrates prepared from stream sediments collected from certain tributaries of Pindar river in Chamoli district. Studies carried out so far show that scheelite mineralisation is strata-controlled occurring within a garnetiferous-mica schist member. The host rocks are (i) green coloured epidote-amphibole rich rock (amphibolite?) and (ii) light coloured quartz-epidotecalcite bodies (boudins ?). Associated minerals are calc-silicates namely, actinolite, diopside, garnet and epidote; calcite is also present mainly in boudins, The garnetiferous schist member has been traced in both the limbs of Almora-Dudatoli syncline, along with the mineralised host rocks. The study indicates possibility of tracing extensive scheelite deposits in the crystalline nappe rocks of Himalayas. The deposits are believed to be of volcano-sedimentary origin, where tungsten is derived from submarine volcanic processes that took place during the deposition of limy argillaceous sediments.