Uranium Mineralisation in the Gulcheru Quartzite of Cuddapah Basin, in the Tipparajupalle and Cheruvula Bodu Area, Cuddapah District, Andhra Pradesh

New occurrences of uranium mineralisation have been discovered in quartzite and siltsone/Shale units of the Gulcheru Quartzite Formation in the area to the north of E-W trending Idupulapaya fault around Idupulapaya, Malayalamma Bhavi, Tipparajupalle and Cheruvula Bodu. Mineralisation occurs in the form of lensoid bodies of 5 m x 0.5 m to 50 m x 1.5 m and is traced intermittently over an extent of 2000 m. Physical assay result of rock samples (n=66) has indicated values from 0.011% to 1.769% eU₃O₈, 0.017% to 1.848% U₃O₈ and <0.01% ThO₂. Samples (n=21) also analysed higher concentration of Cu (<25 ppm to 3202 ppm), Mo (<25 ppm to 472 ppm), Pb (<25 ppm to 2015 ppm), V (<25 ppm to 1010 ppm), Ag (<0.25 ppm to 3.92 ppm) and Au (<0.25 ppm to 1.40 ppm). Uranium minerals identified are uranophane, autunite, uranitite, pitchblende and U-Ti complex in association with pyrite, chalcopyrite, specular haematite and limonite. The above findings have opened up new potential target areas to look for uranium in the southwestern margin of Cuddapah basin.