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A Subsurface Criterion for Predictive Exploration of Kimberlites from Bouguer Gravity in the Eastern Dharwar Craton, India


Affiliations
1 National Geophysical Research Institute, (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Uppal Road, Hyderabad - 500 007, India
2 Department of Geophysics, Osmania University, Hyderabad - 500 007, India
     

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The Archaean-Proterozoic Dharwar craton has many recorded occurrences of diamondiferous kimberlites. Reports of kimberlite emplacement in parts of the tectonically complex eastern Dharwar craton and a significant density contrast between kimberlites and the host peninsular gneisses motivated us to conduct gravity studies in the Narayanpet-Irladinne area of the eastern Dharwar craton. This region is contiguous with the Maddur-Narayanpet kimberlite that lies to its north, while the river Krishna lies to its south.

From observed association of reported kimberlites in the Maddur-Narayanpet field with subsurface topography of the assumed three-layer earth section obtained by Bouguer gravity modelling, we developed a subsurface criterion for occurrence of kimberlites in the present study area. Using this criterion, five potential zones for kimberlite localization were identified in the Narayanpet-Irladinne region, eastern Dharwar craton.


Keywords

Bouguer Gravity, Subsurface Topography, Kimberlite Emplacement, Dharwar Craton, Karnataka.
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  • A Subsurface Criterion for Predictive Exploration of Kimberlites from Bouguer Gravity in the Eastern Dharwar Craton, India

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Authors

B. Veeraiah
National Geophysical Research Institute, (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Uppal Road, Hyderabad - 500 007, India
G. Ramadass
Department of Geophysics, Osmania University, Hyderabad - 500 007, India
D. Himabindu
Department of Geophysics, Osmania University, Hyderabad - 500 007, India

Abstract


The Archaean-Proterozoic Dharwar craton has many recorded occurrences of diamondiferous kimberlites. Reports of kimberlite emplacement in parts of the tectonically complex eastern Dharwar craton and a significant density contrast between kimberlites and the host peninsular gneisses motivated us to conduct gravity studies in the Narayanpet-Irladinne area of the eastern Dharwar craton. This region is contiguous with the Maddur-Narayanpet kimberlite that lies to its north, while the river Krishna lies to its south.

From observed association of reported kimberlites in the Maddur-Narayanpet field with subsurface topography of the assumed three-layer earth section obtained by Bouguer gravity modelling, we developed a subsurface criterion for occurrence of kimberlites in the present study area. Using this criterion, five potential zones for kimberlite localization were identified in the Narayanpet-Irladinne region, eastern Dharwar craton.


Keywords


Bouguer Gravity, Subsurface Topography, Kimberlite Emplacement, Dharwar Craton, Karnataka.

References