Journal of Geological Society of India (Online archive from Vol 1 to Vol 78)

P. Nageswara Rao ¹, Anjan Som ¹, T. Perumal ¹, P. B. Maithani ¹, V. P. Saxena ¹, R. M. Sinha ¹

Affiliations
1 Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Department of Atomic Energy, Begumpet, Hyderabad - 500 016, IN

Abstract

Recent investigations have brought out significant uranium occurrences (up to 0 65% U₃0₈)spread over as discontinuous zones (up to 300 m × 280 m × 1-3 m) over an area of about 7 km × 2 km along the northern part of Palnadu Sub-Basin. The radioactive zones are exposed along the Upper Proterozoic unconformity contact between the basement granite and the Banganapalle quartzite near Lavur Tanda, Jaitram Tanda, Boligutta Tanda, Rallavagu Tanda and Gandhi Nagar villages in Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh. These findings are reported in this note along with some features of mineralisation.

Keywords

Uranium Occurrence, Proterozoic, Palnadu Sub-Basin, Andhra Pradesh.

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Anjan Som ¹, M. Sai Baba ², A. V. Jeyagopal ¹, K. Shobhita ¹, R. Mohanty ², P. B. Maithani ¹

Affiliations
1 Atomic Mineral Directorate for Exploration and Research, Begumpet, Hyderabad - 560 629, IN
2 Atomic Mineral Directorate for Exploration and Research, North Eastern Region, Shillong - 793 011, IN

Abstract

Several radioactive anomalies due to uranium and thorium, associated with the mesedimentary enclaves (Archaean) within granite (Archaean to Early-Proterozoic) have been recorded in parts of Karimnagar Granulite Terrain, Karimnagar Dist. At Peddur and Kottur, Uraninite has been identified in the samples of metasediments. The metasediment from these two places have been subjected to granulite facies of metamorphism and host high values of uranium with negligible thorium. In Peddur, samples of metasediments have assayed as high as 1.96% U₃O₈ with negligible thorium, and in Kottur up to 0.059% U₃O₈. Leaching studies on these samples have indicated that most of the U₃O₈ present is leachable. This discovery has opened up the possibility of finding uranium mineralisation in Archaean metasediments and thus provides a thrust for uranium exploration in similar geological environs in India. Further, the basement granite along with the metasedimentary enclaves has the potential to act as a provenance for a possible unconformity type or sandstone type U-deposit in the rocks of overlying Pakhal and Gondwana Supergroup, in Pranhita-Godavari Basin, situated to the east of this area.

Keywords

Uraninite, Karimnagar Granulite Terrain, Metasediment, Peddur, Kottur, Andhra Pradesh.

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