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Vasudeva, S. G.
- Uranium Mineralisation in the South-Western Part of Cuddapah Basin: A Petromineralogical and Geochemical Study
Authors
1 Atomic Minerals Division, Department of Atomic Energy, Bangalore 560072, IN
Source
Journal of Geological Society of India (Online archive from Vol 1 to Vol 78), Vol 42, No 2 (1993), Pagination: 135-149Abstract
Two types of uranium mineralisation occur in the south-western part of Cuddapah basin, viz., stratabound type hosted by impure dolostone of the Vempalle Formation of the Papaghni Group and structuralIy-controlled type hosted by deformed basement grani toid. The carbonate-hosted type occurs over a 140 km-long belt from Reddipalle in the west to Maddimadugu in the east with promising mineralisation at Tummalapalle, Rachakuntapalle and Gadankipalle. It is sandwiched between a Iower massive limestone and upper shale and cherty limestone. The rnineralised carbonate rock is a stromatolite-bearing 'siliceous, calcitic doIostone ' (SCD+phosphate) associated with other impure dolostones, quartzite, chert, phyllite, conglomerate, and intrusive dolerite a nd basalt. Uranium mineralisation occurs along the bedding plane, carbonate-phosphate conlact, micro-stylolites, grain boundaries of clasts and within pelioids, mainly in the form ultrafine pitchblende, in intimate association with pyrite and as disseminations in cellophane-rich parts, besides as minor phases ot'coffi~itea nd U-Ti compIex. The associated ore minerats include pyrite, molybdenite, chalcopyrite, bornite, digenite and covellite. The fertile basement granite fs.1.) is the source of uranium and the mineralisation, which appears to be polygenetic(syn-, dia- and epi-genetic), is controIled by impure nature of dotostone and organic activity. The mineralisation in the southern part of the belt in Cuddapa h district is typically molybdenum-rich, whereas the northern portion, in parts of Anantapur district, is characterised by high content of copper. The rnineralised SCD in the S/SE parts is also marked by high content of P, V and Pb, in addition to Mo. There is a good positive correlation of U with Pand V (r : 0.98 and more).
The structurally-controlled uranium mineralisation occurs around Rayachoti (outside the SW margin of Cuddapah basin) along a number of fracture zones within the basement granitoid, and is hosted by mylonites and cataclasites indicative of intense dislocation metamorphism. Of many such zones, the one between T. Sundupalle and Sanipaya is promising and has a strike extension of about 16 km. This mineralisation is epigenetic hydrothermal vein-type, mainly represented by coffinite, pitchblende, U-Ti. complex and secondary uranium minerals.
