GENESIS AND ECONOMIC POTENTIALITIES OF TALC MINERALIZATION OF CHANDAAK, DISTRICT PITHORAGARH, UTTARAKHAND

D. SEN GUPTA; H.P. SEN GUPTA

Volume : IV, Issue : V, May - 2015

GENESIS AND ECONOMIC POTENTIALITIES OF TALC MINERALIZATION OF CHANDAAK, DISTRICT PITHORAGARH, UTTARAKHAND

D. Sen Gupta, H. P. Sen Gupta

Abstract :

Chandaak Member of the Gangolihat Dolomite Formation is having talc mineralization as pockets and patches within crystalline magnesite deposit. Other minerals present with talc mineralization are very little amount of silica and phosphatic material. It is very interesting to note that talc and quartz shows antipathic relationship. Relicts of quartz are rarely seen in the talc. Megascopically colour of talc varies from white to dark grey depending upon the content of impurities and is extremely fine grained, compact, showing pearly/greasy lustre and having soapy feel on touch. Petrographic studies reveal the presence of magnesite, very little amount of quartz and dahlite but no relicts of dolomite and it corrodes the magnesite crystals very heavily which is lying mainly in contact zone indicating a very much later origin. The antipathic relationship between talc and silica indicates talc is formed by reaction of magnesite and silica. On the basis of above studies it is concluded that the Chandaak talc mineralization represents a product of reaction between magnesite and silica during high temperature diagenetic environment below 300�šC.