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Mineral resources of Kerala: A tectonic perspective M Santosh and E Shaji

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The Kerala region forms the western segment of the Southern Granulite Terrain and preserves the records of major geological and tectonic events from Mesoarchean to late Neoproterozoic­Cambrian, correlating with global supercontinent cycles. Iron ores and gold are the metallic resources associated with the oldest events in this region. The Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic – Cambrian magmatic and metamorphic events were the principal sources of the ‘heavy mineral’ sands along the Kerala coast carrying rich rare earth deposits. The Cambrian metamorphism and crustal melting also generated a wide variety of gemstone, graphite, and minor molybdenite mineralization. Prolonged weathering and denudation led to the accumulation of heavy minerals, gold and gemstones in placer deposits. World class china clay, limited bauxite deposits and lignite are among the other resources in Kerala.
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Santosh M, Shaji E Mineral resources of Kerala:  A tectonic perspective Mineral resources of Kerala:  A tectonic perspective M Santosh 1,2 and E Shaji 3 1 School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences Beijing, Beijing 100083, China 2 Faculty of Science, Kochi University, Kochi 780-8520, Japan 3 Department of Geology, University of Kerala, Kariyavattom, Trivandrum, India E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. The Kerala region forms the western segment of the Southern Granulite Terrain and preserves the records of major geological and tectonic events from Mesoarchean to late Neoproterozoic-Cambrian, correlating with global supercontinent cycles.  Iron ores and gold are the metallic resources associated with the oldest events in this region.  The Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic – Cambrian magmatic and metamorphic events were the principal sources of the ‘heavy mineral’ sands along the Kerala coast carrying rich rare earth deposits. The Cambrian metamorphism and crustal melting also generated a wide variety of gemstone, graphite, and minor molybdenite mineralization.  Prolonged weathering and denudation led to the accumulation of heavy minerals, gold and gemstones in placer deposits.  World class china clay, limited bauxite deposits and lignite are among the other resources in Kerala. Key words: Southern Granulite Terrain; Kerala region; Tectonic evolution; Mineral Resources, India Introduction The Kerala region forms the southwestern segment of the Indian Peninsula.  Geologically, the region falls occurs south of the Archean Dharwar Craton within the Southern Granulite Terrain (SGT; see reviews in Santosh et al., 2009; Collins et al., 2014), a collage of crustal blocks dominated by high grade metamorphic rocks and magmatic complexes, dissected by shear/suture zones (Fig. 1).   From north to south, the Kerala region covers parts of the Mesoarchean Coorg Block (Santosh et al., 2013a), the dominantly Neoarchean Nilgiri Block including the suprasubduction zone complexes along its southern margin (Samuel et al., 2014; Santosh et al., 2013b), the north-western and south-western segments of the Madurai Block dominated by Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic and Meso-Neoproterozoic rocks respectively (Plavsa et al., 2012; Collins et al., 2014), and the Late Neoproterozoic-Cambrian Trivandrum Block (Santosh et al., 2007, 2009).  The Moyar, Bhavani, Palghat-Cauvery and Achankovil Shear Zones, some of which are identified as traces of major oceanic sutures (Collins et al., 2007; Santosh et al., 2009) pass through the Kerala segment of the SGT. In terms of global tectonics and the major supercontinent cycles (Fig. 2), the earliest crustal growth in the Kerala region has been traced back to Mesoarchean (dominantly 3.2 Ga, also recycled 3.6 Ga; Santosh et al., 2013a), vestiges of which are well preserved in the Kasargod and Kannoor districts forming part of the Coorg block, and interpreted as an exotic microcontinent which did not witnesses any of the later tectonothermal events (Santosh et al., 2013a).  These segments would correspond to part of the nuclei of the oldest supercontinent “Ur” proposed by Rogers and Santosh (2004).  The major episode of crustal growth occurred at around 2.5 Ga, with extensive juvenile magmatism and partly reworking of the ancient crust, followed immediately by high grade metamorphism in the earliest Paleoproterozoic, similar to the events recorded in the adjacent Tamil Nadu domain (e.g., Clark et al., 2009).  Recent investigations reported suprasubduction ophiolites and felsic volcanic tuffs from Attappadi, Shaji E & Pradeepkumar AP (Eds) 2014 Mineral Resources of Kerala Trivandrum: Dept of Geology Univ of Kerala    ISBN 978-81-923449-0-4                                                                                                                                       1
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  • Santosh M, Shaji E MineralresourcesofKerala:Atectonicperspective

    MineralresourcesofKerala:Atectonicperspective

    MSantosh1,2andEShaji3

    1SchoolofEarthSciencesandResources,ChinaUniversityofGeosciencesBeijing,Beijing100083, China2FacultyofScience,KochiUniversity,Kochi7808520,Japan3DepartmentofGeology,UniversityofKerala,Kariyavattom,Trivandrum,IndiaEmail:[email protected]

    Abstract.TheKeralaregionformsthewesternsegmentoftheSouthernGranuliteTerrainandpreservesthe records of major geological and tectonic events from Mesoarchean to late NeoproterozoicCambrian, correlatingwithglobalsupercontinentcycles.Ironoresandgoldarethemetallicresourcesassociatedwiththe oldest events in this region. The Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic Cambrian magmatic and metamorphiceventsweretheprincipalsourcesoftheheavymineralsandsalongtheKeralacoastcarrying richrareearthdeposits.TheCambrianmetamorphismandcrustalmeltingalsogeneratedawidevarietyof gemstone,graphite,andminormolybdenitemineralization.Prolongedweatheringanddenudationledtothe accumulationof heavyminerals, goldandgemstones in placer deposits. Worldclass chinaclay, limited bauxitedepositsandligniteareamongtheotherresourcesinKerala.

    Keywords: SouthernGranuliteTerrain;Keralaregion;Tectonicevolution;MineralResources,India

    Introduction

    TheKeralaregionformsthesouthwesternsegmentoftheIndianPeninsula. Geologically,theregionfallsoccurssouthoftheArcheanDharwarCratonwithintheSouthernGranuliteTerrain(SGT;seereviews inSantoshet al., 2009; Collins et al., 2014), a collageof crustal blocksdominated by high grade metamorphic rocks and magmatic complexes, dissected byshear/suture zones (Fig. 1). Fromnorth to south, the Kerala region covers parts of theMesoarcheanCoorgBlock(Santoshet al., 2013a), thedominantlyNeoarcheanNilgiri Blockincludingthesuprasubductionzonecomplexesalongitssouthernmargin(Samueletal.,2014;Santoshetal., 2013b),thenorthwesternandsouthwesternsegmentsoftheMaduraiBlockdominatedbyNeoarcheanPaleoproterozoicandMesoNeoproterozoicrocksrespectively(Plavsaet al., 2012; Collins et al., 2014), andtheLateNeoproterozoicCambrianTrivandrumBlock(Santosh et al., 2007, 2009). The Moyar, Bhavani, PalghatCauvery andAchankovil ShearZones,someofwhichareidentifiedastracesofmajoroceanicsutures(Collinsetal., 2007;Santoshetal.,2009)passthroughtheKeralasegmentoftheSGT.

    Intermsofglobaltectonicsandthemajorsupercontinentcycles(Fig.2),theearliestcrustalgrowthintheKeralaregionhasbeentracedbacktoMesoarchean(dominantly3.2Ga, also recycled 3.6 Ga; Santosh et al., 2013a), vestiges of which are well preserved in theKasargodandKannoordistrictsformingpartoftheCoorgblock,andinterpretedasanexoticmicrocontinentwhichdidnotwitnessesanyofthelatertectonothermalevents(Santoshetal.,2013a). ThesesegmentswouldcorrespondtopartofthenucleioftheoldestsupercontinentUrproposedbyRogersandSantosh(2004).Themajorepisodeofcrustalgrowthoccurredataround2.5Ga,withextensivejuvenilemagmatismandpartlyreworkingoftheancientcrust, followedimmediatelybyhighgrademetamorphismintheearliestPaleoproterozoic,similartotheevents recorded in the adjacent Tamil Nadudomain(e.g., Clarket al., 2009). Recent investigationsreportedsuprasubductionophiolitesandfelsicvolcanictuffsfromAttappadi,

    ShajiE&PradeepkumarAP(Eds)2014MineralResourcesofKeralaTrivandrum:DeptofGeologyUnivofKeralaISBN97881923449041

  • Santosh M, Shaji E MineralresourcesofKerala:Atectonicperspective

    Fig.1GeologicalandtectonicframeworkofsouthernPeninsularIndiashowingthemajorcrustalblocksand interveningshear/suturezones(afterCollinsetal.,2014;Santoshetal.,2014).TheoutlineofKeralaState isalsoshown.

    alongthesouthernmarginof theNilgiri BlocksuggestingactivesubductionaccretionintheNeoarchean(Santoshetal.,2013b,Praveenetal.,2013).ThenextmajortectoniceventinthisregionwasduringlatePaleoproterozoic,around2.0Gainvolvingbothjuvenilemagmatismand

    ShajiE&PradeepkumarAP(Eds)2014MineralResourcesofKeralaTrivandrum:DeptofGeologyUnivofKeralaISBN97881923449042

  • Santosh M, Shaji E MineralresourcesofKerala:Atectonicperspective

    extensivecrustalrecycling(e.g.,Krneretal.,2012;Plavsaetal.,2012).Theimprintsoflate

    Fig.2(a)CompilationofglobalzirconUPbagesandtheircorrelationwithmajorsupercontinentassemblies (modifiedfromRoberts,2012). (b)MajorgeologicalandtectoniceventsintheKeralaregionthroughtime correlatedwithglobalevents(afterZhaiandSantosh,2011).

    ShajiE&PradeepkumarAP(Eds)2014MineralResourcesofKeralaTrivandrum:DeptofGeologyUnivofKeralaISBN97881923449043

  • Santosh M, Shaji E MineralresourcesofKerala:Atectonicperspective

    Paleoproterozoic events are preserved in thedifferent crustal blocks including Madurai andTrivandrum,andfurthersouthintheNagercoilBlockinTamilNadu.Itisbecomingincreasinglyevident that a largepart of thebasement rocks in this regionareof Paleoproterozoic age, floatingwithinthePanAfricanOceanofreworkedcrustalcomponents,theformationoftheprotoliths of which coincided with the birth of the Columbia supercontinent (Rogers andSantosh,2002;Meert,2012;Nanceetal.,2014).Followingthisevent,thereisalongperiodof quiescence, with only sporadic evidence for any Mesoproterozoic and early Neoproterozoicactivity. However, starting mid Neoproterozoic (Ediacaran) magmatic activity flared up invariousblocksinrelationtodifferenttectonicprocesses,involvingbothplatemarginandintraplate,culminatinginthelatestNeoproterozoicCambriancollisionaleventwhenthewholeregion witnessed high grade metamorphism associated with the assembly of Gondwana(Santoshetal.,2009;Collinsetal.,2014).Pegmatitesandmaficdykesarethepredominantmagmatic representatives of the Phanerozoic world in this region, associated with postcollisionalextensioninCambrianOrdovicianandsubsequentyoungerriftingeventsrelatedtothedisruptionofGondwana. AvasttractofyoungersedimentarycoverfringespartsofthewesternmarginoftheStage.

    MineralresourcesofKerala:asynopsis

    Hereweprovideabrief summaryof thesalientmineral resourcesof thestateof Kerala inrelationtothemajorgeologicandtectoniceventsthroughtimeasschematicallyshowninFig.3.The ore reserve estimates and localities mentioned in the sections beloware basedon theinformation given in the official homepage of the Department of Mining and Geology,GovernmentofKeralaat:http://dmg.kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=61ArcheanearlyPaleoproterozoic.TheoldestmetallicmineraldepositofeconomicsignificanceinKeralaisiron,mostlyassociatedwithmetamorphosedBandedIronFormations(BIF),andpresentlyoccurringashighlyfoldedanddeformedbandedmagnetitequartzitebands.DepositsofthistypeoccurinKozhikodeandMalappuramdistricts, andatotalreserveof84milliontonnesofironwithorecontinentvaryingfrom32to41%hasbeenestimated. AmongthemajoroccurrencesarethoseofEleyettimala,Naduvallur,Nanminda,Cheruppa,AlamparaandKorattimala,andthelargestoneisatAlamparawithatotalof35.2milliontonFeatagradeof35.2%Fe. MinormetaBIFsalsooccurinseveralotherlocalities,suchasthoseofAttappadi (Santosh et al., 2013b). The meta BIFs in Kerala dominantly represent oceanic sediments,possibly generated through seafloor hydrothermal processes, accreted onto the continentalmargin during subductioncollision tectonics during Archean early Paleoproterozoic, andsubsequentlymetamorphosed,asinferredfromrecentgeochronologicalstudiesoftheassociatedrocks(e.g.,Santoshetal.,2013b;Praveenetal.,2013).

    Thenextmajormetallicdepositisgold,mostofwhichareconfinedtotheWyandGoldfieldinNorthKerala.ThegoldmineralizationoccursalonganumberofzonesfromGudalurinthe east extending westwards into Kerala where Nilambur in Malapparuam district andAttappadyValleyinPalakkaddistrictareconsideredprospective.Goldintheseregionsoccursinthree principal settings: (1) primary lodegold mineralization in quartz veins traversingPrecambrian crystalline rocks, (2) supergene gold associated with laterites in weatheringprofiles; and(3)placergoldassociatedwithstreamgravels(Nairetal., 1987;SantoshandOmana,1991;Santoshetal.,1995). AccordingtotheinformationfromMiningandGeologyDepartment, also compiling sources from the Geological Survey of India, prospecting hasestablished0.55milliontonnesofgradeof4g/tonneofgoldinMaruda,and0.08milliontonnesofgoldwithanaveragegradeof12.98g/tatKottathara.ExplorationthroughtestpitscarriedoutinplacerdepositsofNilamburvalleyalongtheriversPunnapuzhaandChaliyarpuzhashow

    ShajiE&PradeepkumarAP(Eds)2014MineralResourcesofKeralaTrivandrum:DeptofGeologyUnivofKeralaISBN97881923449044

  • Santosh M, Shaji E MineralresourcesofKerala:Atectonicperspective

    reservesof2.5millioncubicmeterofplacerswith0.1gm/m3ofgold,leadingtoaprojectionof30millionm3ofplacersforthewholearea.Theprimarylodegolddepositsoccurinquartz

    Fig.3SchematicillustrationshowingthemajortectoniceventsintheKeralaregionthroughtimeandthe correspondingmineralization.

    ShajiE&PradeepkumarAP(Eds)2014MineralResourcesofKeralaTrivandrum:DeptofGeologyUnivofKeralaISBN97881923449045

  • Santosh M, Shaji E MineralresourcesofKerala:Atectonicperspective

    sulphideveinsmainlytraversingamphibolites(metavolcanics)asinNilambur.Therehasbeennodirectdatingonthetimingofthegoldmineralization,butbasedonzirconUPbdataonthe

    Fig.4IndiaSriLankaMadagascarEastAntarcticainEastGondwanashowingthemajorgemfields(after MenonandSantosh,1995)

    hostamphibolites(ourunpublisheddata),aNeoarcheanhistoryisinferred.FluidinclusionandstableisotopestudiesonthegoldmineralizationinNilambur(Santoshetal.,1995)showthat theore fluids hadsubstantial CO2 content, and that the fluids were sourced frommagmasderivedfromsublithosphericsources.Thesourceofgoldandsulphidesmightberelatedtothedehydrationanddecarbonationofthesubductedsedimentsandoceaniccrust,withthemetalsmobilizedthroughheatinputfrommagmaticunderplatingandfluidflux,leadingtostructurallycontrolled gold mineralization and carbonate alteration. Minor skarntype tungstenmineralization(scheelite)hasalsobeenfoundintheAttappadivalley.

    MagnesitereserveinKeralaisestimatedas0.037milliontonnesandoccursmostlyintheMulliSalayurregionofAttappadiinPalakkadDistrict,withanaveragerecoveryof100kg/m3.

    ShajiE&PradeepkumarAP(Eds)2014MineralResourcesofKeralaTrivandrum:DeptofGeologyUnivofKeralaISBN97881923449046

  • Santosh M, Shaji E MineralresourcesofKerala:Atectonicperspective

    Steatite/talcoccursinseverallocationsaroundtheThalasseryTalukofKannurdistrictandthetotalreservesareestimatedas7.94milliontonnes.Themagnesitemineralizationismainlyveintype and locally massive, and is possibly related to CO2rich alteration of olivinebearingultramafic rocks in a suprasubduction mantle wedge. The steatite/talc is also a hydrousalterationproductofNeoarcheanultramaficrocks.

    Metamorphism and accretion of continental shelf sequences have also producedcrystallinelimestonesinsomeplacessuchasthoseofWalayar,usedasrawmaterialforcementindustry.

    LatePaleoproterozoic. TheLatePaleoproterozoictectonicsintheSouthernGranuliteTerrainincludingtheKerala regionmainly witnessedtheproductionandemplacement of felsic arcmagmaspossiblyinconvergentmarginsettings.TheserockshavelaterbeensubjectedtohighandultrahightemperaturemetamorphismintheLateNeoproterozoicCambrianandthereisnomajormineralizationassociatedwiththeserocks. However,theserocksalsocontributeasthesourceofilmeniteandrareearthbearingmineralsinplacerdepositsalongtheKeralacoast.

    LateNeoproterozoicCambria. Severalfelsicplutons,someofthemwithalkalineaffinities,wereemplacedinthedifferentcrustalblocksoftheSouthernGranuliteTerrainduringthemidNeoproterozoic (EdiacaranTonian), but these do not carry any significant economicmineralizationexceptminorrareearthminerals.TowardstheendofProterozoicandthedawnofCambrian,allthecrustalblockssouthofthePalghatCauverySutureZonewitnessedhighgrademetamorphism,extensivecrustalreworkingandemplacementoffelsicmagmas(Santoshetal.,2009). MeltinginvolvedbotholderbasementaswellaslargevolumesofcontinentaldetritusdepositedasshelfsequencesinoceanbasinsthatclosedduringGondwanaassembly,suchastheKhondaliteBeltinTrivandrumBlock.Theorogenesiswasaccompaniedbyavariety ofmineralizationsourcedmostlyfromcrustalcomponentsandincludesgemstones,graphite,molybdeniteandrareearths.

    ThegemstonemineralizationinKeralaislargelyhostedbycomplexlyzonedpegmatites,mostofwhichwerederivedbymeltingofaluminouspeliticprotoliths(Menonetal.,1994).ThegempegmatitefieldinsouthernKeralaandadjacentTamilNaduisdefinedbyanellipticalareaof70x35sqkm.ChrysoberylcatseyeisthemostvaluedamongthegemstonesrecoveredfromsouthernKerala.Sapphire,topaz,gemvarietyofberyl,tourmaline,garnetandfluorapatitearealsorecoveredassemipreciousstones.MenonandSantosh(1995)correlatedthegemstonemineralization in Kerala with those of Sri Lanka and Madagascar within the CambrianGondwanaassemblyandproposedamajorPanAfricangemfieldinEastGondwana(Fig.4). ThemajorgemrecoveryinKeralaisfromplacerdeposits(streamgravels)derivedbyweatheringoftheprimarysource.

    Graphite in Kerala is dominantly associated with metamorphosed pelitic rocks andassociated lithologies. Radhika et al. (1995) distinguished distinct varieties of graphite inspecific genetic settings. These include: (1) disseminated and lumpy graphite occurring asstratabound deposits within khondalites (granulite facies metapelites) formed through theconversionofbiogenicmaterialduringhighgrademetamorphismandcharacterizedbylightercarbonenrichment;(2)coarsegraphiteflakesandflakyaggregatesinveins,pegmatitesandmeltpools which were precipitated by the reduction of CO2fluids that infiltrated fromexternalsources,andcharacterizedbymantlelikecarbonvalues;and(3)shearzonehostedgraphitemineralization resulting from precipitation fromCO2rich fluids with mixed carbon isotopesignature. TheeconomicgradeveintypegraphitewasearlierminedfromseverallocalitiesinTrivandrumdistrict.FlaketypeofgraphiteoccursinTrivandrum,Kollam,Kottayam,IdukkiandErnakulamdistricts.Someoftheseshowgoodbeneficiationfeatures,withahighrecoveryof fixed carbon (about 85%). The total ore reserves of graphite in Ernakulamand Kottayam

    ShajiE&PradeepkumarAP(Eds)2014MineralResourcesofKeralaTrivandrum:DeptofGeologyUnivofKeralaISBN97881923449047

  • Santosh M, Shaji E MineralresourcesofKerala:Atectonicperspective

    districtsareestimatedasaround6milliontonnes. Weatheringandlateritisationofthehostrockshasleftthegraphitemineralizationrecoverablewithease.

    Molybdenite is associated with some of the Late Neoproterozoic Cambrian alkaligranitessuchastheAmablavayalgraniteinWynaddistrict(Santoshetal.1988a,b).Highly

    Fig.5OrefluidevolutionduringtheformationofmolybdeniteintheAmabalavayalgranite(afterSantosh etal.,1988b).

    coarseflakesandflakyaggregatesofmolybdenitehavebeenrecoveredfrompegmatitesandquartzveinsassociatedwiththegranite.Santoshetal.(1994)reportedpreciseReOsdatingof molybdenite fromAmbalavayal which constrain the timing of metallogeny as ca. 567 Ma.Santoshet al. (1988b) carried out detailed fluid inclusion studies and traced the ore fluidevolutionatAmbalavayal(Fig.5)withfluidsofmoderatetohighdensity(0.750.85g/cm3)andsalinity(15wt%NaCl)markingthemainorestage.

    ThegranulitefaciesmetamorphismduringLateNeoproterozoicCambrian,particularlythoseofpeliticprotoliths,generatedanumberimportantmineralsincludingmonazite,ilmenite,rutile, zircon, leucoxene, and sillimanite, and the subsequent weathering and denudationprocessesconcentratedthesemineralsinthebeachsandsalongthewesterncoastgivingrisetothe rich heavy mineral sands. The heavy mineral sand and China clay (kaolin) deposits

    ShajiE&PradeepkumarAP(Eds)2014MineralResourcesofKeralaTrivandrum:DeptofGeologyUnivofKeralaISBN97881923449048

  • Santosh M, Shaji E MineralresourcesofKerala:Atectonicperspective

    contributetomorethan90%ofthetotalvalueofmineralproductioninKerala.ThemineralsandsintheChavaradepositareestimatedtocontain127milliontonnesofheavyminerals.Ilmeniteaccountsfor80milliontonnesfromthetotalreserveof1400milliontonnesofrawsand. ThecoastaltractinAlappuzhadistrictalsocontainsextensivedepositsofsilicasand.

    Bauxiteoccursincloseassociationwithlateriteinseverallocationsalongthewestcoast of Kerala and deposits of economic significance are limited to a few locations in Kollam,Trivandrum,KasargodandKannurdistricts.ThetotalbauxitereservesintheStateareestimatedat12.5milliontonnes,withthelargestoneinNileswaramwithareserveof5.32milliontonnesofgradearound45%Al2O3andlessthan5%SiO2.

    ThekaolinitedepositsofKundarainthezonebetweenTrivandrumandKollamdistrictsarewellknownfortheirworldclassquality(Nakagawaetal.,2006).ChinaclayhasalsobeenidentifiedinazoneextendingfromKannurtoKasargoddistricts.Theestimatedreserveis172milliontonnes,mostlyofsedimentaryandresidualorigin.LigniteoccursinmultipleseamsinKasargoddistrict,andareserveof250milliontonneshasbeenestimated.BothChinaclayandplasticclayareassociated.

    Summary

    Insummary,althoughtheKeralaregionwitnessedgeologicandtectonicprocessesfromtheearlyhistoryof theEarth toRecent, themineral resources are limitedprincipally becauseof theextremelyhighgrademetamorphismthatoverprintedtheregionduringGondwanaassemblyinCambrian and erased much of the earlier lower temperature (hydrothermal) records. Inaddition,extensiveweatheringanderosionoverprolongedgeologicaltimescaleshaveremovedtheupperlevelsofthecrust,exposingtherelativelybarrendeeprootsofthecontinent.Inspiteof the scarcity of metallic mineral deposits, Kerala holds some of the world class mineralresources including the rich rareearth bearing beach sands and the high quality kaolinite.Furthermore,thereisalsopotentialtoprospectforgoldinregionswhereyoungerfelsicmagmasextensivelyinvadedtheoldersubductedaccretedbasementandcausedlithosphericdestructionandpossiblemobilizationoforebearingmaterials, byanalogywiththeworlds richest golddepositintheJiaodongPeninsulainNEChina(GoldfarbandSantosh,2014).Thepaleosuturesand junctions of microblocks (Li and Santosh, 2014) might also be prospective for goldexploration.

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    Clark,C.,Collins,A.S.,Kinny,P.D.,Timms,N.E.,Chetty,T.R.K.,2009.SHRIMPUPbAgeconstraintsoncharnockitemagmatismandhighgrademetamorphismintheSalemBlock,SouthernIndia.GondwanaResearch16,2736.

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    Collins,A.S.,Clark,C.,Sajeev,K.,Santosh,M.,Kelsey,D.E.,Hand,M.,2007.PassagethroughIndia,theMozambique Oceansuture,highpressuregranulitesandthePalghatCauveryshearsystem.TerraNova19,141147.

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    ShajiE&PradeepkumarAP(Eds)2014MineralResourcesofKeralaTrivandrum:DeptofGeologyUnivofKeralaISBN97881923449049

  • Santosh M, Shaji E MineralresourcesofKerala:Atectonicperspective

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