Title: LAYERED SEQUENCES IN SOUTHERN PART OF NUGGIHALLI SCHIST BELT, DHARWAR CRATON: POSSIBLE SOURCE FOR MULTIMETALS INCLUDING PGES
Abstract: Layered igneous complexes are significant loci are for metallic deposits.Most of he world's Cr, Ni, I, V, Co and other metals found host rocks in them.Great Dyke of Zimbabwe, Stillwater complex in USA and Bushveld igneous complexes provide a few classic examples of layered nature and their metal potential.Like the mineralised cratons elsewhere in the world, Dharwar craton in Karnataka is also known for its mineral wealth.In the central part of Karnataka state, Nuggihalli schist belt -a linear Archaean greenstone belt extends from Kempinkote in the south to Arsikere and beyond in the north with predominant ultramafic components.This belt has attained importance because of the concentration of chromite, mined at a number of places, besides sporadic mining of titaniferous magnetite.Indications for copper and PGEs and known occurrence for gold also highlight the importance of this belt.The Nuggihalli schist belt mainly consists of basic and ultrabasic rocks with significant amounts of chemical and detrital sediments.The general trend is NNW-SSE to NW-SE.Peridotite, serpentinite, talc-tremolite schist, amphibolite, titaniferousmagnetite, dunite, and anorthosites occur are found to serve as host rocks for mineralisaion.This belt is surrounded by biotite and feldspathic gneisses which form the basement.PGE minerals have been reported in chromite from Tagadur, Jambur and Byrapur of Nuggihalli schist belt.The geological setup with high concentration of chromium and nickel associated with sulphides in anorthosite bodies indicate that this belt has high potential for PGE mineralisation which needs further probing.The lithological set up and the metallogenic indications and its (Nuggihalli belt) similarities to other layered complexes elsewhere in the world provide a strong ground for detailed study of this belt for its fuller metallogenic understanding.