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Geochemistry and economic potential of tourmalinites from Salumber–Ghatol Metallogenic Belt, southeastern Rajasthan, India

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Abstract

The Salumber–Ghatol Metallogenic Belt (SGMB) in southeastern Rajasthan forms a part of volcano-sedimentary sequence of Debari Group, Aravalli Supergroup and hosts several copper-gold prospects. Tourmalinites in the Mahuri Khera area of SGMB are exposed in the form of 30–40 cm thick dark grey black bands that can be traced discontinuously for about 1 km along strike present at the contact of schist and marble and also within the marble. The chemical similarity of tourmalinite and schist with high Fe/Al ratio, higher ∑REE and LREE/HREE ratio, and negative Eu anomaly as well as the similar Fe/Al, Mg/Al and Na/Al molar ratios suggest that the tourmalinite from SGMB are formed by the replacement of clastic sediments with little input from exhalative fluids. It is further inferred that the local clastic metasediments provided the necessary Fe, Mg and Na for the formation of tourmalinite. The average W concentration in the bulk rock samples of tourmalinite is 380 ppm with some samples showing W values above 1000 ppm. The higher values of W are supported by the presence of small grains (10–50 micron) of scheelite in the tourmalinite. Anomalous values for tungsten along with scheelite disseminations from these tourmalinites make this area an interesting tungsten prospect.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to the then Additional Director General, Geological Survey of India, Western Region, Jaipur, for support and encouragement in carrying out the work. We thankfully acknowledge Shri P V Ramana Murthy, the ADG and HoD, GSI, WR, Jaipur for support and approval for publishing the manuscript. We acknowledge the officials of the Chemical Laboratory, GSI, Jaipur and EPMA Laboratory, GSI, Faridabad for analytical support.

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Suresh Chander: Conceptualisation, visualisation, methodology, data and writing of original draft. Pankaj K Srivastava: Conceptualisation, incorporation of write-up and interpretation. Palak Kapoor: Field investigation collection of field data and EPMA study. Vijay Namdev: Field investigation collection of field data.

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Correspondence to Suresh Chander.

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Communicated by Rajneesh Bhutani

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Chander, S., Srivastava, P.K., Kapoor, P. et al. Geochemistry and economic potential of tourmalinites from Salumber–Ghatol Metallogenic Belt, southeastern Rajasthan, India. J Earth Syst Sci 131, 212 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-022-01958-2

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