Abstract
Thirty one sediment samples from different varieties viz. yellow, reddish brown, brick red and light yellow sands from red sediments of Bhimunipatnam, Andhra Pradesh were studied to understand the heavy mineral assemblage, their fractionwise distribution and concentration. The heavy mineral assemblage in red sediments is ilmenite, magnetite, sillimanite, garnet, zircon, rutile, kyanite, monazite etc. Total heavy minerals (THM) wt. % varies from 16.67 to 23.99% and their concentration is not uniform in all the sedimentary samples. The higher THM wt% in brick red sands (23.99%) followed by reddish brown sands (20.24%), light yellow sands (17.10%) and yellow sands (16.67%). The finer fractions have more concentration of THM wt% than coarse fraction. The vertical distribution of heavy minerals in each sedimentary unit indicates that these units are not formed in single phase of deposition. Less concentration of garnets in yellow and light yellow sedimentary units indicates that the garnets might be chemically altered into iron hydroxide–limonite which gives yellow colour to the sediments under slightly oxidizing environment. Low concentration of garnets in brick red and reddish brown sediments indicates that garnets might have been undergone chemical decomposition under acidic conditions leads to produce iron oxides (Hematite) causes for red colorization of these units. The heavy mineral assemblage in different sand units indicates that they are derived from Eastern Ghat Group of rocks (khondalites and charnockites).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Behera, P. (2003) Heavy Minerals in beach sands of Gopalpur and Paradeep along Orissa coastline, East Coast of India. Indian Jour. Mar. Sci., 32, pp.172–174.
Cheepurupalli, N. Rao Anu Radha, B., Reddy, K.S.N., Dhanamjaya Rao, E.N. and Dayal, A.M. (2012) Heavy Mineral distribution studies in different microenvironments of Bhimunipatnam coast, Andhra Pradesh, India. Internat. Jour. Scient. Res. Publ., v.2, pp.1–10.
Durga Prasada Rao, N.V.N. and Srihari, Y. (1980) Clay mineralogy of the Late Pleistocene sediments of Visakhapatnam region, East coast of India. Sediment. Geol., v.27, pp.213–227.
Durga Prasada Rao, N.V.N., Srihari, Y. and Behairy, A.K.A. (1982) Columnar concretions in the Visakhapatnam Red sediments on the East Coast of India. Sediment. Geol., v.31, pp.303–316.
King, (1886) The Geological sketch of Visakhapatnam district. Rec. Geol. Surv. India, v.19, pp.143–156.
Madabhushi, S. (1995) Possible indicators of neotectonic activity near Bhimunipatnam coast, Andhra Pradesh. Curr. Sci., v.68, pp.552–555.
Mahadevan, C, and Raonageswara, B. (1950) Black sand concentrates of the Vizagapatam Coast. Curr. Sci, v.19, pp.48–49.
Mahadevan, C. and Sriramadas, A. (1948) Monazites in the beach sands of Vizagapatam District. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., v.27A, pp.275–279.
Mahadevan, C., Narayan Das, G.R. and Nagaraja Rao, N. (1958) Prospecting and evaluation of beach placers along the coastal belt of India. Proc. 2nd Intl. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva, no.2, pp.103–106.
Mishra, P.C., Padhi, S.K., Das, S. and Mishra, B. (2006) Heavy Mineral Placer deposit in parts of Ganjam and Puri coast, Orissa: Their distribution pattern and potentiality. Jour. Indian Assoc. Sediment., v.25, pp.45–57.
Mohapatra, G.P., Rao, B.R. and Biswas, N.R. (1992) Morphology and surficial sediment of the Eastern Continental shelf off Peninsular India. Rec. Geoscientific study in the Bay of Bengal and Andman Sea, v.29, pp.229–243.
Nageswara Rao, K., Udaya Bhaskara Rao, Ch., Vijaya Prakash, P. and Thimma Reddy, K. (2006) Morphostratigraphy and Evolution of the Quaternary Red Sands near Bhimunipatnam. East coast of India. Jour. Geol. Soc. India, v.68, pp.857–873.
Prabhakara Rao, A., Prasad, W., Vijayanand, B. and Ravi, G.S. (2005) A note on the occurrence of rich heavy mineral beach placers along Gahiramatha coast, Kendrapara district, Orissa. Jour. Indian Assoc. Sediment., v.24, pp.59–64.
Rajasekhara Reddy, D., Siva Sankar Prasad, V., Malathi, V., Reddy, K.S.N. and Varma, D.D. (2001) Economic Potential of the Heavy Minerals of the Beaches between Baruva and Bhavanapadu, Andhra Pradesh. Jour. Geol. Soc. India, v.57, pp.443–449.
Ramamohana Rao, T., Shanmukha Rao, Ch. and Sanyasi Rao, K. (1982) Textural analysis and mineralogy of the black sand deposits of Visakhapatnam-Bhimunipatnam Coast, A.P., India. Jour. Geol. Soc. India, v.23, pp.284–289.
Raman, C.V. and Rao, A.T. (1980) Textural Analysis of Red sediments from Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh. Geol. Soc. India, v.21, pp.48–53.
Rao, A.T. (1978) Red sediments from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Jour. Geol. Soc. India, v.19, pp.79–82.
Rao, A.T., Rao, P.N., Varma, D.D. and Rao, K.P. (1993) Coastal sediments along Visakhapatnam–Bhimunipatnam region, Andhra Pradesh. Jour. Indian Assoc. Sediment., v.12, pp.1–9.
Rao, A.Y., Ravi, G.S., Rao, R.G., Krishna, S., Ali, M.A. and Banarjee, D.C. (1999) Srikurmam–A Major Heavy Mineral Beach and Dune sand deposit on the East coast of India. Internat. Sem. Placer Deposits, Tanjavur, India, Abstract Volume, pp.58–59.
Ravi, G.S., Gajapathi Rao, R. and Yugandhara Rao, A. (2001) Coastal Heavy Mineral Sand deposits of Andhra Pradesh. Special Issue on Beach and Inland Heavy mineral Sand Deposits of India, Exploration and Research for Atomic Minerals, v.13, pp.53–85.
Reddy, K.S.N., Deva Varma, D., Dhanamjaya Rao, E.N., Veeranarayana, B. and Lakshmi Prasad, T. (2012) Distribution of Heavy Minerals in Nizampatnam–Lankavanidibba coastal sands, Andhra Pradesh, East Coast of India. Jour. Geol. Soc. India, v.79, pp.411–418.
Reddy, K.S.N., Lakshmi Prasad, T. and Babu Rao, N. (2007) Relationship of Heavy Mineral Redistribution in different micro environments to seasonal changes of beach processes in an Embayed beach of Yarada–Gangavaram, North Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Jour. Geol. Soc. India, v.70, pp.963–974.
Sastry, A.V.R., Swamy, A.S.R. and Vasudev, K. (1987) Heavy minerals of beach sands along Visakhapatnam -Bhimunipatnam, East coast of India. Indian Jour. Mar. Sci, v.16, pp.39–42.
Sastry, A.V.R., Swamy, A.S.R. and Prasada Rao (1981) Distribution of sands along Visakhapatnam -Bhimunipatnam beach. Indian Jour. Mar. Sci., v.1, pp.369–370.
Sreenivasa Rao, P., Satyanarayana, G. and Swamy, A.S.R. (1995) Heavy minerals of modern and relict sediments of the Nizampatnam bay, East Coast of India, Indian Jour. Mar. Sci, v.24, pp.166–170.
Sriramadas, A. (1951) The black Sand Concentrates of the Vizagapatam Beach. Quart. Jour. Geol. Min. Metal. Soc. India, v.23, pp.169–180.
Vishnuvardhana Rao, M. and Durga Prasada Rao, N.V.N. (1968) A note on the origin of Waltair Highlands. Curr. Sci., v.37, pp.438–439.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Krishna, K.N.M., Reddy, K.S.N., Sekhar, C.R. et al. Heavy mineral studies on late quaternary red sediments of Bhimunipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, East coast of India. J Geol Soc India 88, 637–647 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-016-0530-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-016-0530-6