Geochemistry of the Heavy Mineral Sands from the Garampeta to the Markandi beach, southern coast of Odisha, India: Implications of high contents of REE and Radioelements attributed to Placer Monazite

Ghosal, S and Agrahari, S and Banerjee, S and Chakrabarti, R and Sengupta, D (2020) Geochemistry of the Heavy Mineral Sands from the Garampeta to the Markandi beach, southern coast of Odisha, India: Implications of high contents of REE and Radioelements attributed to Placer Monazite. In: Journal of Earth System Science, 129 (1).

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Abstract

This study presents major element, radioactive element and rare earth element (REE) concentrations of the Garampeta to Markandi beach along the southern coast of Odisha, India to delineate the source signature and resource potential of the beach placer deposits. Average �REE concentration of the beach sand samples is about four times higher than the average crustal concentration. The LREE concentration is higher than HREE, with a pronounced negative europium anomaly. The study also discusses about the radioelement 238U, 232Th and 40K concentrations in the study area, and their relationship with REE. Weathering condition of the source rock, based on the major elements and Th/U ratio indicated a reasonably high degree of weathering. Major element and the REE composition along with the europium anomaly, relate the beach placers to mainly charnockite and khondalite source. An elevated level of thorium (> 60 times than the average UCC values) as exhibited by the samples could be attributed due to the presence of monazites. The high concentration of REEs like Nd and Dy along with La and Ce indicates significant REE resource potential in the beach placers which is important for the resource potential in terms of the strategic mineral reserves of the country. © 2020, Indian Academy of Sciences.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Journal of Earth System Science
Publisher:	Springer
Keywords:	concentration (composition); heavy mineral; monazite; rare earth element; sand; sediment chemistry; source rock; thorium, India; Odisha
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Centre for Earth Sciences
Date Deposited:	11 Nov 2021 11:43
Last Modified:	11 Nov 2021 11:43
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/66035

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