GeologicalSurveyofIndia

RecordofnativegoldinquartzveinfromRudraprayagarea,Uttarakhand
Investigation for gold and associated mineralisation in LameriRatura area of Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand is being carried out from the State Unit: Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand of NorthernRegion,GeologicalSurveyofIndia,inpursuanceofF.S.P.201012.Theworkareaformsa partofLesserHimalayacomprisingthevolcanosedimentarysequenceofGarhwalGrouphavingthe lithounitsofLameriandNagnithankformationsofMesoProterozoicage.Dolomitewithslateisthe dominantlithologyofLameriFormationwhileNagnithankFormationhasmetavolcanicswithbasic intrusive and quartzite as the dominant lithologies. Sulphide disseminations were observed in carbonaceous slate, dolomite, quartz vein and basic intrusive. Rich sulphide mineralisation is observed in Lameri and Tilni areas. Sulphides occur dominantly as pyrite, chalcopyrite and few bornite specks. The field party has recorded cluster of old workings, slag dump and retort near LameriTilniarea.Oldworkingsoccurindolomitehavingmalachitestainedquartzveinsandinthe form of shallow pockets and one incline. Native gold flakes were recorded from the stream sedimentsamplesofriverAlaknandaanditstributaries. Recently, native gold flake has been observed (Photo1), under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), in the quartz vein sample collected from the mineralised zone in dolomite in Koteshwar area, Rudraprayag and this is the first record of native gold from a mineralised zone, from the area. The SEMEDX study for identification and confirmation was carried out at SEM Laboratory, Palaeontology Division, NR. The gold hosted mineralised zone is six metre wide and exposedoverastrikeofseventymeter,trendingtowardsnorthwest.Availableanalyticalresultsof thesampleshaveindicated1.2%Cuand0.47ppmAufromthemineralisedzoneinLameriarea.The investigationisinprogress.

NorthernRegion

GeologicalSurveyofIndia

Photo-1a: BSD image under SEM showing gold grain in quartz vein in dolomite, Rudraprayag area.

Photo-1b: EDX spectrum of gold grain shown in photo-1a.

NorthernRegion