Chitradurga Metallogeny - A Case Study for Regional Metallogenic Analysis

Chitradurga schist belt has traditionally been accepted as a long and narrow curvilinear Archaean geosynclinal pile, cratonised long ago. Important economic minerals are gold ore at Gadag, Bellara, Ajjanahalli and Honnemaradi; antimony at Chikkanayakanahalli; copper-lead-zinc and pyrite at Ingaldhal; iron and manganese ores at the western margin of the belt; limestone and dolomite around Dodguni, Chikkanayakanhalli and Javanahalli; barytes and fuchsite quartzite around Ghattihosahalli.

Salient features of the zonation of metals and minerals show a trend from the central to peripheral areas in the belt:

Cu, Pb, Zn, Pyrite → Au, Ag, Sb, As → Fe, MD, Carbonates → Barite, Fuchsite Quartzite, Kyanite → Feldspar, Quartz, Corundum.

The appropriate name for the container of this varied mineral spectrum across the time and space concept, could be 'metallogen'. The significant features of mineral zones in the Chitradurga metallogen; could prognostically lead to search for ore and the speculative size-up of the mineral in a futuristic perspective, thus forming a basis for a Resource Base. Regional metallogenic analysis thus opens up new vistas for future mineral appraisals. Chitradurga metallogen could thus form a subject for case study.