Journal of Geological Society of India (Online archive from Vol 1 to Vol 78)

Narayanaswamy ¹, V. Balaram ², N. Ramkumar ¹, K. V. Anjaiah ²

Affiliations
1 Centre for Earth Science Studies, Akkulam, Trivandrum - 695031, IN
2 National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad - 500 007, IN

Abstract

Water samples from wells adjoining abandoned mines in the Wynad-Nilambur Gold Field were analysed by ICP-MS for gold and values ranging from 0.05 ppb to 0.22 ppb obtained. Though gold in the water samples is in very low concentration, the study suggests that it is possible to use water samples in hydrogeochemical prospecting for gold by adopting ICP-MS instrumental technique after preconcentration of gold by activated charcoal. The procedure is very sensitive with detection limit approaching 0.1 parts per trillion.

Keywords

Hydrogeochemistry, Gold, ICP-MS, Wynad-Nilambur Gold Fields, Kerala.

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