Transparent heavy minerals in the coastal sediments of south Maharashtra and their significance in delineating source and environment of transportation and deposition

Abstract

The transparent heavy minerals from the Placer rich Sands from the coastal sediments of Southern Maharashtra (South of 16 degrees 30 minutes to 15 degrees 43 minutes N Lat) are studied mainly to understand the probable source and environment of transportation and deposition. 16 transparent minerals have been identified which represent three different mineral assemblage viz. (1) tourmaline, amphibole, epidote and pyroxene (2) zircon, rutile and titanite (3) staurolite kynaite garnet and olivine. These minerals exhibit variety of textural features, which are suggestive of their transportational and depositional history. The mineral assemblages are suggestive of multisource (igneous, metamorphic and reworked sedimentary) for this placers.