Native Antimony float-ore from Precambrian of Rajasthan, India

P.S. Ranawat (1) , Olivier Rouer (2) , Claire Ramboz (2) , N. Lakshmi (1)

1 Department of Geology
2 ISTO - Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans

Placer concentrations of rolled chunks of heavy, silvery-white, metallic mineral occur along a rivulet (N25°40.013'; E75°20.851') 15 km east of Jahazpur town of eastern Rajasthan. The float-ore occurs in the Precambrian phyllite that is profusely traversed by vein quartz. Its physical, optical, XRD, EPMA data show that the mineral is native antimony (averaging 97.12%Sb) having ~2% As; minor grains of PbTe are also recognized. Prospecting by the Department of Mines and Geology, Rajasthan has not yet resulted in the discovery of the mother lode. This report describes the mineralogy of the float-ore that has scientific value and is a new occurrence in India.

Domains: Paleontology

P.S. Ranawat, Olivier Rouer, Claire Ramboz, N. Lakshmi. Native Antimony float-ore from Precambrian of Rajasthan, India. Journal of the Geological Society of India, 2005, 65, pp.353-356. ⟨hal-00078441⟩