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Geology of the area (Udaipur)

One of the most significant features about the geology of the area around Udaipur is the preserved record of Archean-proterozoic boundary a bench mark event in the evolution of the crust of the Earth. Not far away from the city, at a place close to Jhamarkotra, there are outcrops of Archean gneisses. These grey coloured gneisses are oldest rocks (3300 million years old) recorded so far in the Aravalli Mountain belt. Overlying these gneisses, occur the early porterozoic rocks, called the Aravalli supergroup. Uncomfortable relationship between the Aravalli supergroup and the basement rocks, the banded Gneissic complex can be observed very clearly in the regions around Jhamarkotra.

Jhamarkotra Rock Phosphate mine

Location: 17.5 km south east from Udaipur city on the Udaipur-Jhamarkotra road. The valley of Udaipur is endured with a number of rock phosphate deposits situated in the chains of hills of carbonate rocks that virtually form a girdle around the city of lakes. Out of all these deposits the eastern ones are the geologically significant and economically most viable. Mining of these rich rock phosphate deposits is being carried out by the different agencies for the last three decades. It was first discovered by Department of Mining Geology Rajasthan (DMGR).

Geological history of the mine

Early proterozoic was marked by a revolutionary change in the form of life. The blue green algae bloomed on the quiet tidal flat shelves, banks and shoals which all indicate a shallow water basin of deposition. The prolific growth of algae helped in the augmentation of the oxygen budget of the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis resulting in higher degree of oxidation. These algal colonies had the ability to trap phosphate from the seawater and preserve it in their edifices. These edifices or the organosedimentary structures are known as the Stromatalites. These algal colonies had a tendency to grow towards the sunlight and thus form a columnar algal stromatolites phosphorite. Due to this, the carbonate sequence of lower Aravalli group hosted the phosphorite beds and forms a major part of Jhamarkotra formation. Distribution of stromatilites bearing dolomite sequence in this region is suggestive of a complex shoreline configuration of the Aravalli Sea. The outcrop of the phosphorite bed in the Jhamarkotra mines, indicate a complex structural pattern.

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Geology of the mine

The area falls under survey of India toposheet number 45 H/15. It is the biggest (nonmetallic) open cast (advanced strip) mine in India with latitude 24 27 30 to 24 29 30 and longitude 73 49 to 73 52. Phosphorite deposit of Jhamarkotra extends over a strike length of about 16 km which is not straight but slightly curved in few areas due to the position of coast line and also because of the tectonic activities. The average width of the phosphorite body varies between 10 to 15 meters. The mine has a total area of about 13.4 sq. km. The depth is estimated to be 5-35 mt (workable) and the dip of the bed to be 40-60. The one is located along the fault zone which is dipping 80south east (pic). Total reserve is found till a depth of approximately 29.34mt. The host rock is dolomite and the chief mineral constituent of these rocks is apatite P2O8. Out of the total probable reserves of about 100 million tones and proved reserves of about 74 million tones about 16.7 million tones are considered as directly useable (with P2O5 over 31%).

Lithology of the area

The host carbonate formation shows rapid lithofacies changes to ferruginous and manganiferous (locally) dolomite, dolomitic arenite, black shales argillaceous dolomite and quartzite. Residual weathering of the carbonate rocks have resulted in extensive formation of silcrete, ferricrete and cave breccia. Nature of the phosphate deposit There are five modes of occurrences of these phosphatic deposits. 1) Columnar algal stromatalitic phosphorite. 2) Laminar algal phosphorite. 3) Reworked conglomeralic or brecciated phosphorite. 4) Massive bedded phosphorite. 5) Dissiminated and nodular phosphorite. Columnar phosphatic stromatolites are the most common form present at Jhamarkotra (pic). In simplest form these columnar stromatolites look like a series of inverted tubes made up of phosphatic laminar, with dolomite occupying the intercolumnar zones. Forms of

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columnar stromatolites vary widely from isolated individual columns to branches froms. Columns show their growth perpendicular to the bedding planes. Excellent examples of columnar phosphatic stromatolites growing perpendicular to bedding planes can be observed west to the B-block mining area.

Mining methodology
It is an advanced stripping technique. Excavator, dumper and drilling machines are used to extract the ore and transport. Drilling machine is used to obtain sample of subsurface through coring. Core box were seen where number of samples are marked with arrows indicating the sequence of core according to depth. Diamond core drilling machine is used which are fitted with bit pipes to reach different depths (pic). For the purpose of mining operation, the deposit has been divided into several blocks. Deposit is being worked out with a system of benches. The mining of one by open cast is started from the outcrop of the deposit at the top of hills. The benches are between 8 to 10 meters vertical intervals. This makes removing of the overburden easier and also provides easy access to the deposits. Faces of benches are kept across the strike of the phosphorite and working at the face progress along the strike direction.

Grades of ore
There are three different grade of ore found in this mine: high grade ore with 34-36% avg P2O5, medium grade with 25-29% avg P2O5 and low grade ore. This difference in grade can be due to natural weathering of the host rock. In some places intense shearing had taken place and dolomite was crushed away and leaving some silica and iron which gets mixed with the phosphate reducing its grade a little. In the case of less deformed stromatolites, the grade variation is also dependent on the density of the column population. Where the column population is very dense, the P2O5 content could be as high as 30%. By contrast, the wider spacing of columns could reduce the grade to around 25%. Two different processes seem to have operated in upgrading of the phosphorite subsequent to its formation. These are weathering and tectonic reworking. In both the cases the upgradation of the one is due to removal of dolimitic carbonate, which occurs in the intercolumnar spaces and in between the phosphate lamellae within a column. Some amount of silica and iron oxides might have crept into the rock during this process. One common process of removal of dolomite is by

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brecciation resulting from caving of rock column during or subsequent to deagenesis. Silicification and deposition of iron might have reduced the grade at several localities. Crocodile skin weathering is observed which is mainly formed due to chemical weathering in which the dolomite is removed as solution or gets washed away.

Advantage and disadvantage

This mine is of great economic importance and this phosphate ore are used in the manufacture of fertilizers. But the mine may create some major environmental problem such as dust, noise pollution, damage of vegetation due to removal of overburden. It also affects the ground water as the mine progresses downwards towards the water table.

Measures to check these environmental issues

The DMGR uses several ways to lower the environmental problem. Water spraying and sprinkling is done on the haul/transport roads to suppress the dust generation and reduce air pollution. Plantation of trees and other kind of plants in the surrounding area. Water table must not be too near therefore they pump the water and transport to the Udaipur city.

Conclusion
We have been greatly beneficial by this field excursion.