Occurrences of mineral resources in Bandipur Gondrang area of Tanahun district, central Nepal, Lesser Himalaya

Abstract

A detailed geological investigation was carried out to assess the distribution of minerals and their geological control in Bandipur-Gondrang area of Tanahu district, a part of Lesser Himalaya in central Nepal. The area is found rich in both metallic and non-metallic mineral deposits. The main metallic minerals found are iron in Phalamdada and Labdi Khola, copper in Bhut Khola and poly-metallic deposits including suspected gold in Bhangeri Khola and Jaubari Khola-Bar Khola sections. A large deposit of inorganic carbon is found around the Gondrang-Watak area. Similarly, a good quality of green marble (metabasite) is found as decorative stone in Bagar Khola area and good quality of roofing stone in Bandipur area. In addition to these economic deposits other several sub economic to non-economic mineral are also located in the geological map of the area. Categorization of these mineral deposits is based on the probable reserve and laboratory analysis of related samples. Geological control of mineral deposits is considered to be the stratigraphic, structural, metamorphic and hydrothermal. Iron mineralization of the area is found stratigraphical control, copper deposits by magmatism of basic rocks (amphibolites), and poly-metallic deposits are related to the hydrothermal processes.

Geology and Mineral Resources of Phalamdada-Dhuwakot Section of West-Central Nepal, Lesser Himalaya

“…Representative samples of rocks and minerals were collected for microscopic observation and geochemical analysis. Geological mapping was done at the both banks of the Marsyandi River and correlated with the previous works (Paudyal and Paudel 2011a, 2011b, 2011cPaudyal 2012;Paudyal et al 2012;Paudyal and Paudel 2013;Paudyal 2014). The study area is the western continuity of the regional geological map of Stöcklin and Bhattarai (1977) and Stöcklin (1980).…”

“…Adjacent area of present study was also explored by the team of geologists of the mineral exploration project from the Department of Mines and Geology, Nepal (Stocklin and Bhattarai 1977;Stöcklin 1980) andby United Nations (1993). Later, Paudyal (2014) has studied the occurrences and geological control of mineralization in Bandipur-Gondrang area of Tanahun District and adjacent area. Present work is the continuity of this work towards west.…”

Geological control of mineral deposits in Nepal

“…Skarned type: Copper mineralization is developed at the contact zone of intrusive rock bodies and characterized by polymetallic mineralization like in Kurule, Bamangaon, Sikri khola, Kimti Khola, etc. Bhut Khola copper deposits of Tanahun is considered as a product of basic intrusion where the copper mineralization (within the boudinage of large quartzite) overlies the metabasic rocks in the region (Paudyal, 2015). In general, copper mineralization appears to be largely syngenetic (Bhattarai and Paudyal, 2018), but probably epigenetic with respect to sedimentation.…”

“…Jelbang (Rolpa) mineralization is more or less similar to Thoshe. Iron mineralization in the Labdi Khola-Bhut Khola area is represented by thin hematite/magnetite bands confined to the rocks of the Nourpul Formation as syngenetic deposit and iron deposit of Phalamdada of Tanahun is represented by limonite deposits confined at the upper part of the Nourpul Formation (Paudyal, 2015). Sedimentary iron ore deposit of Dhauwadi-Pokhari area is an oolitic hematite and confined to lower Tertiary succession of Lesser Himalaya.…”

Discrepancies and Research Gaps on the Lithostratigraphy of the Jajarkot Thrust Sheet, Western Nepal Himalaya

“…A massive thrust sheet covers a large area in central Nepal near Kathmandu (Stöcklin & Bhattarai, 1977;Stöcklin, 1980). A thrust sheet has been mapped in the Mugling-Damauli section, and the rocks of this thrust sheet have been correlated with the nearby nappes and klippes (Paudyal & Paudel, 2013;Paudyal, 2014). The Jajarkot Thrust Sheet is a large thrust sheet in western Nepal (Sharma, 1980;Kansakar, 1991Kansakar, , 1992Dhital, 2015;Soucy La Roche, 2018).…”