Ore Petrological Aspects of Copper Mineralisation Near Kalyadi, Hassan District, Karnataka

Abstract Low-grade copper sulphide mineralisation around Kalyadi is localised in an early Precambrian volcanosedimentary suite, characterised by cyclic sedimentational features. The rocks have been intruded by ultramafics, granite and dolerite. The supracrustals have been subjected to three phases of deformation and low-grade metamorphism. The Fe-Cu sulphide mineralisation is stratiform and stratabound, represented by pyrite. chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite. The salient features of tbe mineralisation suggest that the sulphide ore material derived from volcanic exhalatives was deposited along with their volcanosedimentary host rocks syngenetically about 3.0 b.y. ago. The mineralisation is essentially a sulphide facies of iron-formation. Banded ferruginous quartzite also exists in the area, suggesting consanguineous sulphide-oxide facies relationship. The ore has been deformed and metamorphosed along with the host rocks resulting in mobilisation and moderate enrichment.