Granitoids around the Malanjkhand copper deposit: types and age relationship

Abstract

On the basis of field relations, petrography and chemistry, three types of granitoids are recognized at Malanjkhand in and around the copper deposit over an area of about 200 km². These are (i) a fine grained 'leucogranite' of restricted occurrence in the surrounding area (Gr-I); (ii) coarse-grained, grey in most parts, gneissose granitoid of regional extension (Gr-II); and (iii) the pink-feldspar bearing massive type hosting the mineralization with occasional representatives in the surrounding country (Gr-III). Gr-I comes out as a distinct entity on the basis of cross-cutting relation and mineralogical and chemical composition, the Rb-Sr whole rock isochron also giving a younger age than the other two groups irrespective of the regression model used. Gr-II comes out as the oldest unit but its age relationship with Gr-III cannot be established unequivocally. An uncorrelated error regression model establishes the age relationship as Gr-I<Gr-III<Gr-II, whereas a two-error regression model establishes temporal closeness between Gr-II and III.