Genetic Issues of Some of the Non Metallic Minerals in Lesser Himalaya

Abstract

A brief account of the representative and workable industrial minerals namely magnesite, talc and barite in Lesser Himalaya, is presented here emphasizing their genesis. Deposits of magnesite and talc are found associated with Neoproterozoic, plateform type, shelf-slope limestone-dolomite host rocks from inner Lesser Himalayan sequences. Field, textural, geochemical signatures and fluid inclusions trapped in dolomite and magnesite reveal within basin processes, in an increased burial- diagenetic environment responsible for formation of magnesite replacing dolomite. Talc is formed at the expense of magnesite and silica, and with limited dolomite involvement at transition conditions from diagenetic to metamorphism. Barite deposit is hosted within Neoproterozoic Nagthat quartzite rocks of outer Lesser Himalaya, wherein its textures, fluid inclusion, sulfur and strontium isotopic studies helped in genetic understanding.