Exploration of Iron Ore Deposits of Aliabad Area Jamshoro District Southern Indus Basin, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Geophysical and Geochemical investigations were carried out at the exposed rocks around Aliabad area near Jamshoro city in Sindh, for the exploration of iron ore deposit. An area of 2.5 km2 has been covered through detailed ground magnetic survey at the line interval of 500m and station interval of 100m. Magnetic data interpreted that only 27nT magnetic signature occurs in study area. 2D and 3D magnetic maps interpreted that magnetic response was very low due to the presence of hematite type iron ore deposits. Total eight samples of iron ore were collected along profile with different interval and analyzed in scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). SEM data shows the highest peaks of iron, silicon and oxygen. That indicates the composition of quartz and iron, color of samples is dark grey to light grey and texture is medium to fine grains, the whitish color grains indicate the iron and dark grey grains indicate the Quartz is present in SEM image. The discrimination of geochemical data particularly the Harker’s bivariate plots indicate the source being rich in silicon dioxide and iron. With a very strict approach it is interpreted that the provenance of the investigated rocks could be clastic rocks of Pre Eocene age. Both geophysical and geochemical data show no any subsurface extension of exposed iron ore deposits in the study area which could be economically exploitable.