Geochemical characterization for REE and Gold mineralization in rhyolites and basic rocks of Dongargarh Kotri belt, Chhattisgarh, India: An Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis Study
Keywords:
Instrumental Neutron Activation analysis, Rare Earth Element, Chondrite normalization, Dongargarh-Kotri Belt, Gold MineralizationAbstract
Non-destructive Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) was applied for quantitative multi-elemental analysis to estimate rare earth elements (REE) and other trace elements in surface grab samples of rhyolites (n = 7) and basic rocks (n = 5) from the Bhandaritola-Netamtola area, Rajnandgaon district, Chhattisgarh, India. The study area forms part of a major Paleoproterozoic volcano-plutonic complex represented by a suite of basic to acidic rocks in the Dongargarh-Kotri belt. The technique was utilized for the determination of REE (La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb, Lu), actinides (U, Th), trace elements (Sc, Cr, Co, Rb, Cs, Ba, Hf, Ta, Sb, Au, Ag), and major elements (Na₂O, K₂O, CaO, Fe₂O₃(T)). Samples were prepared with Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) in aluminium foil and simultaneously irradiated in a thermal neutron flux of 10¹³ n cm⁻² s⁻¹ at the DHRUVA research reactor, BARC, Mumbai, India. Irradiated samples were measured using a gamma-ray spectrometer equipped with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. Chondrite-normalized rare earth element patterns for rhyolites indicated negative europium anomalies (Eu/Eu*) ranging from 0.24 to 0.75, with total REE content (∑REE) of 256–703 ppm. Basic rocks exhibited ∑REE of 40–158 ppm and Eu/Eu* values of 0.20–0.69. Notably, rhyolites along sheared contacts in the Bhandaritola and Netamtola areas exhibited high gold concentrations (up to 3,139 ppb; average 688 ppb), identifying these formations as promising targets for gold mineralization.
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