The Indian Mineralogist, Vol. 45, No.2, July 2011, pp.

181-187
2011 The Mineralogical Society of India, Mysore, ISSN : 0019-5928

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

IMPLICATIONS OF STABLE ISOTOPE DATA ON SOURCE OF ORE

COMPONENTS AND TEMPERATURE OF ULTRAMAFIC-HOSTED VEIN
MAGNESITE MINERALIZATION IN SOUTH INDIA.

M.S. SETHUMADHAV, M.K. PANDIT* AND K. SRIDHARA RAJE URS.

Department of Earth Science, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysore – 570006.
* Department of Geology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur - 302004.

ABSTRACT
Stable carbon and oxygen isotope data has been used to decipher the source of ore
components and temperature of mineralization for the ultramafic-hosted vein magnesite of
Chalk hills, Salem district, Tamilnadu. Magnesite mineralization occurs mainly in the
intensely serpentinized and weathered portions of the ultramafic body. Magnesite is of the
fracture filling type and is of limited depth persistence. Magnesites have yielded δ13C
values of -1.55 and -3.76‰ PDB and high δ18O values of +28.93 and 28.16‰ SMOW,
suggesting low temperature mineralization. Analogous magnesites (in Dharwar craton of
Mysore district, Karnataka) and Budd layered complex (Barberton greenstone belt, South
Africa) with similar carbon and oxygen isotope signatures have been deduced to have
formed under low temperature conditions respectively from soil carbonates and
hydrothermal solutions. A pertinent model for the origin of magnesite should take into
account age data along with the stable carbon and oxygen isotope data.

INTRODUCTION

Vein magnesite hosted in ultramafic rocks constitute a small proportion compared

to other genetic types, however, they account for the purest and economically viable
variety. Several issues on the genesis of vein magnesite remain controversial, including (1)
source of carbon and magnesium, (2) mode of transport of carbon and (3) precipitation of
mineral components. Stable carbon and oxygen isotope data has been used to decipher the
source of ore components and temperature of mineralization, respectively (Jedrysk and
Halas, 1990; Abu-Jaber and Kimberley, 1992). The present note reports for the first time,
carbon and isotope signatures of vein magnesite of parts of Salem in Tamilnadu and
together with the data of analogous magnesite deposits in Karantaka and Budd layered
complex, Sout Africa, is used to constrain the temperature and source of ore components of
magnesite in South India.
GEOLOGICAL SETTING AND MAGNESITE MINERALIZATION

Magnesite mineralization in South India is encountered essentially in Salem

district, Tamilnadu and Mysore district, Karnataka (Fig.1a &b) and is hosted in ultramafic
182 M.S. SETHUMADHAV AND OTHERS

bodies emplaced into the older supracrustal rocks. In Salem, magnesite occurs in the Chalk
hills and is hosted in ultramafic bodies essentially composed of dunite and peridotite with
minor pyroxenite, gabbro and their metamorphic equivalents (Krishnamurthi and Sahu,
1987; Natarajan, 1985; Prasannakumar, 2002; Ramasamy,1985). Ultramafic rocks have
been subjected to varying intensities of serpentinization and weathering.
Magnesite mineralization of economic grade occurs as fracture fillings in tensional
fractures in the intensely serpentinized and weathered portions of the ultramafic bodies.
Magnesite veins of replacement type are rare. Majority of the magnesite veins are a few cm
to more than a few meters thick, occur as sub parallel veins with subhorizontal disposition
and are restricted to depths of about 70 metres from the present day surface (Ramasamy,
1985). Such a relationship between mineralization and present day land surface has been
attributed to a young event of mineralization (Abu Jaber & Kimberley, 1992). Magnesite
veins posses sharp contacts with the host rock and the contacts are devoid of any signs of
alteration. A narrow gap is often noted at the contact between magnesite vein and the host
rock. Magnesite commonly exhibits granular and massive textures and rarely fibrous
texture.

Fig. 1. (a) Location map and Geological map showing magnesite occurrences in
Mysore district.

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 ULTRAMAFIC-HOSTED VEIN MAGNESITE MINERALIZATION, INDIA. 183

Fig. 1. (b) Location map and Geological map showing magnesite occurrences in
Salem district.

STABLE ISOTOPE DATA OF MAGNESITE

Stable isotope data is fundamental for deciphering the genesis of magnesite
mineralization. Carbon and oxygen isotope data of the magnesite samples of the Salem and
Mysore areas are provided in Table 1. The data plots of the magnesites of the study area vis-
à-vis plots of other ultrmafic hosted magnesites are depicted in Fig. 2. In the diagram, the
magnesite fields of Salem and Mysore areas are adjacent to the plots of magnesites of the
Budd layered complex of South Africa.
Mg required for the formation of magnesite has been invoked by weathering of
ultramafic complexes by Barnes & O'Neil (1973) and a similar source may be contended for
the formation of magnesite for the study area.
Oxygen isotope data of the magnesite of the Chalk hills have yielded heavy δ18O
values of +28.93 and 28.16‰ SMOW. Magnesites of Karya and Doddakanya areas in
Mysore district also have high δ18O values of +28.86 to 32.18‰ SMOW. According to

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184 M.S. SETHUMADHAV AND OTHERS

Barnes and O'Neil (1969), high δ18O values point to magnesite mineralization at low
temperatures. δ18O values of +28.39 to 32.18 ‰ SMOW for the vein magnesite of the
Doddakanya area in Mysore district by Krishna Rao et al., (1999) and δ18O values of +30.5
to 31.2‰ SMOW have been reported for the vein magnesite of the Budd layered complex
of Barberton, South Africa by Toulkeridis et al., 2010. In both these cases, low temperature
origin for the magnesite has been suggested based on high δ18O values. It may therefore be
contended that the magnesite of the Chalk hills may also to be of low temperature
precipitation.

Source of CO2-rich fluids for the formation of magnesite has been ascribed
variously to: (i) meteoric waters enriched with atmospheric/biogenic carbon (Lesko, 1972;
Petrov et al., 1979; Jedrysk & Halas, 1990); (ii) CO2- rich ascending diagenetic /
metamorphic fluids (Dabitzias, 1980; Pohl, 1990); (3) mantle source (Gold, 1979 and
Veizer et al., 1989). Magnesites of the Chalk hills have yielded δ13C values of -1.55 and -
3.76‰ PDB and those of the Doddakanya and Karya areas in Mysore district have δ13C
values of -2.27 to -2.97‰ PDB. Magnesite of the Budd layered complex of Barberton
Greenstone belt, South Africa has yielded negative δ13C values of -2.9 to -3.3‰ PDB which
led Toulkeridis et al., (2010) to propose a hydrothermal origin for the magnesite. Krishna
Rao et al., (1999) reported δ13C values of -2.27 to -2.97‰ PDB for the magnesites of the
Doddakanya area of Mysore district and envisaged contribution of carbon for the
formation of magnesite was sourced from biogenic soil. Magnesite of the Chalk hills
yielded δ13C values of -1.55 and -3.76‰ PDB are comparable with the reported values for
magnesite of Budd layered complex, South Africa and Doddakanya area of Mysore district
and therefore the source of carbon is attributable either to a hydrothermal or biogenic soil
source.

Table 1: Carbon and Oxygen isotope data of magnesites. SS3 & SS4: Salem
magnesites; SK2 & SK3: Karya magnesites; MD1-MD7: Doddakanya magnesites.

Sl. No. δ13C ‰ δ18O ‰

(PDB) (SMOW)
SS3 -1.55 28.93
SS4 -3.76 28.16
SK2 -3.39 29.25
SK3 -3.77 28.86
MD1 -2.27 32.18
MD2 -2.54 31.91
MD3 -2.60 32.01
MD4 -2.36 28.39
MD5 -2.76 30.70
MD6 -2.97 30.21
MD7 -2.70 28.99

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 ULTRAMAFIC-HOSTED VEIN MAGNESITE MINERALIZATION, INDIA. 185

Fig. 2. Carbon and Oxygen isotope data of magnesites of the study areas as
compared to other areas reported in Kralik et al., (1989).

The magnesite of the Chalk hills, Salem district, Tamilnadu are analogous to the
magnesites of Doddakanya and Karya areas of Mysore district, Karnataka and the Budd
layered complex, Barberton, South Africa in terms of its geological setting and stable
isotope values. Oxygen isotope data of these South India magnesites suggest a low
temperature origin. Based on carbon isotope data of magnesite of Doddakanya area,
Krishna Rao et al., (1999) proposed a soil biogenic source for carbonate formation.
However, a rational model for the origin of magnesite must consider stable isotope data
along with the Pb-Pb ages of magnesite as was done for the magnesite of the Budd layered
complex, South Africa by Toulkeridis et al., (op. cit.). This would facilitate determination
of age of mineralization and establish the source of carbonate for the formation of
magnesite.
Pb-Pb age determination on magnesites of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is afoot for
proposing a tenable model for magnesite mineralization in South India.

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