KANJAMALAI - FIELD REPORT

byDeAr GEOLOGY •December 19, 2021

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FIELD VISIT DATE :- 10/12/2021

LOCATION :- KANJAMALAI

TERRAIN VIEW OF KANJAMALAI

REPOTER’S DETAILS :

XXXXX(NAME)

3^RD B.SC

DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY

XXXXX(COLLEGE ADDRESS)

SALEM.

LOCATION DETAILS :-

LOCATION NAME

KANJAMALAI

REGION

SALEM,TAMILNADU,INDIA

(14KM ,WEST OF SALEM DISTRICT)

LATITUDE

11°36'59" N

LONGITUDE

78°3'32" E

TYPE

MOUNTAIN

CLIMATE TYPE

AW : TROPICAL SAVANNA, WET

TERRAIN ELEVATION

986m ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL

GEOLOGICAL AGE

PRECAMBRIAN AGE (3000MYA)

ORIGIN

PLUTONIC ORIGIN

HEMATITE IN THE FIELD KANJAMALAI

STUDY AREA:-

Kanjamalai is the mountain in the Salem district which is well known for its magnetite iron ore deposit is of banded magnetite quartzite.

There are a few major rocks that are at various heights around the hill with banded structures, The oldest magnetite quartzite is pyroxene granulates, pyroxenite, dunite, granite,quartize, amphiboles, hornblende biotite gneiss, and pegmatite magnetite ores.

In the hill, the iron ore content is estimated at Fe of 33-36 % metallic iron can be extracted economically from the rocks and minerals of iron ore. It shows W-penzing syncline and onion(spheroidal) weathering.

These ores exist in different colours and are abundant in iron oxides.The colours observed are from dark gray,bright yellow,or deep purple to rusty red.The iron is found in the form of magnetite (Fe3O4 , 72.4%) ,hematite (Fe2O3 , 69.9% Fe) , geothite (FeO(OH) 62.9% Fe) , limonite (FeO(OH),n(H2O) ,or siderite (FeCO3 , 48.2% Fe ).

MAGNESITE VEIN IN KANJAMALAI

Iron ore is the most abundant element in the rock which constitutes about 5% of the earth’s crust and it is the 4th most common element in the world.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF IRON :

Iron is one of the 3 naturally occurring magnetic elements.
It is ductile and malleable.
Iron is a silvery-white or graying metal.
It is a good conductor.
It has the property of tensile and occurs as allotropy.
It is ferromagnetic and has a luster that shines.

LESS RESISTANT ROCK WHICH CROSSED LOT OF DENUDATION PROCESS

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF IRON :

Iron is a very active metal and it dissolves in acid.
Its chemical formula is Fe and it is non-toxic.
Readily combines with oxygen in moist air which produces iron oxides also known as rust.
Reacts with steam and very hot water to produce hydrogen gas.

DEPOSITION POSITION :

Iron ore is found in 3 distinct levels.

1st or lowermost band in the base of kanjamalai.This is traced over a length of 13km approx. the average width is about 25km.
2nd or middle band occurs from the plain to 300m.
3rd or uppermost are from 60m higher than the 2nd band. For about 350 to 370m height about ground level, width is about 10m.