Minerological Studies on Beach Sediments of South East Cost,India

Abstract

The study area, Vedaranyam coast, is located along the Southeast of India and has a reverse "U" shaped structure. The coastal stretch between Akkarapallivasal and Muthupet lying between 10° 20' N - 10° 25'N latitude and 79° 25' E - 79° 50' E longitude was considered as the study area. The sampling design includes collection of Beach sediments (at 10 stations). Hence, in the present study, the identification of constituent heavy minerals and their distribution patterns were carried out. Beach sediments samples were collected from the intertidal zone at 10 stations i.e Preliminary placer mieral investigation along the Vedaranyam coast infers the presence of heavy minerals such as pyroxenes and amphiboles, others (mica, staurolite, etc, put together), ilmenite, sillimanite, zircon, garnet in the decreasing order of abundance.