Characterization of Source Rocks for Manufactured Sand (M-Sand) in Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu: A Petrographic Approach

Abstract

S.R. Srinivasan, R.R. Krishnamurthy, G. Mageswari and V. Gopal

The aggregate properties of M-Sand depend on the geological properties of the parent rock. Further the properties of rock vary from region to region and hence an integrated study of petrographic properties of M-sand gains much importance. For this, we have taken source rock of 10M-sand sample in Kancheepuram district which lies in the northern part of Tamil Nadu is chosen as the study area as it houses many M-sand quarries region. The present study was carried out on petrography on the source rocks i.e., Charnockites and Granitic Gneisses to understand the mineralogical characteristics of these rocks. Moreover, it is used for the production of M-sand and the distribution of various minerals and their concentration were also studied. The predominant major minerals present in the samples are quartz, hypersthene, plagioclase-feldspar, hornblende and K-feldspar. The other major minerals such as clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, olivine and microcline were found in low content of about 1- 1.5%. Among the secondary and accessory minerals, biotite and opaque are present in almost all the rock samples of both Charnockite and Granite Gneiss. The source rocks of M-sand do not show the presence of illite, montmorillonite and muscovite but low percentage of biotite is observed in the rock samples. Thus, the Charnockites and Granitic Gneisses in this region reveals that both the rocks are very much suitable to produce M type sand.

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