A SHORT REPORT ON THE PROPOSAL TO STUDY THE PROSPECT OF NOBLE METALS INCLUDING GOLD, PLATINUM, SILVER AND OTHER

ASSOCIATED METALS AND ELEMENTS FOR FUEL IN THE NORTHERN PARTS OF BANGLADESH By M. Khurshid Alam And Dr. Iddris Mia Introduction The national anthem of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh starts I Avgvi mvbvi evsjv Avwg Zvgvq fvjevwm. It is bewildering to think whether there is any gold deposit in the country or not. It is to mention that in the book, The Social and Cultural History of Bangla Dr. M.A. Rahim, historian , mentioned, Iron and Diamond were mentionable mineral resources in Bangla. There was mine of iron in Sarkar Bajuhat and diamond mine in Sarkar Harpa. The geoscientist of the Geological Survey of Bangladesh collected three samples of rocks and sediments and in those samples gold, silver were found. Although these have no economic importance, still, presence of gold and silver may inspire the geoscientist to investigate the possibility of finding noble metals and valuable minerals. A proposal for a program to study the possibility of finding valuable mineral resources may not be considered as overenthusiastic proposition. In the following paragraphs some aspects of the proposal for the said investigation are given. Background of the proposed study Geological Survey of Pakistan carried out geophysical surveys in the Geo-tectonic zone popularly known as Rangpur Saddle and found rocks of igneous and metamorphic complexes of Precambrian Age at shallower depth under the sedimentary rock sequence. The rocks found in the area are similar as those are exposed in the Chotonagpur Plateau and Shillong Plateau. Busby, J.P. and Evans, R.B. of the British Geological Survey in their Technical Report WK/88/3 remarked that the shallow basement is important as it may contain minerals which can be mined, and a potential source of hard rocks. Shan Plateau of Myanmar contains gold deposits. Shillong Plateau is like the Shan Plateau. The internet informs that placer gold was collected from the Brahmaputra River sediments. India plans to build the worlds largest hydroelectric plant on the Brahmaputra River and the foreign investors have shown interest to mine gold. It is needless to say the source of this placer gold is the Shillong Plateauy and Mikir Hills of igneous and metamorphic complexes. In pursuance of the earlier studies, aeromagnetic survey was flown in late 1979 and early 1980. The study found the highest amplitude anomalies occur towards the southwest although the highest frequencies tend to occur more centrally. They also observed the Archean basement rocks of the Rangpur Saddle are gneisses with granites which appear within the gneiss as both banded composite complexes and as distinct intrusions. They further remarked the main sources of magnetic anomalies are the granitic, basic and ultra-basic intrusions within the basement. In their conclusions and recommendation chapter, they mentioned that the aeromagnetic data and drilling do indicate that there has been extensive vertical faulting within the basement over the Rangpur Saddle. Although, these information for the purpose of

exploration of noble metals are too small, but valuable to delineate the areas of interest for such kind of exploration activity. Location, Extent and Accessibility The proposed area for the study is located between the latitude N 25 to N 26 and longitudes 8815' E to 8915' E. The area falls under the districts of Greater Dinajpur and Rangpur and is included in the Geological Survey of Bangladesh Topographic Sheet Nos. 79C and 78G (scale 1:2,50,000). Rangpur and Dinagpur District Headquarters are well connected with highways and railways. There are two airports in Thakurgaon and Syedpur. Barapukuria Coal Mine and Maddhapara Hard Rock Mine are in the area. The coal fields at Barapukuria and, Phulbaria, Dighipara and Khalashpir are located in the area. Topography, Relief, Drainage and Climate The area comprises a part of the Tista Flood Plain and a part of the Barind Tract. The area is gently sloping highland. The gradient is from northwest to southwest. The elevation of the highland ranges from 27 meters to 50 metres above the mean sea level. The area is drained by the Tista, Korotoya and Atrai River. All these rivers are perennial. The area is now protected by Tista Barrage. The maximum mean temperature in the month of May is about 32.9C and the minimum mean temperature in the month of January is about 11.1 C. The maximum temperature in the month of June is about 31.9C and the minimum temperature in the month of June is about 24.6C. The annual mean rainfall is 25 cm. The lowest average humidity figure is recorded in Dinajpur in March. The area lies beyond the zone of devastating cyclones. Tectonic Framework The area lies in the tectonic framework of Rangpur Saddle. Previously it was known as Rajmahal Gap. In this area the Precambrian Igneous-Metamorphic rocks occur at the shallowest depth of 129 metres Sub Sea in Maddhapara area where a mine has been developed for the extraction of hard rocks. The rocks are similar as those are occurring in the Chotonagpur Plateau and Shillong Plateau and the maximum elevation ranges in those plateaus is 1000 meters to 2000 meters above the mean sea level. The rocks occurring in the plateaus form the host rocks for the accumulation of valuable mineral resources. Geology The area comprises rock ranging in age from Precambrian to Holocene. In Maddhapara area rocks ranging in age from Permian to Miocene have not been developed or have been eroded. To serve the purposes of this present proposal for the exploration of noble metals and valuable minerals, a generalized geological succession is given below.

Formation

Lithology

Thickness metres

in Age

Sand containing pebbles of igneous and metamorphic Young Gravelly rocks, sand is medium to Variable Sand coarse grained, unconsolidated.
Unconformity

Holocene

Barind Residuum

Clay

Clay mixed with silt and sand, light brown to orange, >8 fairly compact.
Unconformity

Pleistocene

Dupi Tila

Sandstone, grey to yellowish grey, medium to coarse grained, fairly consolidated. Pebbles, white clay and silica sand present. Two samples >120 of sediments from the depths 133m and 151m sub sea contains gold, silver and zinc.
Unconformity

Pliocene

Basement Complex

Gneiss, Schist, Granodiorite and Quartz Diorite forming numerous subsurface monadnocks and buried valleys. Geological Structures

Precambrian

Geological cross sections show that there are many gravity low areas which form the synclinal structure like Barapukuria Coal Basin. However, anticlinal structures have not been identified. It is probable that after the Permian Period, the area was a zone of erosion or non-deposition till the Pliocene Epoch when the rocks of Dupi Tila Formation were deposited. The area has got numerous faults and lineaments which have criss-crossed the subsurface and surface land masses. Areas along the faults and lineaments are very important for the exploration of noble metals. The paleo-valleys are also equally important for placer deposits. All the three samples which have contents of gold and silver are of placer in nature and these samples indicate that nearby the area, there are rocks which contain noble metals and valuable minerals. Discussion Considering the above mentioned statements and the little knowledge gathered by the author while he visited many gold and silver mines particularly the famous Tonopah Silver and Gold Mines in Nevada in U.S.A., it is tempting to propose to have a program for exploration of noble metals including gold and silver in SONAR

BANGLA. It is beyond the scope of giving examples from different countries of the world which have gold mines. Neighboring countries like India and Myanmar are famous for reserves of noble metals. Even a study in Bhutan showed that some areas have gold and the content is about 0.8 ppm and in world standard it is not mineable. But scientists opine this gold deposit is mineable if it is mined with other minerals. The sample of sediment from Dighipara Drill Hole contains 4 ppm of gold, 100 ppm of siver and 55.51 ppm of zinc. The sample of sediment from BH-1, Maddhapara contains 1.636 ppm of gold and 50.12 ppm of zinc and the sample from BH-2, Madhapara contains 95.92 ppm of copper, 64.11 ppm of lead, 433 ppm of zinc, 10 ppm of silver and 1.66 ppm of gold. A recent study in Orrisa, India has found gold deposits in the areas of mega lineaments/lineaments. There are numerous faults and lineaments in proposed area for exploration for noble metals. If not many, some of the lineaments may be classed as mega lineaments which may have association of minerals. At the end, the authors want to suggest an area nearby the Dighipara Coal Basin for immediate exploration activity in Chaukpara-Masidapur area where there is a fault zone. The record of Geological Survey of Bangladesh, Volume-7, Part-3, remarks that there are five basement faults around the coal basin. In the ChaukparaMasidapur area there is the most significant magnetic anomaly having a magnitude of 800-850 gamma peak to peak. This fault zone may have the mineral association and it may be the source of the pebble which was found during drilling in Dighipara Coal Basin. The authors are afraid off to tell the tales of many problems of exploration for noble metals and they want to end the note with the hope to have a program to see whether SONAR BANGLA has gold in mineable quantity or not. But it is to say the exploration activity is very complex, costly and time consuming.