Mineral Occurrences in Dharmapuri District

A vast range of minerals are reported from this area. They include apatite, corundum, copper, gold, iron ore, molybdenum, lead, limestone, Kankar, vermiculite, black granite and rough stones. Of them, the gold occurrence in the Veppanapalli area and molybdenum in Velampatti and its surrounding areas of Harur taluk has been studied in detail by GSI. The gold mineralization in Veppanapalli area is confined to the silicified zones showing gold values between 0.3 and 2.6g/t. Dimensional stones of the district are unique and possessing multicoloured and black granite. There is only one existing lease for colored granite in this district locating at Thimmarayanahalli, Palacode Taluk. Brief note on Harur-Uttangarai Belt : Dharmapuri District Preliminary investigation by GSI has brought to light a NNE-SSW trending shear zone with incidence of molybdenum and galena in SE part of Dharmapuri District (Rao, 1991). The shear zone extends over a strike length of 24km from Velampatti in the south to Uttangarai in the north separated by Ponnaiyar River. Yet another parallel shear zone, 4 km in extent has been identified in the Vellakkal Reserve Forest i.e. north of Ponnaiyar River. The mineralisation is confined to the shear zone within which emplacement of quartz and carbonate veins are present. The mineralisation is both in the veins as well as sheared altered country rock. In Velampatti South Block, detailed work was carried out by drilling upto the fourth level over a length of 1.38 km, which proved the depth persistence of molybdenite mineralisation upto the vertical depth of 320m. The resources estimated in this block are of the order of 2.74 million tonnes with an average grade of 0.102% Mo at 0.03% cut-off or 5.75 million tonnes of ore with an average grade of 0.064% Mo at 0.01% cut-off. In the other blocks of Harur sector, a tentative resource of 12.68 million tonnes of ore with an average grade of 0.032% Mo has been estimated (Singanenjam et al, 1994). District Survey Report, Dharmapuri District 15 In the Velampatti Central Block (Palanisamy et al, 1997), the extension of the above said mineralized zone has been proved further north over a strike length of 0.50km. A reserve of 0.336 million tonnes with an average grade of 0.079% Mo at 0.05% cut-off and 0.723 million tonnes with the average grade of 0.059% Mo at 0.03% cut off is established. The other nine blocks existing north of Ponnaiyar River in Uttangarai Sector are being explored, some of the borehole core samples show values as high as 2000 ppm of Mo.

Minerals of Economic importance found in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu are mainly corundum, gold, iron ore, lead, limestone, Magnesite, Molybdenum, Vermicululite and steatite. Mining activities based on these minerals are very less in the district. Besides that, the district is endowed with sizeable reserves of Black granite (Dolerite). High quality black granite is available in Pennagaram, Harur and Palacode Taluks. Occurrence of good quality of Quartz and feldspar mining is situated at Kendenahalli and Ramakondahalli villages in Pennagaram Taluk. Rough stone mining is extensively located in Dharmapuri district. Occurrence of molybdenum is reported and studied in detail at A.Velampatti and Maruthipatti villages and its surrounding areas of Harur and Pappireddypatti Taluks. Brief details of mining activities in the district are tabulated below: The Department of Geology and Mining is functioning in Dharmapuri district under the control of District Collector, Dharmapuri. The Assistant Director, Geology and Mining is assisting the District Collector in the mineral administration works.