Executive Summary : | The Dharwar Craton in Peninsular India has been extensively studied to understand the Archean gold metallogeny and related crustal evolution. The post-cratonisation, rift-related, intracratonic Proterozoic basins of the craton, such as Cuddapah, Bhima, and Kaladgi basins, are the archives for the changing oxidation of ocean-atmosphere systems, thermal condition, and tectonic setting of the Earth. However, the evolution of these basins and their ore mineralisation are still poorly understood. The Paleo-Neoproterozoic Cuddapah Basin comprises siliciclastic and carbonate rocks hosting stratabound uranium and sedimentary exhalative type barite deposits. The basin is also known for ca.1600 Ma regional base metal metallogeny coinciding with the 1.68-1.6 Ga Krishna Orogeny and 1590-1575 Ma granitic intrusions at Vinukonda, Vellaturu, and Ipuru. The base metal mineralisation of the basin is hosted dominantly within the deformed and metamorphosed Paleoproterozoic Nallamalai Group, constituting mainly two sulfide belts - Agnigundala at the northeastern tip of the basin and Varikunta-Zangamrajupalle at ~ 230 km in the SW of Agnigundala. To establish an ore genetic model of sediment-hosted base metal deposits, constraints on metal characters, temperature, composition, source of ore fluid, sources of dissolved metals and reduced sulfur, syngenetic versus epigenetic nature of ore precipitation, relative ages of mineralisation and host rock, and link between ore precipitation and geodynamic setting are needed. In the proposed project, detailed fluid inclusion, geochemical, and isotopic studies representing syn- to epigenetic stages of mineralisation will be carried out on the three deposits of the Agnigundala sulfide belt, aiming to establish a suitable ore genetic model. |