Sedimentological and Mineralogical Investigations of Heavy Mineral Sand Deposits in Mahaweli River Alluvial Fan

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dc.contributor.authorJanajeewa, W.M.C.
dc.contributor.authorCooray, J.T.
dc.contributor.authorJayawardana, D.T.
dc.date.accessioned2022-03-11T04:35:18Z
dc.date.available2022-03-11T04:35:18Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.description.abstractMost of the economically important offshore heavy mineral sand deposits in Sri Lanka including Koddiyar bay is not fully investigated and there are very limited studies available in literature. Koddiyar Bay is the Mahaweli River discharging area. Detailed investigation on heavy mineral sand deposits is vital before extracting them. This paper presents the results of a sedimentological and mineralogical investigation of Koddiyar Bay heavy mineral sands deposit with the view of identifying its economic potential. More than ninety percent of Sri Lankan terrain is underlain by metamorphic rocks with meta - sedimentary or meta-igneous origin. Meta-sediments consists of quartzites, quartz schists, fine to medium grained acidic gneisses and granulites, calc gneisses, crystalline limestones, dolomites, sillimanite gneisses and silimanite-garnet-graphite rocks (Fernando, 1986). During the ice age, the present inner harbor area of Koddiyar Bay might have had the normal ridge and valley topography as we find in present day inland. With the rise of the sea level the present inner harbor area has submerged gradually and it has opened up rapidly due to wave and current actions with time (Wijayananda, 1985). Rock fragments are flown to Mahaweli River mainly during rainy season from catchment areas. Heavy mineral particles are derived from these detrital materials. Heavy mineral grains are subjected to abrasion during this transportation. Grains with higher hardness like ilmenite, rutile and garnet do not change their shape during the course of transportation. Moderately hard grains like magnetite are changed slightly their shape and they tend to form round grains. Low hardness grains like monazite and zircon are changed slightly their size and shape also tend to well roundness. Then this heavy and light mineral grains move with combination of sea waves and tidal forces. Then sedimentation occurs along coastal stretch in Koddiyar bay. This processes are not continue throughout the year. During monsoon period deposition layer thickness is higher than dry season.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://www.erepo.lib.uwu.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/123456789/8482/10-MRT-Sedimentological%20and%20Mineralogical%20Investigations%20of%20Heavy%20Mineral%20Sand%20.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUva Wellassa University of Sri Lankaen_US
dc.subjectMineral Sciencesen_US
dc.subjectMineralen_US
dc.subjectScience and Technologyen_US
dc.subjectMaterials Sciencesen_US
dc.subjectBiodiversity – Sri Lankaen_US
dc.titleSedimentological and Mineralogical Investigations of Heavy Mineral Sand Deposits in Mahaweli River Alluvial Fanen_US
dc.title.alternativeResearch Symposium 2013en_US
dc.typeOtheren_US
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