THE GOLD CONTENT OF DECCAN BASALTS WESTERN GHATS, INDIA

Sixty nine(69) samples of Deccan basalt flows from the Western Ghats r epresenting the Wai, Lonavala,and Kalsubai subgroups average 3.7 ppb o f gold. Gold content shows limited variation from 3.0 to 5.8 ppb in 62 samples whereas they range from 1.4 to 2.7 ppb in 7 samples. Flows of the Wai subgroup show the maximum variation in gold abundances (1.4 - 5.8 ppb) and which may be related to the presence of primitive. uncon taminated basalts (Anibenali)- lowest value.-crust-contaminated basalt s (Poladpur) and ba.-alls derived from enriched-mantle sources (Mahaba leshwar). Gold appears to be insensitive to crystal fractionation or d ifferentiation as basalts of different types such as the picritic, por phyritic, aphyric and giant plagioclase-bearing types found within a s ubgroup or formation have similar averages (3.6 - 3.8 ppb). Deccan tho leiitic basalts contain higher amounts of gold than some of the ocean island (Hawaii) tholeiitic basalts, island arc (Kurile-Kamchatka) thol eiites, but contain values similar to those found in the Columbia Rive r basalt province.